Even before the formation of the firm, the name Woodburn was an important part of Nevada’s early development. William Woodburn, father of the firm’s founder, then residing in Virginia City, Nevada, served in the United States Congress in 1868 and again in 1872. In 1918, George Thatcher was winding up his term as Nevada Attorney General and William Woodburn, Sr. was retiring as the Washoe County District Attorney. Frank Norcross, a former Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice, invited them to join him in law practice in Reno. The new firm of Norcross, Thatcher and Woodburn was formed, and it continues today as Woodburn and Wedge.
One hundred years later, the firm has had many notable successes and moments of distinction. In the early 1980’s, the firm (then Woodburn, Wedge, Blakey and Jeppson) enjoyed the unusual distinction of being awarded a contract to provide legal services to the United States Air Force. The services involved advising the Air Force on environmental, water and land use law in connection with a missile system planned for rural Nevada. In 1989 the firm successfully defended the rock band Judas Priest and CBS Records in a wrongful death action brought by the survivors of two individuals who committed suicide after a long evening of drugs, drinking and listening to music. The case involved important first amendment freedom of speech issues. In 2003, the firm was part of a small team of lawyers responsible for obtaining the 16th largest jury award in the United States in 2003 ($136,900.000) in a fraud action involving a copper mine near Tonopah, Nevada.
In its infancy, Norcross, Thatcher and Woodburn practiced all areas of law with particular emphasis on mining law, real estate law, water law, corporate law, wills, estates and probates, and general litigation. These areas of practice still form the core of Woodburn and Wedge’s practice, but as the firm grew, so too did its areas of practice and specialization.
Today, Woodburn and Wedge is celebrating a century of independent practice in Nevada. With twenty lawyers and a support staff of twenty, Woodburn and Wedge is now located in the Sierra Plaza in south Reno. The firm continues to be a general practice firm which has developed a strong corporate, business and litigation practice with a strong and broad base of clients including commercial investment firms, national consumer and commercial finance companies, national and local banks, credit unions, real estate development companies, mining companies, utilities (public and private), small and medium-sized businesses, law firms, accounting firms, engineering firms, public agencies and individuals. Although Woodburn and Wedge maintains a general law practice, its attorneys concentrate on litigation, insurance coverage opinions and disputes, corporate law, corporate securities and finance, commercial law, real estate law, water law, representation of property management and homeowners’ associations, environmental law, bankruptcy, utility law, and public and private land use law. The firm also has broad experience in administrative law, estate planning, probate and tax law.
Established in 1918 here in Northern Nevada, Woodburn and Wedge is celebrating 100 years of independent law practice and playing a role in shaping Nevada history.
Founded in 1918
45 people in their team
Woodburn and Wedge has extensive experience representing creditors, debtors and trustees in all types of bankruptcy matters from simple consumer chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies to complex chapter 11 business reorganizations. The bankruptcy group leader has also served as examiner and trustee in chapter 11 cases.
In addition to representing clients in general bankruptcy matters such as proof of claim issues, plan prosecution and objections to plan and financing issues, Woodburn and Wedge attorneys have a wealth of experience in bankruptcy litigation involving avoidance actions (preferences and fraudulent transfers), discharge and dischargeability issues and claims litigation.
Woodburn and Wedge represents a variety of employers and organizations in all areas of employment, including investigation, representation before administrative regulatory agencies, state and federal court litigation, human resources training, employment contract transactions, severance package drafting and all aspects of workplace employee relations. From transactional representation to administrative, agency and courtroom advocacy through appeal, Woodburn and Wedge provides the highest quality advice and advocacy to employers regardless of workforce size.
In addition, Woodburn and Wedge proactively advises clients as to liability exposure. Its attorneys offer training to Human Resources Departments to prevent and address common workplace issues and enhance the overall quality of the employment experience.
Estate Planning, Tax, Probate & Guardianship
Woodburn and Wedge offers a full range of services in the area of estate planning and probate. We advise clients regarding all aspects of estate planning, including trusts, wills and federal estate, gift and generation skipping transfer tax law as well as business succession planning. We assist individuals and families in planning and implementing a variety of tax and planning strategies including, family limited partnerships and LLCs , dynasty (generation skipping) trusts, charitable remainder trusts, family foundations, irrevocable life insurance trusts, etc. We are dedicated to providing our clients with knowledgeable advice and counsel, timely service, and to tailoring each estate plan to meet the client’s needs and objectives while minimizing or even eliminating gift and estate tax burdens.
Woodburn and Wedge provides counsel and advice regarding tax planning to individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, trusts and tax-exempt organizations with respect to federal income, gift, and estate tax law. Services provided by Woodburn and Wedge include: estate and gift tax planning; business entity selection; structuring complex transactions; partnership, LLC and corporate tax planning; and representation of clients before the Internal Revenue Service. We have also formed and obtained IRS determination letters for a variety of charitable organizations (both publicly supported organizations and private foundations).
Our firm also handles decedents’ estates of every size and degree of complexity. Following a death, we advise family members, beneficiaries, trustees and personal representatives concerning the transfer of property from the deceased pursuant to a trust or will, or as provided by law for those who die without a will or trust. Woodburn and Wedge assists clients with both non-judicial trust administration and with court supervised probate proceedings.
In addition, we represent clients in contested probate and trust proceedings such as will and trust contests based on undue influence, incapacity, fraud or duress; breach of fiduciary duties; and wrongful retention or distribution of assets.
Our guardianship practice is dedicated to helping people take care of incapacitated or incompetent loved ones. We assist adult children seeking to establish guardianships for aging parents who are no longer able to make important decisions about healthcare and finances. Likewise, we assist in setting up guardianships for minors whose natural parents cannot care for them or who have inherited property needing to be held on their behalf. We also handle guardianship disputes.
Family Law & Domestic Relations
The Family Law Practice of Woodburn and Wedge addresses the legal and financial interests of individuals and families in connection with all aspects of family law, including pre-marriage planning and the dissolution of marriage. The attorneys of the Family Law Group are known not only for their ability to successfully litigate contested matters, but also for effective use of their experience, knowledge and talents to achieve negotiated settlements. In fact, there are attorneys in the firm who dedicate a large part of their practice to mediation of family law matters.
The structure of the firm is unique and permits our attorneys to concentrate on particular practice areas within family and matrimonial law, such as complex litigation, including litigation involving divorce, legal separation and annulment; financial discovery, analysis and planning; negotiated settlements; premarital and postnuptial agreements; marital and separation agreements; cohabitation agreements; surrogacy and reproductive law; custody, visitation and parent/child relocation; complex property division; maintenance/alimony and child support; retirement plans and benefits; parentage; domestic violence and orders of protection; post-divorce disputes; and appellate practice.
The attorneys of the Family Law Group often use a team approach to manage cases efficiently and provide effectual results for clients. Instead of each lawyer working independently on cases, our much used team approach assures clients ready access to a team of several attorneys with knowledge and understanding of their case. Clients benefit in working with a team of lawyers with varied backgrounds and particular experience dealing with business issues and financial planning as needed to best resolve their case. The Family Law Group’s ability to service individual and family group clients on a personal level is similar to that of a boutique firm except that we have access to the firm’s other practice groups and thus have the ability to effectively handle all the sophisticated needs of the client.
Litigation
As the oldest law firm in Nevada, Woodburn and Wedge provides the highest quality legal advice and advocacy to our clients. Our litigators are among the best attorneys in Nevada and are experienced in litigating a wide array of legal matters, including business law, partnership disputes, bankruptcy, will and estate contests, family law, consumer protection, insurance defense, complex commercial disputes, construction, real estate, employment, natural resources, mining, securities and consumer protection. We practice in all courts in Nevada, state and federal.
Woodburn and Wedge litigators assess each case to develop the most cost-effective resolution to complex disputes, which often includes the utilization of alternative dispute resolution forums. The firm’s litigation attorneys have successfully represented clients in hundreds of mediations and arbitrations. In those instances when disputes cannot be resolved through mediation, arbitration or negotiated settlement, Woodburn and Wedge is fully prepared to take cases to trial. Our firm has also handled numerous appeals before both the Nevada Supreme Court and the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Woodburn and Wedge has the resources to meet the litigation needs of all clients whether they be individuals or large corporations. If you need assistance, contact one of the members of our litigation team today.
Real Estate
Woodburn and Wedge’s real estate practice is diverse, involving the representation of individual and institutional investors, asset managers, developers, lenders, landlords, tenants, and homeowners and condominium associations. Our real estate attorneys advise clients on acquisitions and complex financing transactions, landlord-tenant disputes, complex commercial leasing, and purchase and sale negotiations. Our attorneys are intimately involved in assisting and advising residential and commercial developers on state and local requirements, in preparing master plans for planned unit developments, in drafting and negotiating development agreements, implementing residential and commercial CC&Rs, and in representing clients before planning commissions, city councils, and county commissions.
