Trial Lawyer Colleen McCarty Joins Ballard Spahr in Las Vegas

Colleen E. McCarty—an experienced trial lawyer who represents individuals and organizations in complex civil litigation cases, labor and employment matters, and media and entertainment law issues—has joined Ballard Spahr’s Litigation Department and Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice as of counsel, firm Chair Peter Michaud announced today. Colleen is resident in the firm’s Las Vegas office.

Colleen is the second complex litigation attorney to join Ballard Spahr in Las Vegas in the past several months, following Abran Vigil, who returned to the firm in September.

“Having Colleen join our office is reason to celebrate,” said Las Vegas Office Managing Partner Robert C. Kim. “She further bolsters our growing commercial litigation capabilities, and her labor and employment and media law capabilities are very much in demand in Las Vegas and across the West.”

Colleen’s labor and employment practice focuses on employment litigation and investigations. She further draws on her pre-law career as a broadcast journalist to counsel clients on media law, defamation, and access to public records issues. She joins a team of First Amendment litigators who earned Ballard Spahr Best Law Firms’ 2025 Law Firm of the Year honors for Litigation-First Amendment.

Colleen joined the firm from Fox Rothschild. On January 1, 2025, Ballard Spahr combined with Lane Powell, gaining offices in Seattle, Portland, and Anchorage and approximately 150 attorneys.

“I’m joining Ballard Spahr during an exciting time of expansion of its labor and employment capabilities in the Western states, and the firm’s First Amendment litigators are second to none,” Colleen said. “My clients are pleased to hear of my move, and I know they will benefit from Ballard’s deep bench, national resources, and longstanding connection to the Las Vegas and Nevada markets.”

For media inquiries, please contact Will Ashenmacher at 612.371.5792.