Wayne Shaffer was senior counsel with Laxalt & Nomura, Ltd. prior to his retirement in 2021. Mr. Shaffer is a proud Nevadan having been born and raised in Reno and graduating from the University of Nevada. Following his graduation from California Western School of Law in San Diego (5th in his class), Mr. Shaffer returned to Reno. He began his legal career as a Washoe County Deputy District Attorney in the Criminal Division where he worked with two chief deputy prosecutors, Bruce Laxalt and Don Nomura. Little did he know that twenty-three years later (2004) he would again be working with Bruce and Don at Laxalt & Nomura. In the interim, Mr. Shaffer was a longtime partner in Wait & Shaffer, a boutique Nevada defense firm that handled major litigation cases ranging from general negligence and product liability to professional negligence. Before he retired, Mr. Shaffer also enjoyed assisting national counsel and meeting their needs for experienced local counsel in Nevada courts.
Bar Admissions: Admitted to bar 1981, Nevada; 1982 California; 1983 U.S. District Court, District of Nevada, Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
Education and Honors: University of Nevada – Reno (B.A., 1977); California Western School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1981); member, Law Review.
Memberships, Professional Recognitions: Member, State Bar of Nevada; State Bar of California; Fellow, American College of Trial Attorneys (ACTL); Associate, American Board of Trial Attorneys (ABOTA); American Inns of Court (Master Emeritus); Best Lawyers of America, Northern California / Reno, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (2001-2021), Products Liability (2013-2021); Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC). Rated “AV” by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
