Since 2017, political organizations affiliated with the Nevada Justice Association (NJA), the state’s trial bar lobby, have spent more than $7.67 million influencing Nevada politics. Among the recipients of these contributions is Nevada Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D-Las Vegas).
Yeager, a Democrat and partner at Battle Born Injury Lawyers, has aligned with the NJA, a nonprofit organization representing Nevada’s trial lawyers. The NJA is leading the opposition to a proposed cap on the contingency fees attorneys can collect in civil cases, arguing that it could limit individuals' ability to secure fair compensation, particularly in personal injury lawsuits. The NJA has long opposed tort reform and continues to lobby against legislation aimed at reducing trial lawyers’ fees or capping damages in cases like medical malpractice.
The NJA, through its political arm Citizens for Justice, has donated $40,000 to Yeager’s re-election campaigns since 2017.
According to Transparency USA, Yeager’s law firm, Battle Born Injury Lawyers, is a top contributor to the trial lawyer PAC, donating $216,833 to Citizens for Justice since 2017.
Other firms supporting Citizens for Justice include some of the state’s most prominent personal injury attorney firms, such as Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, Richard Harris Law Firm, Naqvi Injury Law, and Steve Dimopoulos Law Firm, along with Yeager’s Battle Born Injury Lawyers.
On May 13, 2024, Reuters reported that a Nevada ballot initiative backed by the group Nevadans for Fair Recovery passed its first legal hurdle. The initiative seeks to limit contingency fees attorneys can collect in civil cases to 20%.
District Court Judge James Russell ruled that the petition meets state requirements, though opponents—including the NJA—plan to appeal the decision to the Nevada Supreme Court. They argue that such a cap would restrict plaintiffs' access to legal counsel and increase Medicaid costs for the state.
Supporters of the initiative, including the Retail Association of Nevada and rideshare company Uber, argue that the measure will reduce legal costs and address the financial advantages held by trial lawyers.
A U.S. Chamber of Commerce study supports their claims, stating that the U.S. tort system costs the average Nevada household $3,757 annually, partly due to the high number of lawsuits.
The NJA’s political influence has raised questions about Yeager’s role as Speaker. In 2023, The Nevada Globe reported that Yeager failed to disclose a potential conflict of interest related to legislation clarifying how insurers should make legal defense costs available in liability insurance policies, despite his ties to Battle Born Injury Lawyers, which would benefit from the bill. This lack of disclosure raised ethical concerns, particularly given Yeager’s role as vice chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Ethics.
“Steve Yeager would rather continue to live in filth than let the world see him work a shovel,” Better Nevada PAC spokesman John Burke told The Nevada Globe. “He has presided over and participated in a Culture of Corruption in our State Legislature, and now he’s trying to punish those pushing those who would clean up his mess. Nevadans are through with Yeager and his corrupt colleagues, and they will hold them accountable at the ballot box on November 5th.”
Trial lawyers have played a significant role in shaping public perceptions through extensive advertising campaigns. According to the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), plaintiffs’ law firms spent over $137.2 million on legal services advertisements in 2023. This advertising often targets personal injury claims and, combined with millions in political contributions, contributes to what ATRA President Tiger Joyce describes as a “tort tax,” costing Nevada households an average of $1,100 per year.