Senator Keith F. Pickard

FOUNDING PARTNER

Senator Keith Pickard focuses his practice on complex divorce and custody cases, post-decree disputes, and child relocation cases. Keith also represents Senate District 20 in the Nevada Legislature. Before attending law school Keith was an executive at Fortune 500 construction and development companies at the local level and was a partner in a public works contracting firm.

Keith is married to Eighth Judicial District Court Judge Margaret Pickard, and between them they have seven children in their blended family.

Keith understands family law from both sides of the equation having been both litigant and attorney in the courtroom. This gives Keith a unique insight into how to best care for his clients' needs, both in and out of court.

Keith was also the principal draftsman and lobbyist for the Parental Rights Protection Act of 2015, known within legislative circles as AB 263 - declared the most significant family law legislation in more than a decade.  The Act eliminated conflicts in the existing statutory scheme and leveled the playing field for parents seeking parenting-time with their children.  The legislation established a preference for joint physical custody and it closed gaps in the law regarding cases where a parent wishes to relocate to a distant place that would put in jeopardy the relationship of the children with the other parent.  Keith's pioneering efforts served to make custody and relocation cases more fair and predictable by applying the same rules across the board.  AB 263 won a solid majority in the fractious Assembly, was passed by unanimous vote in the Senate, and was signed into law by Governor Brian Sandoval on June 9, 2015.

Keith's legislative experience helped propel him into the Nevada Legislature.  His leadership, advocacy, and ability to create consensus brought the support of Governor Sandoval, the Nevada Republican Caucus and many others, resulting in his election to the Assembly in November of 2016. Assembly District 22 is comprised completely within the city of Henderson, Nevada, and serves approximately 65,000 people, largely along the Horizon Ridge Parkway corridor.  While in the Legislature, Keith was the primary sponsor of three significant family law bills that helped reshape Nevada's approach to termination of parental rights where sexual assault is involved, where cases are heard ("venue"), and most importantly, how Nevada's child support statutes should be modernized to make them more fair for parents and children. Keith was labeled "the most effective Republican Freshman" having more bills than any other Republican Freshman signed by the Governor in 2017.  As a result, Keith has been selected to sit on the Legislative Commission, considered the most powerful interim policy body, and the Legislative Committee to Review Child Support Guidelines, a body comprised of more than a dozen experts, legislators, and practitioners. 

Keith has also served in executive management for national home builders, local development companies, and commercial contractors.  Whether in the field or in the office, Keith managed successful projects ranging in size from $500,000 to $900,000,000 in value.  He directed teams of professionals in all aspects of design, construction, commissioning, and turn-over, meaning he understands the process "from cradle to grave."

This experience has been invaluable for Keith in his legal career, both in guiding small businesses in their various endeavors, as well as in divorce cases where businesses are involved. Keith approaches every case with the underlying belief that amicable resolution is the best way to find the optimal practical and economic result, but he is also a committed litigator representing clients in high-conflict cases over child custody, parental child abduction, child relocation, and other types of contentious cases.

Keith completed his undergraduate education at the prestigious Brigham Young University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management. He then completed his Juris Doctor degree from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada Las Vegas where he was a contributor and business editor for the Nevada Law Journal.  Keith won awards while in law school, including First Place in the Clark County Bar Association Moot Court Competition.

Keith is a member in good standing with the State Bar of Nevada and the Utah State Bar Association. Keith is admitted to practice before all District Courts in the State of Nevada, the U.S. Federal District Court for the District of Nevada, the District Courts in the State of Utah, the U.S. Federal District Court for the District of Utah, and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.