Karen L. Hanks, Esq.
Karen Hanks was born and raised in Pasadena, Maryland, a small suburb located near Baltimore. She attended college at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. After completing her undergraduate degree, she attended law school at Syracuse University where she graduated magna cum laude.
In 2005, Ms. Hanks was admitted to the Nevada bar. She has practiced in areas of business litigation, wills and trusts, probate, guardianship, immigration, real estate, civil appeals, and personal injury on both the plaintiff and defense side. Currently her area of practice focuses on real property law, contract disputes and appellate work.
Ms. Hanks is a seasoned trial and appellate attorney. She has argued at both the Ninth Circuit and Nevada Supreme Court numerous times. Her most notable trial resulted in a $4.2 million jury verdict in favor of her client in a wrongful death/negligence case.
Ms. Hanks is also committed to giving back to the community and regularly accepts pro bono cases. She serves as a TIP Mentor: a mentor program for newly admitted Nevada attorneys. She has served in that role since 2013. She is an arbitrator/mediator for the State Bar Fee Dispute Committee (term March 2020 - present) and has also served as a mediator for the Nevada Supreme Court Eviction Mediation Program. She holds a mediation certificate. She regularly speaks for continuing legal education courses. The list of courses is as follows:
National Business Institute, “Preparing and Trying the Personal Injury Case,” June 20, 2013, Las Vegas, Nevada
National Business Institute, “A Litigation Paralegal’s Guide to Case Management” November 2015, Las Vegas, Nevada
National Business Institute, “Advanced Civil Litigation Skills in Nevada” December 15, 2016, Las Vegas, Nevada
National Business Institute, “A Paralegal’s Guide to Pleadings, Motions, Discovery Requests and Briefs” November 12, 2020, Las Vegas, Nevada
National Business Institute, “Applying the Rules of Evidence: Get Yours in, Keep Theirs Out” December 4, 2020, Las Vegas, Nevada
National Business Institute, “How to Lay a Foundation to Get Your Evidence Introduced”
December 28, 2021, Las Vegas, Nevada
Chantel Schimming, Esq.
Chantel Schimming was born and raised in Anaconda, Montana. She relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada in July 1997 to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justices and Sociology minor. Upon graduating, Chantel attended William S. Boyd School of Law for one year, during which time she worked with abused and neglected children at Child Haven. Ultimately, Chantel returned to Montana to complete her law degree, earning her Juris Doctorate from University of Montana School of Law in 2002.
Chantel obtained her license to practice law in Montana immediately upon graduation from law school, but relocated to Nevada shortly thereafter. While she maintains close ties with Montana, Chantel has successfully passed the bar in Nevada and Arizona and has been practicing in Nevada for over eighteen years. She is currently admitted to practice before the state, federal and appellate courts in Montana, Arizona and Nevada and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Ms. Schimming is a member of the American Bar Association and the Clark County Bar Association.
Since passing the Nevada bar, Chantel has spent time in a variety of legal arenas, but her current primary practice area is property law.