About James L. Wadhams, Esq.
Founding Partner
James L. Wadhams is a Partner at Black & Wadhams.
Jim focuses his practice on government relations, insurance, and administrative law. He has presented issues in the legislature for public agencies in Nebraska and Nevada, and since 1981, has represented private clients as a lobbyist before the Nevada Legislature. He has represented such clients as Nevada Independent Insurance Agents, Nevada Hospital Association, Newmont Mining Corporation, and Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Jim’s extensive knowledge of the executive and legislative process has assisted clients in accomplishing a wide array of legislative and regulatory changes including privatizing the state’s workers’ compensation insurance, creating a nationally recognized standard for mining reclamation, and virtually all major tax issues.
Jim was first admitted to the practice of law in January of 1973 and worked as an attorney for the Nebraska Department of Insurance. He worked on several committees of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and drafted several laws and regulations that were adopted as national standards for insurance regulation. He moved to Nevada in 1975 and became Chief Counsel to the Nevada Insurance Division. Jim later served as a Deputy Attorney General for Insurance and in 1978 became the Commissioner of Insurance. He subsequently served as the Director of the Department of Commerce supervising 13 regulatory agencies.
Practice Areas
- Government Relations
- Health Care Litigation
- Medical Facility Licensing
- Insurance Law and Regulation
- Mining Law and Public Lands
- Utility Regulation
- Professional Licensing
- State Taxation including:
- Sales and Use Tax
- Property Tax
- Net Proceeds of Mines
- Hotel Motel Room Tax
- Payroll Tax
- Commerce Tax
Other Experience
- Public Finance
Professional and Community Activities
- Admitted to Practice:
- State of Nevada
- District of Columbia
- State of Nebraska
- All Federal Courts
- United States Supreme Court
- Member, American Health Lawyers Association
- Board Member, Public Education Foundation
- Member, American Health Lawyers Association
- Board Member, Las Vegas Area Council, Boy Scouts of America
- Chairman of the Board, Westcare Foundation
Honors & Awards
- Best Lawyers in America®, Government Relations Practice, 2007-2019
- Nevada’s Best Lawyers®, 2013
- Top Lawyers, Vegas Inc., 2013
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated (the highest rating available), by Martindale-Hubbell
