Ogonna M. Brown

Partner

Las Vegas

Ogonna is a problem solver. There is nothing she enjoys more than collaborating with her clients to solve their most challenging issues.

Ogonna Brown is a partner in the firm's Litigation and Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights practice groups. Ogonna is a practically-minded business lawyer with years of high-stakes experience, focusing her practice on creditors’ rights, secured party representation, commercial litigation, and bankruptcy litigation. She has extensive experience representing bankruptcy trustees and state court receivers. She collaborates with all of her clients to fashion creative solutions and efficient results in complex litigation matters in and out of bankruptcy.

Ogonna’s well-rounded practice includes breach of contract cases, protecting creditors’ rights in bankruptcy cases, deficiency actions, landlord tenant matters, enforcement of judgments, and partnership disputes, along with recent experience over the last few years representing a charter school receiver, the first ever appointed by the SPCSA in the State of Nevada. She takes pride in her hard work ethic, accessibility to clients and quick turnaround to meet each client’s needs, understanding that no two cases are exactly alike.

Clients seek Ogonna’s help with complex business and bankruptcy disputes, and she often appears in both state and bankruptcy court for the same case when one of the parties seeks bankruptcy relief, resulting in efficiency for her clients. Ogonna’s bankruptcy practice includes motions to terminate the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362, motions to dismiss or convert bankruptcy cases, defending claim objections, oppositions to plans of reorganization, motions to protect her clients’ cash collateral, and objecting to the dischargeability of creditor’s debts under 11 U.S.C. § 523.

Ogonna was a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Johnnie B. Rawlinson, United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2001-2002. She was a lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals from 2014 through 2016. During this time, she served as lawyer representative co-chair of the Nevada Delegation and member of the Lawyer Representative Coordinating Committee, District Conference Planning Committee, and the Attorney Admission Fund Advisory Group Committee. While serving as a lawyer representative, Ogonna assisted the bankruptcy judges with presentations for the bankruptcy breakout sessions at the judicial district conferences and attended and participated with the program for the Ninth Circuit judicial conferences.

Ogonna was recently appointed by Nevada Governor Sisolak to serve as a member of the Nevada Gaming Commission in July 2020 for a four-year term.

Personal Approach

When faced with an issue, Ogonna can’t help but provide a creative solution. Problem solving is in her DNA. Throughout every step of a case, Ogonna’s clients trust that she has already anticipated potential issues and come up with solutions even before a problem arises.

While Ogonna takes her work seriously, she doesn’t take herself seriously and is quick to bring humor to bring levity to sometime tense situations. She is an extrovert and natural relationship builder. Collaborating with her colleagues to bring her clients the best resources is one of her favorite parts of the job. Her colleagues and clients appreciate her tenacity, energy, and responsiveness because they know they can count on her to get results.

Mentoring up-and-coming lawyers and pro bono work are two of Ogonna’s passions. When she has the rare break in cases, she can be found traveling to a gorgeous, tropical beach somewhere in the world, hiking to explore Nevada’s beautiful landscape, or enjoying a dinner out at one of her favorite restaurants.

More About Ogonna M. Brown

Education

J.D., University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law, 2001
B.A., University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1998

Bar Admissions

Nevada, 2001

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court, District of Nevada
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Community

Legal Aid of Southern Nevada, Board of Directors, 2024
Trial Law Institute, Member
Diversity Law Institute, Member
State Bar of Nevada, Member
Nevada Gaming Commission, Member
American Bankruptcy Institute, Member, 2013-present
Nevada Trial Lawyers Association
Clark County Bar Association
Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, Dessert Before Dinner, Honoree, 2022
William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada Las Vegas, "Law Alumni Leadership Circle" 2016-present, "Student Mentor Program," Speaker, "Judge Moot Court Competition" 2003-present
Legal Aid of Southern Nevada, Pro Bono Advisory Council Member, 2013-present
Southern Nevada Association of Bankruptcy Attorneys, Former Officer and Board Member, Current Member, 2003-present
Howard D. McKibben Inn of Court, Barrister and Co-chair for Annual Presentation, 2006-present
Shade Tree, Charity, 2001-present
Goodwill of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, 2001-present
Big Brothers and Sisters of Southern Nevada, 2001-present
Magistrate Judge Reinstatement Panel (Judge Koppe), Member, 2020
Merit Screening Committee for Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Nevada, 2019
Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel (Judge Foley and Judge Hoffman), Member, 2018-2019
Clark County Board of Equalization, 2016-2017
Community Development Advisory Committee, 2015-2017
Nevada Bar Association, President of the Bankruptcy Section, 2013-2014

Honors & Recognitions

Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
UNLV Public Interest Law Association Silver Service Award Honoree, 2023
The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2022-2024; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2023, 2024
Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada 2022 Honor Club
Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, Dessert Before Dinner, Honoree, 2022
Vegas Inc., Top Lawyers, Bankruptcy, 2021-2023
Mountain States Super Lawyers, Bankruptcy: Business, 2010-2023, Top 50 Women Mountain States Super Lawyers, 2020
Clark County Law Foundation Liberty Bell Award, 2020
Lawdragon, Top 500 U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers List, 2020
American College of Bankruptcy, Fellow, 2018-present
Martindale Hubbell, AV Rating, 2016-present
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Distinguished Service Alumni Award, 2016
Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, 2015
Nevada Business Magazine, Southern Nevada's Top Attorneys, 2013-2015