Practice Areas

  • Complex Commercial Litigation
  • Entertainment & Sports Law
  • Insurance Defense
  • Labor & Employment
  • Litigation
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability

Admissions

  • Nevada

Edgar Carranza

Partner

Phone: 702.363.5100
Email: ecarranza@messner.com
Office: Las Vegas

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BackgroundEducation & HonorsAwardsAssociations

Mr. Carranza is an AV rated attorney representing and counseling individuals, professionals, domestic corporations, foreign corporations, businesses, standard line insurers and excess/surplus insurers in a wide variety of areas including complex commercial litigation, business law, employment law, negligent and premises liability. He has a significant employment law practice representing employers, businesses and highly paid executives (“HPE”) in a wide spectrum of matters including lawsuits for wrongful termination, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, enforcing covenants not to compete, non-solicitation agreements, non-disclosure agreements and for injunctive relief. He also represents employers in administrative proceedings before the Nevada Equal Rights Commission (“NERC”) and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”).

Mr. Carranza’s practice also includes a significant amount of professional liability defense, including on behalf of attorneys, medical physicians, pharmacists, chiropractors, physical therapists, insurance agents, real estate agents, management professionals, brokers and mortgage professionals, in professional malpractice cases in both state court and federal court. He also assists with the defense of these professionals, and has tried many administrative matters, before administrative licensing and disciplinary boards.

Mr. Carranza’s experience in premises liability cases involves the defense of sporting arenas, shopping centers, retailers, warehouses, entertainment venues and other business locations in matters involving premises safety issues, negligent security, violent assault/battery and wrongful death matters. He also has an active sports related practice, including transactional and litigation related matters in the fields of ski litigation, equine/horse litigation, race track litigation and boxing related litigation including appearing before the Nevada State Athletic Commission (“NSAC”). He frequently represents athletes, managers, professionals and businesses before various state administrative, licensing, disciplinary agencies and in both state and federal courts.

Mr. Carranza has extensive experience representing clients involved in lawsuits for product liability, toxic torts, food liability, insurance coverage, extracontractual or bad faith related actions, election law and general civil litigation. His mass tort experience includes serving as Nevada defense counsel in state and federal courts for several defendant product manufacturers in the Asbestos Litigation (MDL 875), as defense counsel In re: Orthopedic Bone Screw Litigation (MDL 1014), Silica Litigation, Tobacco Litigation and other multi-district litigation and individually filed mass tort actions.

Mr. Carranza is admitted to practice before all Nevada state courts, the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. He has represented clients in jury trials, bench trials, administrative trials, evidentiary hearings, binding arbitration hearings, mediations and appellate arguments before the Nevada Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Born in El Paso, Texas, Mr. Carranza studied at Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law where he was bestowed a Juris Doctor degree in the spring of 1994. He was also graduated in the winter of 1990 from the University of Texas earning dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Government and Latin American Studies. While at the University of Texas Mr. Carranza was a recipient of the Texas Academic Achievement Award (1987-1990) and on the Dean’s List.

Mr. Carranza is an active member of several legal organizations. These include the American Bar Association (ABA) (Member, Employment Law Section and Litigation Section), the Nevada State Bar Association and the Clark County Bar Association (CCBA). He is also a member of the prestigious International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) and Defense Research Institute (DRI), where he is active in the Employment Law, Professional Liability and Product Liability/Food Liability sections. He is a Founding Member of the Nevada Latino Bar Association (LBA), having previously sat on the executive board and served as Vice President of Finance. He is also a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA).

In 2005, Mr. Carranza earned an AV rating (5.0 out of 5.0), the highest rating bestowed by Martindale Hubble. He was named a Super Lawyer by the Mountain States Super Lawyers each year from 2014 to the present. He was previously named a 2009 Rising Star by the Mountain States Super Lawyers. He has also been selected into the “Best Lawyers in America” for the Employment Law-Management category for 2014 through the present, and he is a graduate of the prestigious and intensive IADC Trial Academy.

Mr. Carranza is a 2010 graduate of the Leadership Las Vegas program. Leadership Las Vegas is an intensive, 10-month program sponsored by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce devoted to strengthening and educating our community leaders by providing in-depth insights into a variety of issues impacting residents of Southern Nevada and connections with many policy makers in all sectors of the community. Since graduating he has continued his involvement serving on the Selection Committee (Chair), Leadership Las Vegas Council, and served as Council Chair from 2019-2021. He continues to be an active member of the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and is an associate member of the Nevada Tavern Owners Association.

Mr. Carranza speaks, reads and writes Spanish fluently and has had occasion to represent Spanish speaking business owners and clients.

  • Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Juris Doctor- 1994
  • Activities and Societies: While at the College of Law, Mr. Carranza was a member of the Civil Justice Clinic representing clients before administrative agencies. He also was an active participant in the Pretrial Practice and Procedure Clinic and the Trial Advocacy Clinic. University of Texas Bachelor of Arts- Government 1990 Bachelor of Arts- Latin American Studies 1990 Awards and Activities: While attending the University of Texas Mr. Carranza was a recipient of the Texas Academic Achievement Award (1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990), on the Dean’s List and active in the Volunteer in Public Schools (VIPS) program.
  • AV rating (5.0 out of 5.0) from Martindale Hubble
  • “Super Lawyer” by the Mountain States Super Lawyers- 2014 to the present
  • “Rising Star” by the Mountain States Super Lawyers- 2009
  • “Best Lawyers in America”- Employment Law-Management category for 2014 through the present
  • Graduate of the prestigious and intensive IADC Trial Academy
  • American Bar Association (ABA)- Member, Employment Law Section and Litigation Section
  • International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI)- Employment Law, Professional Liability and Product Liability/Food Liability sections
  • Nevada State Bar Association
  • Clark County Bar Association (CCBA)
  • Latino Bar Association (LBA)- founding member
  • Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA)
  • Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)
  • Nevada Tavern Owners Association- Associate Member
Community Involvement
  • Leadership Las Vegas- 2010
  • Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce
  • Guinn Center for Policy Priorities- Advisory Board, 2014- 2018
  • Mentor, Huellas Mentoring Program, UNLV Boyd School of Law, 2010-11
  • University of Texas Ex’s, Las Vegas Chapter (Life Member)
Professional Experience
  • Prior to joining Messner Reeves, LLP, Mr. Carranza practiced at the same boutique litigation law firm in Las Vegas for 25 years where he was a shareholder and member since the inception of the law firm.

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Messner Reeves LLP
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Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 623-1800.