Judge Joanna S. Kishner: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

Hon. Joanna S. Kishner is a judge for the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, Nevada. She was elected to the bench in 2010.

Kishner received a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology from Claremont McKenna College in 1986. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she also worked with the Claremont Graduate School’s Autism Clinic. She went on to earn a J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 1989.

While in law school, Kishner served as an extern to the Hon. Stephen V. Wilson with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In addition to her externship, she also served as the managing editor of the Federal Communications Law Journal and was the third year editor of the UCLA School of Law Yearbook.

Over the course of her legal career, Kishner practiced at DLA Piper, where she was tasked with overseeing its Las Vegas office. She also served as a justice of the peace pro tem, pro tem small claims referee, pro tem Traffic Court referee, and as an arbitrator.

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Kishner was senior counsel for Warner Bros. As such, she served as an advisor on litigation and employment-related issues. She also practiced as an associate at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker.

While on the bench, Kishner has presided in the Civil Division.

Her pro bono work includes serving as an attorney with the Children’s Attorney Project as well as providing immigration pro bono legal assistance for youth who were seeking asylum from gang violence in Central America. Kishner also served on the Clark County’s pro bono committee to help implement pro bono policies in local law firms.

In 2016, she received the Justice Nancy Becker Pro Bono Award of Judicial Excellence.

Her memberships have included serving as a trustee of the Law Library Board and as a member of Legal Aid of Southern Nevada’s Pro Bono Advisory Council. Kishner was also a member of the Boyd Law School Public Interest Law Foundation and its Executive Board and a member of Nevada’s Access to Justice Commission. In addition, she served as chairperson of the Eighth Judicial District’s Rules Committee.

Kishner has served as a volunteer judge of the Judicial Open World Program, “We the People” student moot court programs, student mock trial programs, and student speech and debate programs. Besides serving as a volunteer judge, she has served as a guest speaker as well as volunteered her time to groups such as the Constitutional Rights Foundation Lawyers in the Classroom Program; the Council on Education in Management; Time Magazine’s Time to Read Program; and the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce SmartGrad Program.

Kishner, who is a native Nevadan, is married and has two children.