CARLA B. HIGGINBOTHAM, Attorney at Law

Carla B. Higginbotham is currently an Assistant United States Attorney, in the criminal division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.  Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, Ms. Higginbotham was an associate attorney with the law firm of McDonald Carano Wilson LLP where her practice focused primarily in the areas of appellate, commercial, civil, and privacy related litigation. She is admitted to practice in all Nevada state and federal courts and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Since being admitted to practice law in 2003, Ms. Higginbotham has gained a wide range of experience in both state and federal courts. Early in her practice, Ms. Higginbotham served as a judicial law clerk to two of the State of Nevada’s most well respected jurists: the Honorable Peter I. Breen of the Second Judicial District Court for Washoe County and Judge Procter R. Hug, Jr. of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Following her clerkships, Ms. Higginbotham immediately joined the law firm of McDonald Carano Wilson LLP, where she has represented various individuals and entities in appeals before the Nevada Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Higginbotham has also represented large government agencies and business entities in complex civil litigation.

Ms. Higginbotham graduated in the top five percent of her class from the University of Pacific, McGeorge School of law in 2003. She is a member of the Order of the Coif, Order of the Barristers, Traynor Honor Society, and was selected to the Dean’s List each year she attended McGeorge. In addition, she received numerous awards for appellate advocacy as a member of several appellate advocacy and moot court teams, leading two teams to consecutive appearances in national competition. While in law school, she served as a workshop leader in the Appellate Advocacy program, teaching other students the art of both written and oral advocacy. Upon graduation, she was honored to be selected as a commencement speaker and as the recipient with the Outstanding Student Achievement Award. Prior to law school, Ms. Higginbotham attended the University of Nevada, Reno, graduating in 1997, with a degree in Speech Communications and a minor in Business Administration.

In addition to her work as an attorney, Ms. Higginbotham is active in professional and community activities. She is a member of the American, Nevada and Washoe County Bar Associations, the Counsel of Appellate Lawyers, and the Bruce R. Thompson American Inns of Court. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for Step2, Inc., a non-profit alcohol and drug treatment program which focuses upon helping women with children. Ms. Higginbotham has also served as mentor to a local high school student, a pro bono attorney for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and is an active volunteer with her daughter's school.

In 2007, Ms. Higginbotham was awarded the Outstanding Young Alumni award from her alma mater, the University of Nevada, Reno, for her professional and personal accomplishments. In 2009, she was named a Western States Super Lawyer “Rising Star” for her work as an appellate practitioner.

Ms. Higginbotham was appointed to the Standing Committee by the State Bar of Nevada in January 2010 and reappointed in 2011.  Her term expires December 2013.