Our Team

EMILY MCFARLING, ESQ.

Managing Partner

Emily opened a solo law practice in Las Vegas in 2003 with the primary focus of family law. Since that time Emily has worked diligently to establish a reputation as a knowledgeable and aggressive attorney, gaining the respect of both her peers and Judges. Emily has grown her practice over the years and in 2010 gained the credential of Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of Nevada. This is the top Family Law credential an attorney can obtain in Nevada. 

While her practice is primarily focused on representing clients in the Nevada Supreme Court, Nevada Court of Appeals, and Clark County District Court Family Division, Emily is also licensed to practice in the United States Supreme Court, 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, United States District Court – District of Nevada, as well as all state courts in Arizona and California and she represents clients in those courts in cases related to her primary practice.

Emily is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and President of the Nevada Chapter. She is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and an AV Preeminent Rated Attorney by Martindale Hubbell. Emily is a member of the Hague Convention Attorney Network for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs / U.S. Central Authority for the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Emily has been appointed by the Nevada Supreme Court to serve on the Commission on Nevada Rules of Appellate Procedure. Emily is also a certified parenting coordinator, arbitrator, and mediator.

As an attorney, Emily is particularly knowledgeable in handling complex property division and financial issues, international child custody issues, parental kidnapping, and high conflict child custody cases, although her primary focus is representing clients in family law appeals.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Emily worked for three years at the Tobacco Control Resource Center and Tobacco Products Liability Project in Boston, Massachusetts doing research projects on legal issues relating to tobacco. Emily has worked for the New Hampshire Department of Justice Consumer Protection Division and three law firms in Massachusetts in the areas of family law, tobacco litigation, real estate, business transactions and estate planning. 

Emily writes children’s books for children going through family law issues and operates a small publishing company. In her free time, she is a country and jazz singer. She is mom to two teen boys and four dogs.

MICHAEL BURTON, ESQ.

Partner

Michael grew up in Wisconsin, moving to Las Vegas in 2003. An avid Packer fan, Michael enjoys sports. Michael also enjoys spending time with his dogs (English and French Bulldog) and his wife, who is a fellow family law attorney.

Michael has worked at McFarling Law Group since 2008. During that time, he has assumed numerous managerial roles and acted as the initial point of contact for new clients. In this role, Michael has reviewed over 8,000 family law cases during his time at McFarling Law Group.

Michael has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration in Management from UNLV. Michael owns a commercial LED lighting business with customers worldwide and many notable, high-profile projects.

Michael earned his Juris Doctor from Boyd School of Law at UNLV. While at Boyd, Michael was selected as Outstanding Community Service Volunteer and also received an academic scholarship. While in law school, Michael focused on classes taught by adjunct professors who are active practitioners in the community—with an emphasis on legal writing and trial advocacy. This includes classes taught by District Attorney Steve Wolfson and esteemed retired Federal Judge Philip Pro.

Michael’s style is considered aggressive but reasonable. With a focus on high-conflict contested divorce and custody matters, Michael has significant courtroom and trial experience. But, Michael also has the ability to settle cases outside of court, when the terms are right.

Michael has exceptional client satisfaction as his clients know he is looking out for their best interest, and they appreciate Michael’s candid advice.

KIMBER LAUX, ESQ.

Attorney

Kimber was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she learned to love the heat. (It’s a dry heat!) She developed a passion for storytelling and in 2015 graduated from UNLV with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Media Studies and Sociology. Kimber began working at the Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2013, covering stories about local crime and the courts. She wrote several stories about child abuse and domestic violence, which sparked her desire to become an attorney and do more for voiceless Southern Nevada communities.

Kimber attended the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV as a full-time student beginning in 2016 while continuing to work part-time at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In the summer of 2017, she worked as a law clerk on civil rights cases at a small firm and interned for the Honorable Judge Jerry Wiese at the Eighth Judicial District Court. During the summer of 2018, she worked as a law clerk at the ACLU of Nevada on a grant from the Public Interest Law Association.

While at Boyd, Kimber was an executive board member of PILA and OutLaws (a law student organization focused on LGTBQ advocacy), and was a member of the Immigration Law Society, the Organization of Women Law Students, and the Health Law Society. During her first year of law school, Kimber co-instructed a weekly Paternity and Custody course at UNLV. During her third year, she worked for the Family Justice Clinic as a student attorney, working on cases related to guardianship, adoption, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.

In 2019, Kimber obtained her Juris Doctor from Boyd, where she received CALI awards for earning the highest grade in her legal writing, pretrial litigation, and environmental law courses. She also received a CALI award for her work in the Family Justice Clinic, and she earned a place on the Dean’s List beginning in 2018.

Kimber is licensed to practice law in Nevada and the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada in 2019.

When she’s not representing Nevada families, Kimber enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, snowboarding, and reading. She loves dogs with her entire being and has two of her own.

Brian Reardon, Esq.

Attorney

Brian was born and raised in Las Vegas. Shortly after high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps to serve his county. While in the Marines, Brian specialized in providing telecommunication services between ground forces and the Air Command Element (ACE) that communicated with the pilots in the sky. After his service in the Marine Corps, he moved back to Las Vegas to be close to family and pursue a degree at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. He worked full-time for the City of Henderson while pursuing his degree at night eventually being promoted into Management.

After a brief break from school, Brian returned to UNLV to attend the Boyd School of Law. While at Boyd, he focused on hands-on learning to receive courtroom and legal writing experience such as a yearlong externship with the United States Attorney’s Office and a semester with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office. During law school, he received a partial academic scholarship, a CALI award as the top student in Criminal Law, and a special designation for volunteer Pro Bono services. To further develop his advocacy, he volunteered for a National Moot Trial Competition. After graduation, he passed the Nevada Bar Exam and then the California Bar Exam.

In 2017, he accepted a role as a Prosecutor for the City of Henderson. He prepared and presented evidence to prosecute criminal matters from the initiation of criminal charges all the way to bench trials for misdemeanor crimes and violation of city ordinances. He also represented the city at criminal arraignments, appeals, motion hearings, sentencing hearings, probation revocation, and criminal trials. He also served as the Prosecutor for the City of Henderson Veterans Treatment Court. The specialty court is a diversion program that focuses on treatment to rehabilitate Veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, or other disabilities.

In 2022, Brian retired from Public Service and joined McFarling Law Group to use his advocacy skills and courtroom experience to fight for clients. His focus is on litigating child custody and divorce cases as well as misdemeanor criminal defense.

In his spare time, Brian enjoys mountain biking, road cycling, snowboarding, and golfing. He is an avid sports fan and enjoys cheering for the Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, and UNLV Running Rebels. Go Rebs!

Lesley Cohen

Attorney

Lesley Cohen was raised in Southern Nevada, and graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, and DePaul University College of Law in Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Cohen is licensed to practice in both Nevada and Utah, and she has practiced law in Southern Nevada for more than twenty years. During that time, Ms. Cohen has worked almost exclusively in the family law field as she enjoys assisting families to navigate what can often be a stressful time for them.

Ms. Cohen is also a National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Law Uniform Law Commissioner who has participated in drafting law that has been utilized by states throughout the country, including the Uniform Parentage Act. In Southern Nevada, Ms. Cohen received the Clark County Bar Association Circle of Support Award in recognition of her work on the Continuing Legal Education Committee, which educates attorneys on the latest trends in the law so that they can best represent their own clients. Every year, Ms. Cohen volunteers with the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada to ensure that all people have access to legal advice and representation, regardless of income.

Ms. Cohen is a member of the Nevada State Assembly, serving in the Nevada Legislature’s 2013, 2017, 2019, and 2021 sessions. For her work as a member of the Legislature, Ms. Cohen received the National Federation of the Blind Nevada Chapter Outstanding Legislator Award, Hillel of Northern Nevada Landon Rosen Memorial Award, and the Henderson Democratic Club Richard Bryan Award for Outstanding Community Service.

When she is not working, Ms. Cohen is active in pet rescue, volunteering with both retired racing greyhounds and cats. She also volunteers as a guide with Achilles Track Group for the blind, guiding blind and visually impaired walkers for their weekly training.

Yadira Santana

Attorney (Hablo español)

Yadira was born in Glendora, California, and moved to Las Vegas at the age of 3. Yadira is a first-generation Mexican-American and was the first in her family to attend college. She obtained her Bachelors degree at the University of Reno. During undergrad, Yadira was able to study abroad in Israel where she took a class on Refugee Mental Health. Yadira majored in English Literature and minored in Philosophy Law & Ethics. 

During her first year of Law School, Yadira attended California Western School of Law in San Diego. She ranked top 5% of her class and received a full-ride scholarship. Upon the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yadira moved back to Las Vegas to be close to her family and subsequently transferred to Boyd School of Law. 

During her time at Boyd, Yadira was an executive board member of La Voz, Boyd’s Latinx Student Organization, the Organization of Women Law Students (OWLS), and a member of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA). During her last year, Yadira was sent to Washington D.C. to support Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson during the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings. Thanks to Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen and Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Yadira was allowed inside the Senate to view the televised hearings in person. 

Yadira completed a judicial externship in the Eighth Judicial District Court with the Honorable Margaret Pickard. She received the Clinic Legal Education Association Externship Award during Boyd’s 2022 Commencement Ceremony due to the work she completed during her externship. Additionally, she received Special Congressional Recognition from Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen, Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and House Representative Susie Lee for her efforts in empowering the success of law students with backgrounds not traditionally represented in the legal profession.

Upon graduating from Boyd School of Law, she was a law clerk in the Eighth Judicial District Court with the Honorable Robert Teuton, who has a specialized Dependency calendar. 

Yadira is licensed to practice law in Nevada. 

When she is not working, Yadira enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with her cat. She also loves trying new things, especially if they are out of her comfort zone. 

Tricia Lane

Paralegal

Tricia moved to Las Vegas in the summer of 2006. After receiving her Diploma in Certified Paralegal Studies at Technical Academy in Downey, California. A native of Southern California, she spent the first 6 years of her legal career working in civil law, including the Los Angeles County Juvenile Court. Tricia is a certified Los Angeles Child Support Facilitator, having worked for the Los Angeles County office of the Child Support Facilitator. This early legal experience with children and their families helped to develop her interest in Family Law. Tricia joined McFarling Law Group in 2012, and recently celebrated her 7-year work anniversary with the firm.

Tricia also holds a Diploma for Computer Operations and Office Management from Long Beach College, where she developed a meticulous eye for detail and accuracy. She is also one of the Nevada Certified Notary Publics at the law group and is frequently the first point of contact for many of our clients.

In her free time, Tricia enjoys spending time with her family and stays active through running and jogging. She is an avid cook, enjoys the challenge of inventing new healthy recipes to share with her family and friends. She is also a sports fan, and likes to watch Football, UFC, and boxing matches. Her favorite football team is the Dallas Cowboys.

Kiya Jack

Paralegal

Kiya was raised in rural Michigan but moved to Las Vegas after her parents divorced in 2015 so she could be close to her mother and pursue a career in the medical field. Kiya attended St. Therese Learning Institute where she graduated with a Nursing Assistant certificate. After working about a year as a CNA, Kiya decided to pursue a career in the legal field.

Kiya started as a Medical Records Clerk for a personal injury firm and moved her way up to a legal assistant, working in litigation for multiple areas of personal injury, and now, family law. Her experience has grown to include divorce, custody, international kidnapping and so much more. Her personal experience with divorce, as well as her work in the medical field, gives her true insight into empathizing and taking care of people. It is why she loves what she does.

Most of Kiya’s free time is spent with her husband and their three dogs. She is an avid Disney fan and loves to read. When she can, Kiya travels to the East Coast to visit her father, stepmother, and the rest of her family.

Aaron Oiknine

Legal Assistant, Social Media Manager

Aaron was born in Miami, Florida, but moved to Las Vegas in 2002. He has been raised a local ever since.

As a die-hard Miami Heat fan, Aaron enjoys all sports ranging from football to basketball. Aaron enjoys most of his time with family and friends, who push him to do better.

Aaron has worked at McFarling Law Group since January of 2020 and has assumed roles as a Document Clerk, Social Media manager, and legal assistant, primarily assigned on QDRO preparation services.

Aaron is currently attending the University of Nevada Las Vegas obtaining his undergraduate education in hopes of attending law school. Switching from his major in Journalism, Aaron has found a passion for law and has worked through the swift transition into Criminal Justice by maintaining a 3.8 GPA.

Aaron has seen his fair share of customer service through his years working in retail stores such as Home Depot and works on a daily basis to make client satisfaction his number one priority.

Alex Aguilar

Legal Assistant (Hablo español)

Alex was born in Boston, MA. He received his B.A. in English Literature from College of The Holy Cross where he developed a passion for analyzing and looking and at things from all different perspectives. After graduating from college, Alex worked in Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Strategy for Boston Consulting Group and BitSight Technologies. His experience in Talent Acquisition taught him how to build strong business relationships through hard work and trust. 

Tired of the cold, Alex decided to move to Las Vegas in 2019 and began working in accounting for a small tax law firm where he learned the fundamentals of tax law and bankruptcy. Joining McFarling Law Group in 2020, Alex brings with him a strong desire to help people and their families get through stressful legal situations as easily as possible with the best outcome. 

When he isn’t working Alex enjoys reading up on current events and watching the New England Patriots.

Sue Rodeghier

Legal Assistant

Sue has lived in Las Vegas for over 30 years. She is originally from Redondo Beach, California. She has travelled all over the world as a professional ice skater, which brought her to Las Vegas and eventually unpacked her suitcases for good. She has worked in the entertainment field most of her life, either in front of the curtain or behind. Most recently, she worked over a decade in immigration for a large entertainment company here in Las Vegas handling all aspects of their foreign employees.

When Sue isn’t at work, she spends her time with her husband and 3 dogs enjoying everything outdoors. She loves to ice skate, of course, and always looks forward to watching the ice-skating championships either in person or on TV. Her love for dogs, especially golden retrievers, has a very special place in her heart.

Avea Damman

Intake Specialist and Legal Assistant

Avea moved to Las Vegas from Poughkeepsie, New York in 2011. She is a Spring Valley High School graduate and attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas where she earned a Bachelor’s degree with a major in Criminal Justice. Throughout college, Avea worked as a bereavement coordinator for a non-profit hospice while interning as a research assistant for UNLV’s Criminal Psychology Department and member of UNLV’s Criminal Justice Honors Society. After graduating, Avea made a career switch from healthcare to law, where she was a paralegal/legal assistant for an estate planning firm. Avea’s personal experience and strong desire with providing support to families in need has made a smooth transition from healthcare to the legal field. Avea is currently studying to take her LSAT exam again and hopes to one day become an attorney.

Currently, Avea is an active volunteer for Nathan Adelson Hospice and finds great joy spending her summers as a bereavement camp counselor for children grieving the loss of a parent. She also enjoys reading non-fiction, hiking, spending time with family and a huge Harry Potter fan. 

Debbie Hicks

Office Manager

Debbie Hicks is the office manager for McFarling Law Group in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is responsible for the day-to-day management of the office, including, support staff supervision, customer service and facilities management. Debbie’s incredible organization skills keep our team running smoothly. 

Debbie Hicks has more than 20 years of professional experience in office administration, with an emphasis on law firm administration, personnel development, and client communications. 

Debbie has lived in Las Vegas for over 30 years. She is originally from Tucson, Arizona where she was raised and attended the University of Arizona. She has three children, one daughter and two adult boys. In her free time, Debbie enjoys watching sports, enjoying the outdoors, and reading.

Kayla McNeil

Document Clerk

Kayla was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is a family orientated person. Spending quality time with friends and family is one of the things she cherishes the most. She has a strong love for music and enjoys playing violin. Kayla is currently in college studying criminal justice working toward obtaining her degree in forensics. After graduation, she intends to work in the field of law.

Elana Cordero

Intake Specialist

Elana grew up in San Diego, California, where she attended San Diego Mesa College. In 2016, she traded one sunny city for another and moved to Las Vegas to start a family. Elana has three years’ experience as a receptionist and law clerk at a family law office prior to joining McFarling Law Group. When Elana isn’t working or spending time with her two children, you can catch her binge-reading fiction, spending time outdoors, or going to concerts. Elana also loves animals, especially her pups Beef and Zenny.