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 as well as 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. Emily is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and Vice President of the Nevada Chapter, fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and an AV Preeminent Rated Attorney by Martindale Hubbell. Emily is a certified parenting coordinator and mediator, although her primary focus is litigating complex and/or contested divorce and child custody matters in southern Nevada and Nevada family law appeals. She is particularly knowledgeable in handling family law appeals, complex property division and financial issues, international child custody issues, parental kidnapping, and high conflict child custody cases.

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 and other toxic tort litigation, real estate, business transactions and estate planning. Emily writes children’s books for children going through family law issues and operates a publishing company for children’s books. While her practice is focused in southern Nevada, Emily is also licensed to practice in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, United States Supreme Court, United States District Court – District of Nevada, as well as all state courts in Arizona and California.

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.

ASHLEE VAZQUEZ, ESQ.

Attorney

Ashlee Vazquez was born and raised in Alamogordo, NM, where she grew to love the desert and the outdoors. After determining she wanted to become a lawyer at eight years old, Ashlee started her first job at fifteen as a secretary for a criminal defense attorney. In 2012, Ashlee graduated Cum Laude from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX with a Bachelor’s in Sociology.

Ashlee attended the UNLV Boyd School of Law part-time evening program while working full-time at a law firm and volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), helping foster children in the courts. During her time at Boyd, Ashlee was also selected to be a student attorney with the Mediation Clinic providing free mediation services to small claim litigants and family court litigants who cannot afford to pay for mediation services. Ashlee also received mediation training from the renowned Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution. 

During law school, Ashlee first worked for Clear Counsel Law Group, a probate and estate planning firm. In 2014, Ashlee joined McFarling Law Group where she started as a legal assistant, moved up to law clerk and then associate attorney. Her experience in each aspect of working in a law firm gives her keen insight into the procedural methods for obtaining the best results for her clients.

In 2016, Ashlee obtained her Juris Doctor from Boyd School of Law, where she received a CALI award as the top student in her legal writing class and Highest Pro Bono Honors. In 2017, Ashlee was licensed to practice law in Nevada and the U.S. District Court of Nevada. In 2018, she was awarded the Outstanding Service Award for her work as a CASA.

Ashlee focuses her practice on contested divorce and child custody cases and family law appeals. Ashlee’s extensive knowledge of family law in Nevada extends to numerous cases she’s briefed for the Nevada Supreme Court and Nevada Court of Appeals. Ashlee’s appellate experience includes the areas of legal separation, guardianship, custody, attorney’s fees, child support, and legal custody issues. 

In her spare time, Ashlee enjoys traveling, concerts, and comedy shows. She also enjoys outdoor activities such as running, hiking, and snowboarding. 

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.

Astasia Lucas, Esq.

Attorney

Astasia was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her mother has been a paralegal for over 15 years and would often take Astasia with her to “Take Your Child to Work Day.” At an early age, Astasia wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a paralegal, however, it was her mother who encouraged her to become an attorney.

Astasia graduated from Arbor View High School with an Advanced Honors Diploma. As an undergraduate student, she attended Arizona State University. After her freshman year in college, she transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to be closer to her family and friends. In 2015, Astasia received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Family Studies. During this time, she also worked full-time as a receptionist at a family law firm before being promoted to legal assistant. This experience was the driving force behind Astasia’s decision to become a family law attorney.

Astasia attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law on an academic scholarship beginning in 2016. She was in the law school’s full-time program, while working part-time as a paralegal for a family law and personal injury attorney. While at Boyd, Astasia was on the executive board of several organizations, including the Black Law Students Association, Dispute Resolution Society, and Organization of Women Law Students. She taught free paternity and child custody classes to the Las Vegas community, and externed for the Honorable Frank P. Sullivan at the Eighth Judicial District Court. Additionally, Astasia was also selected to be a Saltman Fellow by the nationally and internationally renowned Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution. Through the Saltman Center, she received extensive mediation and negotiation training, which led her to serve as a Student Attorney in the UNLV Mediation Clinic, co-mediating divorce, child custody and child dependency cases.

In 2020, Astasia obtained her Juris Doctor from Boyd Law School, with Pro Bono Honors and a concentration in dispute resolution. Her education and work experience quickly taught her that most cases settle through some form of conflict resolution before going to trial.

Prior to working at McFarling Law Group, Astasia worked as a law clerk at a personal injury firm, where she gained a passion for helping those who have been physically injured due to the negligence or recklessness of another. Thereafter, she worked as a law clerk at the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada in their Children’s Attorneys Project program, working with children in the Nevada welfare system. In 2020, Astasia joined McFarling Law Group as a law clerk, bringing with her years of legal experience. Since being at McFarling Law Group, Astasia has gained valuable insight and furthered her knowledge on divorce, child custody, and guardianship matters. Upon successfully passing the Nevada Bar Exam in 2020, Astasia became an Associate Attorney at McFarling Law Group. Astasia is licensed to practice law in the State of Nevada.

In her free time, Astasia likes to spend time with her family and friends and her dog, Ace (a Yorkshire terrier). She loves to travel, go to concerts and festivals, and is always eager to catch the latest movies.

Charles Deskins II, Esq.

Attorney

Charles Deskins was born and raised in Washington, DC, where he grew to love the big city hustle. His first love began with information and reading. Charles started his first job at fifteen as a Newspaper Distributor for the Washington Post. In 2005, Charles graduated from University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, MD with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice.

Charles attended the Charlotte School of Law and helped usher in several new courses for students in wine and fashion law. During his time in Charlotte, Charles was selected to be the President of the Fashion Law society providing students new opportunities to discover in potential breakout fields of study. Charles was also a member of the Charlotte School of Law Trial Team.

During law school, Charles first worked for RMA & Associates, a civil litigation and family law firm. That experience led him to another law firm in Charlotte, Dummit Fradin, a family law and criminal defense firm. His experience of working in law firms in different states gives him a unique insight into the different procedural methods for obtaining the best results for clients.

In 2015, Charles obtained his Juris Doctor from Charlotte School of Law. In 2017, Charles began studying at UNLV Boyd School of Law doing an LLM program in Gaming Policy and Regulation. Charles graduated Boyd School of law in 2018 with his LLM in Gaming Policy and Regulation. Charles was licensed to practice law in Nevada and the U.S. District Court of Nevada in 2020.

Charles focuses his practice on contested divorce and child custody cases.

In his spare time, Charles enjoys traveling, cooking, and board games. An avid sports fan, Charles also enjoys attending sporting events such as professional basketball games, horse racing, and professional football games.

Carlia Waite, Esq.

Attorney

Carlia Waite, Esq. was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Missouri State University in 1995. She then went on to obtain a master’s degree in social work (MSW) from the same university in 1998, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Upon receiving her MSW, Carlia worked in the area of social work. She eventually became frustrated with the limitations placed upon the assistance she was able to provide for her clients. Because of this frustration, she decided to attend law school.

In 2000, both Carlia and her husband, John, began attending law school at William S. Boyd School for Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Carlia worked full time as an emergency room social worker at St. Rose Dominican Hospital while attending law school in the evening. After graduating law school in 2003, she practiced for an AV rated family law firm in Las Vegas, Nevada and passed the bar exam in 2004. Carlia and John decided to move back to Missouri and after obtaining her license there in 2005, she started her own solo family law practice in Kansas City, which she eventually moved to Springfield, Missouri, her hometown.

Missing the sunshine and the ability to travel to California frequently, Carlia and John decided to move back to Las Vegas in the fall of 2015. Since moving back to Las Vegas, Carlia has continued to practice exclusively in the areas of domestic relations litigation to include divorce with an emphasis on complex high asset property division, paternity, high conflict child custody cases, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, adoption, guardianship, mediation and collaborative law. Carlia is never afraid to take a case to trial but understands that keeping your case out of court and obtaining a negotiated settlement is often the best outcome.

With Carlia’s social work and legal experience, she is able to provide her clients with a unique understanding of both the emotional and financial impact of domestic disputes that are not often found in traditionally trained attorneys. Her time devoted as a full-time social worker has prepared her for understanding her client’s needs for aggressive legal advocacy and includes an appreciation and understanding of the sensitive and emotional needs of her clients. Carlia also gained significant invaluable experience in Missouri representing children as their Guardian ad Litem in juvenile and family court, a part of her practice that she considers to be extremely rewarding.

Carlia is a former member of the Association for Women Lawyers of Kansas City and the Kansas City and Springfield Missouri bar associations. She was a board member for Boys & Girls Town, Southwest Missouri region, and was a member of the Program Committee for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) in Springfield, Missouri. She also previously served as a board member for the Poverello House Homeless Shelter for Men in Las Vegas. Carlia is presently a Family Law section member of the Nevada State Bar.

John and Carlia have three children ranging in grades from elementary to high school, her best accomplishments yet. In her free time, Carlia loves spending time with her family, shopping, watching movies, playing games and planning their next trip to Disneyland.

Maria Rios Landin

Law Clerk

Maria Rios Landin has been living in Las Vegas most of her life. She joined McFarling Law Group in 2011 as a legal assistant. In 2020, she began her legal journey as a law student at UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law and is now a law clerk.

Maria is extremely knowledgeable in family law and appellate procedure in Nevada. She taught a section at the Annual Family Law Conference’s first Paralegal Boot Camp in March 2020 and is a regular source of information for others in the legal community.

Maria is passionate about helping others, and regularly volunteers to assist the Las Vegas community. She now helps children in foster care as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). In the past few years, she took part in the ProSe Boot Camp at Shade Tree shelter, and assisted low-income families in need of medical care, as an interpreter at Volunteers in Medicine. She strives to continue helping her community as a family law and immigration attorney in the future.

Crystal Beville

Paralegal

Crystal has lived in Las Vegas for 45 years.  She is a Las Vegas High (original downtown campus) graduate and attended the University of Nevada Reno where she earned a Bachelor’s degree with a major in Accounting. Crystal returned to Las Vegas after college and worked for 25 years in the gaming industry, with the last 16 years at Boyd Gaming as their Corporate Controller.

In 2012, Crystal completed the UNLV Paralegal Certificate program and made a career switch. She has since worked for family law firms and has been with McFarling Law Group since August, 2016.  In addition to her accounting background, Crystal’s personal experience as a child of divorce, experiencing divorce herself, and raising her daughter as a single parent is a huge asset now as a family law legal assistant.

Crystal is a board member on the Las Vegas High School Alumni Association and very active within the group, which raises scholarship money for current LVHS students and conducts an annual all classes reunion party.  She also enjoys spending time with her daughter,  family and friends, reading, going to the movies and is a huge lifetime Disneyland fan.

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 grew up in rural Michigan. She moved to Las Vegas in November 2015. 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 more recently, family law. Working in the medical field gave Kiya true insight to empathizing and taking care of people. It’s her favorite part of the job.

In addition to her personal injury and medical background, Kiya has experienced divorce as well. Her parents divorced in 2015, and despite being an adult, it still struck a chord with her and made her realize how difficult those situations are.

Most of Kiya’s free time is spent with her husband. They love to be out riding the motorcycle, working on cars or spending time with close friends and family. Kiya is an avid Disney fan and loves to read. She enjoys watching football or UFC as well. When she can, Kiya travels to the east coast to spend time with her father, stepmother, and siblings.

Aaron Oiknine

Legal Assistant, Document Clerk, 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

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.

Kylie Graham

Office Manager

Kylie was born in Anaheim, California but was raised here in the Las Vegas valley which she continues to call home. She attended the Academy for Independent Study and graduated early in 2012. In 2015, she began working at McFarling Law Group beginning first as the receptionist establishing rapport with clients. Kylie was soon promoted to overseeing accounts and billing, as well as other administrative functions such as payroll and client communications. Her professional and friendly demeanor are often the first impression of the law group that many clients receive. She strives for accuracy and empathy in her daily tasks and is an integral member of the MLG team.

When she isn’t at work Kylie and her son are devoted Vegas Golden Knights fans, and her son plays on their house league, the Junior Golden Knights. She spends her free time cheering him on at his games and promoting his love of hockey. Her family says she’s an excellent cook, and her joy of motherhood is what drives her to succeed. Her hobbies also include watching home design and renovation programs and refreshing her own home décor whenever possible.

Alexandra Balassy

Billing Specialist

Alex was born in Hamburg, Germany. In Germany she worked as a manager in customer service for over 20 years and has solid accounting experience.

Alex moved to Las Vegas last year and in July she started at McFarling Law Group.

Alexandra spends her free time with her family and often goes on short trips outside Las Vegas. Her favorite place is the Narrows at Zion National Park. Her hobbies are cooking and gardening. Two baby desert tortoises complete the family.

Kennedy Jones

Kennedy Chanel Jones is a Las Vegas native. She graduated from Las Vegas Academy, a classical pianist for nearly fifteen years. Kennedy is a recent graduate of the University of Nevada – Las Vegas, with a journalism degree focusing on social media and written journalism. She previously owned and operated a local Las Vegas online magazine entitled Other LV, hosted Other LV’s podcast, and participated in KCEP’s Teen Talk Program as both a teen host and in later years the director of the program.

Kennedy continues to pursue a freelance career in Journalism as she sets her sights and passions to the field of law. This fall Kennedy will be starting law school, joining the Class of 2024 of future lawyers.