Nevada Attorney General-elect Aaron Ford speaks to the press regarding the upcoming transition of office from Adam Laxalt, Monday Dec. 17, 2018.
Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 | 7:25 p.m.
Aaron Ford — Nevada’s new top law enforcement officer — has appointed women to the four positions of his executive team.
Attorney General Ford’s office made the announcement Tuesday a day after he replaced Adam Laxalt.
“I am confident this team of distinguished individuals will help me lead the Office of the Attorney General, the finest law firm in our state, with the utmost integrity,” Ford said in a news release. “Their diverse backgrounds and records of success will further my vision for this office of seeking justice for all Nevadans.”
Ford’s executive team comprises the first assistant attorney general, chief of staff, solicitor general and general counsel.
First Assistant Attorney General
Caroline Bateman — a graduate of UNLV’s law school and the University of California, San Diego — is touted for prosecuting cases as deputy district attorney at the Clark County DA’s office.
She also served as the bureau chief of gaming and government affairs in Nevada and chief deputy of boards and open government. Bateman also was the chief counsel to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, was head of the state’s open meeting law enforcement unit, and litigated for Nevada.
Chief of Staff
Jessica Adair was Ford’s 2018 campaign manager. She also worked for Barack Obama’s presidential re-election campaign and Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
Among her other accomplishments, Adair formed part of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workplace and is experienced in nonprofit advocacy.
A graduate of Texas Tech University’s law school, Adair was also the editor of the university’s law review journal.
Solicitor General
Heidi Parry Stern joined the Attorney General’s Office in 2016 as chief of the post-conviction unit in which she supervised attorneys in Nevada in litigation and appeals. Before that, she practiced law in Las Vegas for more than 15 years.
In Nevada, she began her career as a law clerk after graduating from Harvard Law School.
General Counsel
Rachel Anderson, an adjunct professor at UNLV’s law school, is a longtime Nevada resident. She earned her law degree from the University of California, Berkeley, also studied at Stanford University where she served as an editor for several academic journals.
In private practice, Anderson worked in England and Germany. Her accolades include the State Bar of Nevada’s Medal of Justice.
During the 2018 election, Ford defeated Wesley Duncan, a former first assistant attorney general in Nevada.
Last year, Nevada became the first state to elect a majority-female legislature.
