By Radhika Kunnel, Ph.D., Kerstan Hubbs, M.S., Nicholas Thayer, and Nicholas Shook
When people hear “SciTech law,” the conversation often defaults to intellectual property and artificial intelligence. While important, these represent only a fraction of the field. As board members of the State Bar of Nevada’s Science and Technology (“SciTech”) Law Section, we want to highlight why Nevada attorneys should pay attention to this expanding practice area both for growth opportunities and to stay abreast of technological competence.
Artificial intelligence (AI) dominates technology headlines, but Nevada’s legal landscape is being reshaped by far more. SciTech law addresses legal issues arising from scientific discoveries and technological innovation, and it now touches nearly every client and practice area. Understanding SciTech law is no longer optional; it has become a fundamental dimension of legal competence.
Potential pitfalls: the cost of technological incompetence
Remember the “I am not a cat” Zoom mishap during the pandemic? Or the routine stream of AI hallucination cases we now hear about? These aren’t just embarrassing moments—they’re warnings about real professional risks. Under Rule 1.1 of the Nevada Rules of Professional Conduct, lawyers must provide competent representation, including maintaining technological competence. Comment 8 to the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct requires attorneys to “keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology.”
The consequences of ignoring this duty are significant. In September 2025, a Washoe County judge sanctioned two attorneys for submitting 14 fictitious ChatGPT-generated citations, making clear that “the AI made me do it” is not a defense. But the pitfalls extend far beyond generative AI mishaps. See CommNV, LLC v. Uprise LLC, No. CV23-02123 (Nev. 2d Jud. Dist. Ct., Washoe Cnty. Sept. 10, 2025) (order imposing and suspending sanctions) (finding at least 14 fictitious case citations).
Failing to understand the technologies your clients use can result in malpractice exposure, ethics violations, missed opportunities, and lost clients. Automation, digitalization, and big-data systems have woven themselves into commerce, healthcare, finance, and communication. Whether you’re drafting contracts, managing discovery, or advising on compliance, technological ignorance is no longer defensible. The question isn’t whether you’ll encounter these issues; it’s whether you’ll be prepared when you do.
The expanding SciTech law landscape
SciTech law may be the most interdisciplinary practice area, intersecting with virtually every legal specialty. It encompasses intellectual property, privacy, cybersecurity, corporate, healthcare, and environmental law, reaching into emerging areas like blockchain, quantum computing, and space law.
Consider how pervasive this shift has become: Intellectual property now covers genomics, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (“CRISPR”) editing, and personalized medicine. Corporate deals involve cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”), and digital-asset regulation. Regulatory lawyers navigate telemedicine licensing, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) pathways, and autonomous vehicle rules. Privacy counsel routinely advises on biometric and genetic data protection. Environmental agreements cover renewable energy, carbon capture, and climate-tech innovation.
Even traditional practices are transforming. Family lawyers handle digital asset division and social-media evidence. Criminal defense attorneys interpret digital forensics and encryption. Employment counsel advise on algorithmic hiring, remote-work monitoring, and cybersecurity protocols. Every legal practice area now has a SciTech dimension, even something as fundamental as defining best evidence standards for deepfakes.
Nevada’s biotech boom
Nevada’s biotechnology (“biotech”) growth exemplifies the opportunities SciTech law creates. Since 2018, the state’s biotech sector has expanded by 22 percent which is twice the national rate, supporting over 9,400 jobs across 1,000 companies. This surge reflects deliberate investment in innovation: four medical schools (including Roseman University of Health Science and its new program), two R1 research universities, and the rapidly developing Las Vegas Medical District that turned $75 million in public funds into $500 million in private investment. (See generally, Biotechnology Innovation Org. & TEConomy Partners, The U.S. Bioscience Industry: Fostering Innovation and Driving America’s Economy Forward—Nevada State Profile (2023), https://grow.lvgea.org/hubfs/NV-BIO2022%20-%20state%20profile.pdf.)
These developments generate sophisticated legal work across multiple disciplines. Nevada’s expanding biotech ecosystem needs lawyers who can translate complex science into practical legal solutions. Those who build this fluency will find expanding practice opportunities in a field central to the state’s economic growth.
Join the SciTech law section
As technology continues to evolve, the SciTech law section of the State Bar of Nevada provides a forum to learn, collaborate, and stay ahead. Members of the State Bar of Nevada in good standing can join for an annual fee of just $25 (law students may join without voting rights).
Learn more at: https://nvbar.org/for-lawyers/bar-service-opportunities/join-a-section/science-technology-law-section/.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence may command attention, but Nevada’s legal future will be shaped by the full spectrum of scientific and technological change – from biotech and blockchain to climate and quantum technologies. Lawyers who invest in understanding these developments will not only remain competent but will help define Nevada’s next era of innovation.
About the authors
Radhika P. Kunnel holds a Ph.D. and is licensed to practice law in Nevada and New York. As founding chair of the SciTech law section of the State Bar of Nevada, she is committed to bridging science, technology, and law in Nevada. She brings extensive experience in health and biotechnology to her legal practice, working at the intersection of innovation and regulatory compliance.
Kerstan Hubbs has her MS in Biology and has practiced law for over 15 years in Nevada. She is the managing attorney of Essential Legal Services. Her firm specializes in estate planning, civil litigation, corporate and real property law. Kerstan serves as Secretary on the SciTech Law Section of the State Bar of Nevada.
Nicholas Shook is an engineer on the Open Education team at Apple, where he teaches the Swift programming language and cloud computing to developers worldwide. Outside of work, Nick volunteers his time as an attorney with local legal aid foundations and strongly believes that open source software can significantly advance access to justice.
Nicholas Thayer is a JD/MBA student at the William S. Boyd School of Law, where he founded and serves as President of the Generative AI and Legal Technology Club and is Student Representative for the SciTech law section of the State Bar of Nevada.
About the article
This article was originally published in the Communiqué (Dec. 2025), the official publication of the Clark County Bar Association. The printed magazine was mailed out to CCBA members during the last week of November 2025.
The articles and advertisements appearing in Communiqué magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the CCBA, the CCBA Publications Committee, the editorial board, or the other authors. All legal and other issues discussed are not for the purpose of answering specific legal questions. Attorneys and others are strongly advised to independently research all issues.
© 2025 Clark County Bar Association (CCBA). All rights reserved. No reproduction of any portion of this issue is allowed without written permission from the publisher. Editorial policy available upon request.