Darren J. Lemieux

Darren Lemieux is a litigator and trial lawyer who handles complex, high-stakes, commercial litigation matters. Darren’s clients appreciate his confidence in the courtroom and his aggressive yet calculated approach to resolving sophisticated legal disputes. Darren typically represents clients in disputes involving contracts, business torts, real estate and development, cannabis, and intellectual property.

Darren is licensed in California, Colorado, and Nevada and has tried cases in numerous states across the west coast and mountain west. In addition to substantial trial experience, Darren also guides clients in resolving disputes in pretrial mediations, arbitrations, and settlement conferences, as well as handling clients’ post-trial appeals.

Darren also has significant experience with administrative law matters and routinely represents developers in challenges stemming from land use and zoning decisions. Recently, Darren has successfully defended numerous developers in litigation and appeals arising out of governmental agency decisions, paving the way for more than a billion dollars’ worth of development projects.

More About Darren J. Lemieux

Education

• J.D., cum laude, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law, 2005
• B.A., University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2002

Bar Admissions

• Colorado, 2012
• California, 2006
• Nevada, 2005

Court Admissions

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
• Colorado State Judicial District Courts
• Colorado Supreme Court
• Colorado Court of Appeals
• California Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court, District of Nevada
• Nevada Supreme Court

Community

• Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, Executive Committee Member, (2021 – present)
• Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
• William S Boyd School of Law Alumni Association, Former Board Member
• Northern Nevada Disciplinary Panel for the Nevada State Bar, Former Member
• Washoe County Bar Association, Member
• Denver Bar Association, Member
• Colorado Bar Association, Member
• American Heart Association Western States Affiliate, Executive Leadership Team, Former Chair
• American Lung Association of Colorado, Former Board Member (Former Chair of American Lung Association of Northern Nevada)

Representative Matters

• Represented multiple developers in lawsuits arising out of land use and zoning decisions, obtaining complete dismissal of lawsuits challenging those decisions, along with obtaining awards of attorneys’ fees and costs and paving the way for more than a billion dollars’ worth of development.
• Represented gaming inventor and litigation financier in civil theft and breach of contract lawsuit stemming from a $151 million settlement, obtaining all unpaid amounts plus legal fees. See “Gaming Co. Settles $151M Antitrust Suit Funding Dispute” and “Lewis Roca Client Cleans Up in $1.2 Million Settlement.”
• Represented Wyoming bank as lead counsel in a two-week jury trial, obtaining a $1.7 million verdict for misappropriation of trade secrets (one of the first cases ever tried under Wyoming’s UTSA), breach of fiduciary duty, and intentional interference with contractual relations (including lawyers’ fees and costs). Jury verdict included a finding of willful and maliciousness on each claim, entitling the bank to punitive damages.
• Represented apparel company as lead counsel in a two-week jury trial, obtaining a complete defense verdict and an award of damages of $600,000 for fraud, deceptive trade practices, and conversion, plus an award of $125,000 in lawyers’ fees and costs.
• Obtained a $6 million jury verdict and judgment, including punitive damages and lawyers’ fees, for Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada and Maisons Marques & Domaines USA Inc. See “Southern Wine & Spirits, Ruvo win court victory” and “Southern Wine & Spirits awarded $1.1 million in punitive damages.” This litigation spanned more than a decade and included an appeal of a permanent injunction, which Darren helped successfully uphold on appeal before the Nevada Supreme Court. See Chateau Vegas Wine, Inc. v. Southern Wine and Spirits of America, Inc., 265 P.3d 680, 127 Nev. Adv. Op. 73 (2011).
• Represented seller of petroleum business in a 13-week bench trial with more than 5,000 trial exhibits concerning a post-acquisition dispute over hundreds of millions of dollars. The case ultimately settled.
• Represented former teacher on appeal from denial of petition for judicial review regarding unemployment benefits, obtaining a reversal and remand for client by published opinion. See Hohenstein v. State Emp’t Sec. Div., 131 Nev. Adv. Op. (2015).
• Represented dissenting shareholder of company that owned Las Vegas Sun newspaper in antitrust litigation concerning area’s two major newspapers. See New York Times article “A Newspaper in Las Vegas, at Risk of Closing, Divides a Family.” The case settled and the dissenting shareholder ended up acquiring sole ownership of the newspaper. See “Brian Greenspun takes control of Las Vegas Sun, other GMG titles.”
• Represented a law firm in an action for $25 million against the firm arising out of a Qui Tam lawsuit in federal court.
• Represented commercial land owner in multimillion-dollar lawsuit for catastrophic injuries sustained from a car wash, obtaining summary judgment in favor of client and award of attorneys’ fees and costs.
• Represented Airport Authority in federal court in complex commercial dispute, obtaining a dismissal with prejudice based on state and federal motor carrier laws.
• Represented an importer/wholesaler of alcoholic beverages in a lawsuit against a number of suppliers who had infringed on the importer’s/wholesaler’s franchise rights, obtaining partial summary judgment. The suppliers ultimately agreed to pay damages and fees to the client, resulting in a successful settlement for the importer/wholesaler.

Clerkships

• Nevada Supreme Court

News

Publications

Events