Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler joined the Court in 2019 following 16 years as a trial attorney at the Federal Public Defender Office. Prior to that, she served as a judicial law-clerk to Chief J. Kathy Hardcastle in the Eighth Judicial District Court. Judge Weksler has a wide array of litigation experience in federal court representing indigent clients charged with various federal crimes. In addition to her substantial experience with evidentiary hearings, she has tried numerous bench and jury trials. She has also represented her clients in the Ninth Circuit. She taught seminars on several topics across the country, including evidentiary and procedural issues, and was the Trial Training Director for the Federal Public Defender’s Office from 2012-2019.
Judge Weksler was born in Buenos Aires and moved to Las Vegas when she was 14 years old. She is a member of several organizations geared to improving the practice of law and preserving access to justice, and has served on several boards, including the Clark County Bar, the Federal Bar Association, and the Federal Court Pro Bono Program.
Judge Weksler graduated from Boyd School of Law, University of Las Vegas, Nevada in 2002. She received her undergraduate degree in English with a minor in Philosophy from University of Las Vegas, Nevada.