Prepared: March 29, 2026
Subject: Osvaldo E. Fumo, Senior Partner, Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd.
Location: 601 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Website: fumolaw.com
| Field | Detail | Confidence |
|---|
| Full Name | Osvaldo E. Fumo, Jr. | Verified |
| Also Known As | Ozzie Fumo | Verified |
| Date of Birth | July 27, 1965 | Verified |
| Birthplace | Arlington, Virginia | Verified |
| Bar Number | NV #5956 | Verified |
| Bar Admission | 1996 (State of Nevada) | Verified |
| Bar Status | Active (no public discipline on record) | Likely accurate |
| Law School | Whittier College School of Law, J.D. (Dec. 1995) | Verified |
| Undergraduate | University of San Diego, B.A. (1987) | Verified |
| High School | Bishop Gorman High School (1983) | Verified |
| Firm | Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd. (Senior/Founding Partner) | Verified |
| Federal Admissions | U.S. District Court, District of Nevada; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit | Verified |
| Primary Practice | Criminal Defense, DUI Defense, Personal Injury, Ethics Complaints | Verified |
| AV Preeminent Rating | Yes (Martindale-Hubbell) | Verified |
| Super Lawyers | Selected 2019-2025 (consecutive) | Verified |
| Best Lawyers | Listed | Likely accurate |
| Avvo Rating | ”Superb” | Verified |
| NACDL | Life Member | Verified |
| Legislature | Nevada State Assembly, District 21 (Nov. 2016 - Nov. 2020) | Verified |
| UNLV Boyd School of Law | Adjunct Professor | Verified |
Osvaldo E. “Ozzie” Fumo is a well-established Las Vegas criminal defense attorney with nearly 30 years of practice (admitted 1996). He is a founding senior partner at Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd., and has built a reputation handling cases from traffic citations through capital murder, including federal appellate work in the Ninth Circuit. His credentials are broadly verifiable across multiple independent professional and government sources.
Fumo’s profile is notably multifaceted: beyond private practice, he served two terms in the Nevada State Assembly (2016-2020), ran for the Nevada Supreme Court in 2020 (lost to Douglas Herndon in the general election), and ran for Clark County District Attorney in the 2022 Democratic primary (lost to incumbent Steve Wolfson with approximately 43.7% of the vote). He has been an adjunct professor at UNLV’s Boyd School of Law, teaching trial advocacy-related courses, and was named Adjunct Professor of the Year in 2021.
His awards and recognitions — including AV Preeminent, Super Lawyers (7 consecutive years), Defender of the Year (2019), Consumer Advocate of the Year (2019), and Access to Justice Award (2006) — are corroborated by multiple independent professional directories and news sources. One area requiring flagging is a 2021-2022 State Bar complaint related to comments he made about a Nevada Supreme Court justice; the outcome of that proceeding was not found in public sources and needs client confirmation.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Source(s) | Confidence |
|---|
| State of Nevada (#5956) | Active, admitted 1996 | Justia, Avvo, Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell | Verified |
| U.S. District Court, District of Nevada | Admitted | Super Lawyers, firm website, FindLaw | Verified |
| U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit | Admitted | Super Lawyers, firm website, Nevada Independent | Verified |
| Degree | Institution | Year | Source(s) | Confidence |
|---|
| J.D. | Whittier College School of Law | December 1995 | Super Lawyers, UNLV Boyd, Wikipedia, Ballotpedia, multiple directories | Verified |
| B.A. | University of San Diego | 1987 | Super Lawyers, UNLV Boyd, Wikipedia, Ballotpedia | Verified |
| High School Diploma | Bishop Gorman High School, Las Vegas | 1983 | Super Lawyers, Wikipedia, Nevada Independent | Verified |
Note: Whittier Law School closed in 2017. Academic records are maintained by Whittier College’s Registrar.
A State Bar of Nevada complaint was filed (circa late 2021 / early 2022) alleging Fumo made a false statement when he called Nevada Supreme Court Justice Douglas Herndon a “white supremacist” during a UNLV Black Law Students Association panel on October 13, 2021. The bar accused Fumo of making the statement “knowing it was false or with reckless disregard as to its falsity.”
- Outcome: Not found in publicly available sources. No public discipline (suspension, disbarment, reprimand) appears in directory listings as of the research date. His bar status appears active.
- Confidence: Needs client confirmation — the filing is documented in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, but the resolution is not publicly available.
- Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Review-Journal (original comments)
| Practice Area | Percentage of Practice | Confidence |
|---|
| Criminal Defense (misdemeanors through capital murder) | ~80% | Verified |
| DUI Defense | Included in criminal defense | Verified |
| Personal Injury | ~10% | Likely accurate |
| Ethics / Professional Liability Complaints | ~10% | Likely accurate |
| Government Relations | Referenced in Super Lawyers profile | Likely accurate |
Notable: Fumo has handled cases at every level from traffic citations through capital murder in both state and federal courts. He was one of O.J. Simpson’s defense attorneys during Simpson’s appeal of his 2008 kidnapping and armed robbery conviction, per The Nevada Independent.
| Item | Detail | Confidence |
|---|
| Capital murder cases | Confirmed across multiple sources | Verified |
| Federal appellate practice (9th Circuit) | Confirmed; has argued successfully | Verified |
| O.J. Simpson appeal (2008 conviction) | Referenced in Nevada Independent profile | Likely accurate |
| Range of practice | Traffic citations through capital murder | Verified |
| Jury selection experience | Referenced in Nevada Lawyer (Feb. 2017) as having “selected state and federal juries in numerous trials” | Verified |
| Mentorship | Has mentored attorneys in the Southern District of Nevada for over 15 years | Likely accurate |
Note: Specific case names, verdicts, and trial outcomes beyond the above are not detailed in public sources. PACER records were not directly searchable via web tools; a direct PACER search would be needed for a comprehensive federal case list.
| Rating / Ranking | Issuing Organization | Year(s) | Confidence |
|---|
| AV Preeminent | Martindale-Hubbell | Current (confirmed 2025) | Verified |
| Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 (7 consecutive) | Verified |
| Best Lawyers | Best Lawyers | Listed (specific years not confirmed) | Likely accurate |
| ”Superb” Rating | Avvo | Current | Verified |
| Client Champion | Martindale-Hubbell | 2025 | Likely accurate |
| Elite Lawyer | Elite Lawyer | 2025 | Likely accurate |
| Award | Issuing Organization | Year | Source(s) | Confidence |
|---|
| Defender of the Year | Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice | 2019 | Super Lawyers, Avvo, FindLaw, Vegas Legal Magazine, firm website | Verified |
| Consumer Advocate of the Year | Nevada Justice Association | 2019 | Facebook (Las Vegas Legal Video), Super Lawyers, Avvo, firm website | Verified |
| Access to Justice Outstanding Service Award | State Bar of Nevada | 2006 | Avvo, Super Lawyers, firm website | Verified |
| Adjunct Professor of the Year | UNLV Boyd School of Law | 2021 | UNLV Boyd faculty page, Super Lawyers, firm website | Verified |
| Organization | Status | Confidence |
|---|
| National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) | Life Member | Verified |
| American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys (AAPDA) | Member & Course Instructor | Verified |
| Litigation Counsel of America | Fellow | Likely accurate |
| American Bar Association | Member | Likely accurate |
| Nevada Trial Lawyers Association | Member | Likely accurate |
| Super Lawyers | Selected annually (2019-2025) | Verified |
| Best Lawyers | Listed | Likely accurate |
- Avvo: “Superb” rating with peer endorsements describing him as “a deeply passionate attorney who truly cares about his clients” and “exactly the kind of person I would want in my corner.”
- Martindale-Hubbell: Client Champion (2025); Distinguished peer review rating.
- General sentiment: Highly praised across platforms. No negative public reviews surfaced in research.
| Year | Event | Confidence |
|---|
| 1965 | Born July 27 in Arlington, Virginia | Verified |
| ~1976 | Moved to Nevada | Likely accurate |
| 1983 | Graduated Bishop Gorman High School, Las Vegas | Verified |
| 1987 | B.A., University of San Diego | Verified |
| 1995 (Dec.) | J.D., Whittier College School of Law | Verified |
| 1996 | Admitted to Nevada State Bar (#5956) | Verified |
| 1996-present | Criminal defense practice in Las Vegas | Verified |
| ~2000s | Co-founded Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd. (exact date not confirmed) | Likely accurate |
| 2006 | Access to Justice Outstanding Service Award (State Bar of Nevada) | Verified |
| ~2008-2010 | Served on O.J. Simpson defense team (appeal) | Likely accurate |
| 2016 (Nov.) | Elected to Nevada State Assembly, District 21 (defeated incumbent Derek Armstrong) | Verified |
| 2017 | Served on Assembly Committees: Corrections/Parole/Probation, Education, Judiciary, Transportation | Verified |
| 2019 | Served on Assembly Committees: Judiciary, Legislative Operations & Elections (Vice Chair), Natural Resources/Agriculture/Mining | Verified |
| 2019 | Defender of the Year (NACJ) | Verified |
| 2019 | Consumer Advocate of the Year (NJA) | Verified |
| 2019 | First Super Lawyers selection | Verified |
| 2020 (Nov.) | Left Nevada State Assembly (term ended) | Verified |
| 2020 (Nov.) | Lost Nevada Supreme Court Seat D general election to Douglas Herndon | Verified |
| 2021 | Adjunct Professor of the Year, UNLV Boyd School of Law | Verified |
| 2021 (Oct.) | Made comments about Justice Herndon at UNLV BLSA panel | Verified |
| ~2021-2022 | State Bar complaint filed; outcome unknown | Verified (filing) / Needs client confirmation (outcome) |
| 2022 (June) | Lost Clark County DA Democratic primary to Steve Wolfson (~43.7% of vote) | Verified |
| 2025 | Elite Lawyer award; Client Champion (Martindale-Hubbell) | Likely accurate |
| Activity | Organization | Detail | Confidence |
|---|
| Adjunct Professor | UNLV Boyd School of Law | Courses: Trial Advocacy, Pretrial Criminal Litigation, Opening Statements & Closing Arguments | Verified |
| AAPDA Instructor | American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys | Advanced-level training: “Using a Driver’s Internal Body Clock to Win DUI Cases” | Verified |
| Panel Speaker | UNLV Black Law Students Association | Panel on judicial issues (Oct. 13, 2021) | Verified |
| Lecturer | General | ”Lectured on numerous legal topics” per multiple directory profiles | Likely accurate |
No independently published legal articles (law review, bar journal contributions, or CLE written materials) were found in publicly available sources beyond his teaching materials. — Not found
- Senator Harry Reid (Nevada Supreme Court race, 2020)
- Real Justice PAC (DA race, 2022)
- Planned Parenthood (DA race, 2022)
- Nevada chapter, National Organization for Women (DA race, 2022)
The following claims from the firm website (fumolaw.com) were checked against independent sources:
| Claim | Independent Verification | Confidence |
|---|
| J.D., Whittier College School of Law (Dec. 1995) | Confirmed in Super Lawyers, UNLV Boyd, Wikipedia, Ballotpedia | Verified |
| B.A., University of San Diego (1987) | Confirmed in Super Lawyers, UNLV Boyd, Wikipedia, Ballotpedia | Verified |
| Bishop Gorman High School (1983) | Confirmed in Super Lawyers, Wikipedia, Nevada Independent | Verified |
| State of Nevada bar admission | Confirmed; Bar #5956, admitted 1996 | Verified |
| U.S. District Court, Nevada | Confirmed in Super Lawyers, FindLaw | Verified |
| U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit | Confirmed in Super Lawyers, Nevada Independent | Verified |
| AV Preeminent (Martindale-Hubbell) | Confirmed on Martindale.com profile | Verified |
| Criminal defense, DUI defense practice | Confirmed across all directories | Verified |
| Nevada State Assembly member (two terms, 2016-2020) | Confirmed via Ballotpedia, Wikipedia, NV Legislature, Nevada Independent | Verified |
| Adjunct Professor, UNLV Boyd School of Law | Confirmed on UNLV Boyd faculty page | Verified |
| Courses: Trial Advocacy, Pretrial Criminal Litigation, Opening/Closing Arguments | Confirmed on UNLV Boyd faculty page, Super Lawyers | Verified |
| 2021 Adjunct Professor of the Year | Confirmed on UNLV Boyd faculty page, Super Lawyers | Verified |
| 2019 Defender of the Year (NACJ) | Confirmed in Super Lawyers, Avvo, multiple directories and news sources | Verified |
| 2019 Consumer Advocate of the Year (NJA) | Confirmed via Facebook (Las Vegas Legal Video), Super Lawyers, Avvo | Verified |
| 2006 Access to Justice Award (State Bar of Nevada) | Confirmed in Avvo, Super Lawyers | Verified |
| NACDL Life Member | Confirmed; NACDL Life Member directory exists | Verified |
| American Association of Premier DUI Attorneys (member & instructor) | Confirmed on AAPDA website | Verified |
| Litigation Counsel of America (Fellow) | Referenced in multiple directory profiles; no direct LCA directory confirmation found | Likely accurate |
| Super Lawyers | Confirmed on Super Lawyers profile (2019-2025) | Verified |
| Best Lawyers | Referenced in multiple profiles; specific listing years not independently confirmed | Likely accurate |
| Office: 601 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89101 | Consistent across all directory listings | Verified |
Bio Audit Result: No false or misleading claims identified. All major claims are verified or likely accurate. Two items (Litigation Counsel of America, Best Lawyers specific years) could benefit from direct source confirmation but show no contradictions.
Fumo has active profiles on all major legal directories: Avvo, Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia, FindLaw, Lawyers.com, and Elite Lawyer. He also has a Wikipedia page, Ballotpedia page, and UNLV Boyd faculty page.
| Directory | Recommendation |
|---|
| Best Lawyers | Confirm specific listing years and practice area categories for marketing use |
| Litigation Counsel of America | Obtain direct link or screenshot from LCA directory for verification |
| Google Business Profile | Verify and optimize; encourage client reviews |
| Yelp | No attorney profile found; consider claiming if relevant |
| NACDL Directory | Verify life member listing is current and visible in their public directory |
| State Bar of Nevada | Confirm bar discipline matter resolution for proactive disclosure if needed |
| AAPDA | Profile and instructor page confirmed; ensure bio is current |
- AAPDA training credential (advanced DUI defense)
- Super Lawyers consecutive selections (2019-2025, 7 years)
- Dual 2019 awards (Defender of the Year + Consumer Advocate of the Year)
- Legislative service (two terms, with committee leadership as Vice Chair)
- UNLV Boyd teaching appointment with Professor of the Year recognition
- O.J. Simpson defense team participation (notable case credential)
- Harry Reid endorsement (2020)
| # | Item | Priority | Action Required |
|---|
| 1 | State Bar discipline matter outcome | High | Confirm with client the resolution of the 2021-2022 bar complaint re: Justice Herndon comments. No public discipline found, but resolution should be documented. |
| 2 | Best Lawyers specific listing years | Medium | Obtain from client or Best Lawyers directly; needed for accurate marketing claims. |
| 3 | Litigation Counsel of America Fellowship | Medium | Obtain direct confirmation from LCA directory or membership certificate. |
| 4 | Firm founding date | Low | Confirm when Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd. was established. |
| 5 | Notable case list | Medium | Obtain from client a list of significant cases for bio enhancement; only the O.J. Simpson appeal is publicly documented. |
| 6 | PACER / federal case history | Low | A direct PACER search would yield a comprehensive list of federal cases where Fumo appeared as counsel of record. |
| 7 | Published articles or CLE written materials | Low | Confirm whether Fumo has published legal articles or CLE materials beyond his AAPDA training and law school lectures. |
| 8 | Avvo review count and rating details | Low | Avvo blocked direct fetch; verify current review count and rating score in person. |
| 9 | Clark County DA race final vote percentage | Low | Confirm exact percentage (reported as ~43.7%) for accuracy. |
This dossier was compiled from publicly available sources accessed on March 29, 2026. WebFetch was blocked for several sources (Wikipedia, Ballotpedia, Justia, Avvo, UNLV Boyd); information from those sources was obtained via WebSearch result summaries. Confidence labels reflect the number and authority of corroborating sources. Items marked “Needs client confirmation” require direct verification with the attorney or his firm.