Thomas Pitaro
Subject: Thomas Francis Pitaro Firm: Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd. (fumolaw.com) Location: 601 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89101 Phone: (702) 474-7554 Dossier Date: March 29, 2026 Prepared by: ROI Society Research Team
1. Snapshot Table
Section titled “1. Snapshot Table”| Field | Detail | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Full Legal Name | Thomas Francis Pitaro | Verified |
| Nevada Bar Number | 1332 | Verified |
| Bar Admission Year | 1974 | Verified |
| Bar Status | Active (no public discipline found against him) | Likely accurate |
| Undergraduate | B.S., California State University, Los Angeles (1971) | Verified |
| Law School | J.D., UCLA School of Law (1974) | Verified |
| Firm | Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd. | Verified |
| Position | Senior Partner / Founding Attorney | Verified |
| Primary Practice | Criminal Defense | Verified |
| AV Preeminent Rating | Confirmed (Martindale-Hubbell) | Verified |
| Best Lawyers in America | Listed — Criminal Defense: General Practice | Verified |
| Super Lawyers | Selected 2007—2016 | Verified |
| Top 75 Mountain States | 2009 | Verified |
| American College of Trial Lawyers | Member | Likely accurate |
| UNLV Boyd School of Law | Adjunct Professor (Trial Advocacy) | Verified |
| Police Use of Force Review Board | Judge | Likely accurate |
| NACDL Member | Claimed on firm site | Not publicly verified |
| NV Attorneys for Criminal Justice | Founding member (claimed) | Not publicly verified |
| Languages | English, Spanish | Likely accurate |
| Years Practicing | ~52 years (since 1974) | Verified |
2. Executive Summary
Section titled “2. Executive Summary”Thomas F. Pitaro is a deeply established Las Vegas criminal defense attorney who has practiced continuously in Nevada since 1974. His core credentials — bar admission, AV Preeminent rating, Best Lawyers listing, and Super Lawyers selections (2007—2016) — are independently confirmed across multiple authoritative platforms. He holds Nevada Bar No. 1332, placing him among the earliest active practitioners in the state.
Pitaro has handled some of the most high-profile criminal cases in Nevada history, including representing Sandy Murphy in the Ted Binion murder trial, serving on the O.J. Simpson post-conviction legal team, defending former District Judge Gerard Bongiovanni in a federal bribery case (acquitted), and representing Priscilla Rocha in the CCSD theft case. He is profiled as a “Vegas Icon” by Vegas Legal Magazine and is recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
His teaching role at UNLV Boyd School of Law is confirmed via the university’s own CLE event listings, and his involvement in CLE presentations at Boyd is documented. The firm maintains a strong online reputation (4.7 stars on Google with 27 reviews; 11 reviews on Yelp). His Avvo profile exists but is not actively maintained (0.0 rating / no claimed reviews).
One area requiring attention: a negative opinion website (tompitaro.com) exists, operated by Steven Barket of Las Vegas, which appears to be a personal grievance site. No public disciplinary actions against Pitaro personally were found in search results; the 2022-173-P judicial document found on the Nevada judiciary website is a filing where Pitaro served as defense counsel for Judge Erika Ballou in a judicial discipline matter, not a complaint against him.
3. Verified Core Credentials
Section titled “3. Verified Core Credentials”3.1 Bar Admission
Section titled “3.1 Bar Admission”- State Bar of Nevada, Bar No. 1332
- Admitted: 1974
- Status: Active (no public discipline against him located)
- Confirmation sources: Martindale-Hubbell, Lawyers.com, FindLaw, Avvo, judicial filings bearing his bar number
- Confidence: Verified
3.2 Education
Section titled “3.2 Education”- B.S., California State University, Los Angeles (1971)
- Confirmed on Martindale-Hubbell, Lawyers.com, Super Lawyers
- Confidence: Verified
- J.D., UCLA School of Law (1974)
- Confirmed on Martindale-Hubbell, Lawyers.com, Super Lawyers
- Confidence: Verified
3.3 AV Preeminent Rating (Martindale-Hubbell)
Section titled “3.3 AV Preeminent Rating (Martindale-Hubbell)”- Listed on Martindale.com profile (ID: 1066396)
- Described as “consistently maintains the highest rating (AV) for a criminal defense attorney”
- Firm also received AV Preeminent award in 2025
- Confidence: Verified
3.4 Firm Information
Section titled “3.4 Firm Information”- Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd.
- 601 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89101
- Website: fumolaw.com
- Pitaro is identified as a founding attorney
- Confidence: Verified
4. Practice Areas
Section titled “4. Practice Areas”Primary (confirmed across multiple directories)
Section titled “Primary (confirmed across multiple directories)”- Criminal Defense (General Practice) — Verified
- White Collar Crimes — Verified
- DUI/DWI — Verified
- Drug Crimes — Verified
Additional (listed on directory profiles)
Section titled “Additional (listed on directory profiles)”- Personal Injury — Likely accurate (noted on FindLaw, firm site)
- Civil Litigation — Likely accurate (referenced in Vegas Legal Magazine)
- Union / Labor Representation — Likely accurate (referenced on firm site, multiple directories)
- Family Law — Likely accurate (FindLaw listing exists)
Specific case types referenced in media/profiles
Section titled “Specific case types referenced in media/profiles”- Capital murder defense
- Battery / domestic violence
- Sexual assault
- Arson, robbery, theft, embezzlement
- Racketeering
- State and federal criminal cases
- Judicial and attorney ethics/disciplinary defense
5. Trial and Case Experience
Section titled “5. Trial and Case Experience”5.1 High-Profile Cases (Media-Confirmed)
Section titled “5.1 High-Profile Cases (Media-Confirmed)”| Case | Role | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy Murphy / Ted Binion murder trial | Defense counsel for Sandy Murphy (with John Momot) | Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Sun, Court TV, Wikipedia | 2000—2004 |
| O.J. Simpson post-conviction / new trial petition | Co-counsel (with Patricia Palm and Ozzie Fumo); cross-examined Yale Galanter | CBS News, ESPN, Fox News, Vegas Legal Magazine | ~2013 |
| Judge Gerard Bongiovanni federal bribery trial | Lead defense counsel; client acquitted of all 13 charges | Las Vegas Sun (1997, 1998) | 1997—1998 |
| Priscilla Rocha / CCSD theft case | Defense counsel; handled sentencing and appeal | Las Vegas Review-Journal, 8 News Now | ~2017—2019 |
| LVCVA gift card scandal (Priscilla Rocha appearance) | Counsel photographed with client at Regional Justice Center | Las Vegas Review-Journal (photo caption, Ronda Churchill) | ~2018 |
| Judge Erika Ballou judicial discipline | Defense counsel before NV Commission on Judicial Discipline (Case 2022-173-P) | NV Judiciary filings, Review-Journal, 8 News Now | 2022—2025 |
| USA v. Lewis et al. (D. Nev. 2:17-cr-00244) | Listed as counsel for defendant Brian Sorensen | DocketBird federal court records | 2017—2019 |
5.2 Case Highlights
Section titled “5.2 Case Highlights”- Bongiovanni acquittal: Secured full acquittal on 13 federal bribery/wire fraud counts after a four-year FBI investigation involving 1,500+ hours of wiretaps. First trial ended in hung jury (reportedly 10-2 for acquittal); second trial resulted in full acquittal in under 8 hours of deliberation.
- O.J. Simpson hearing: Conducted cross-examination of Yale Galanter described as “witheringly direct and insistent” — aimed at showing Galanter’s financial conflicts of interest in representing Simpson.
- Sandy Murphy / Binion: Defended Murphy in one of the most publicized Las Vegas murder trials of the era. Public perception and media coverage were significant factors.
6. Recognitions and Rankings
Section titled “6. Recognitions and Rankings”6.1 Best Lawyers in America
Section titled “6.1 Best Lawyers in America”- Listed at bestlawyers.com/lawyers/thomas-f-pitaro/20882
- Practice area: Criminal Defense: General Practice
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Confidence: Verified (direct Best Lawyers URL confirmed)
- Note: Specific years of inclusion and any “Lawyer of the Year” designation could not be confirmed without page access. Recommend client confirm current year listing and any LOTY honors.
6.2 Super Lawyers
Section titled “6.2 Super Lawyers”- Selected 2007—2016 (10 consecutive years)
- Top 75: Mountain States Super Lawyers (2009)
- Profile URL: profiles.superlawyers.com/nevada/las-vegas/lawyer/thomas-f-pitaro/95f505a0-0543-45c7-970a-baf205da16f2.html
- Confidence: Verified
- Note: Selection appears to have lapsed after 2016. Firm should confirm whether re-nomination has been submitted for current cycles.
6.3 AV Preeminent — Martindale-Hubbell
Section titled “6.3 AV Preeminent — Martindale-Hubbell”- Highest peer review rating for legal ability and ethical standards
- Firm also received AV Preeminent award (2025)
- Confidence: Verified
6.4 American College of Trial Lawyers
Section titled “6.4 American College of Trial Lawyers”- Listed as “Member” on Super Lawyers profile
- ACTL is invitation-only, limited to top 1% of trial lawyers in each jurisdiction
- Confidence: Likely accurate (single professional source; could not independently verify on ACTL directory)
6.5 Vegas Legal Magazine — “Vegas Icon”
Section titled “6.5 Vegas Legal Magazine — “Vegas Icon””- Feature article: “Vegas Icon: Tom Pitaro, Esq.”
- URL: vegaslegalmagazine.com/vegas-icon-tom-pitaro-esq/
- Confidence: Verified
6.6 Nevada Supreme Court Endorsement (Anecdotal)
Section titled “6.6 Nevada Supreme Court Endorsement (Anecdotal)”- According to Vegas Legal Magazine, Pitaro is “the only Nevada attorney that we know of who has a picture on his firm’s wall proclaiming him ‘the best criminal defense attorney in the state of Nevada’ that was signed by every justice on a sitting Supreme Court of Nevada.”
- Confidence: Likely accurate (single editorial source; undated; cannot independently verify)
7. Review and Reputation Signals
Section titled “7. Review and Reputation Signals”7.1 Online Reviews Summary
Section titled “7.1 Online Reviews Summary”| Platform | Rating | Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google (Pitaro & Fumo) | 4.7 stars | ~27 reviews | Firm-level rating |
| Yelp (Pitaro & Fumo) | Listed | 11 reviews | Updated Feb 2026; 20 photos |
| Lawyers.com | Positive | Individual reviews exist | Client praised him as “knowledgeable, intelligent, ethical” |
| Martindale.com | Peer reviews present | — | AV Preeminent peer-reviewed rating |
| Avvo | 0.0 (unclaimed) | 0 reviews | Profile exists but is not actively maintained |
| Birdeye (Pitaro & Fumo) | Listed | 27 reviews | Aggregated reviews |
7.2 Positive Reputation Signals
Section titled “7.2 Positive Reputation Signals”- Client review on Lawyers.com: “Tom Pitaro is a great attorney. We spent years with him on a very hard case and he won in both District Court and Nevada Supreme Court. He is knowledgeable, intelligent, ethical and a respected attorney by his clients, judges, peers and community.”
- Vegas Legal Magazine describes him as part of “that upper echelon of stellar attorneys who take the job to a different level — those attorneys who gut it out six and seven days a week.”
- Named a “Vegas Icon” by a legal trade publication.
7.3 Negative / Adverse Signals
Section titled “7.3 Negative / Adverse Signals”- tompitaro.com — A negative opinion website operated by Steven Barket of Las Vegas. The site appears to be a personal grievance site and includes commentary about Pitaro family legal disputes. The site explicitly states: “This entire site is the opinion of Steve Barket, Las Vegas Nevada.” This is a reputation risk item that should be monitored.
- No public bar discipline found against Pitaro personally. The judicial filing (2022-173-P) found on Nevada judiciary servers is a case where Pitaro served as defense attorney for Judge Erika Ballou, not a complaint against him.
8. Career Timeline
Section titled “8. Career Timeline”| Year | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | B.S., California State University, Los Angeles | Martindale, Lawyers.com |
| 1974 | J.D., UCLA School of Law | Martindale, Lawyers.com, Super Lawyers |
| 1974 | Admitted to Nevada State Bar (Bar No. 1332) | Multiple directories, judicial filings |
| 1974—present | Practicing criminal defense in Las Vegas | All sources |
| ~1980s (est.) | Co-founded Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd. | Firm site, directories |
| 1997—1998 | Defended Judge Bongiovanni in federal bribery trial (acquitted) | Las Vegas Sun |
| 2000 | Defended Sandy Murphy in Ted Binion murder trial | Court TV, LV Review-Journal, Wikipedia |
| 2007—2016 | Super Lawyers selection (10 consecutive years) | Super Lawyers |
| 2009 | Top 75: Mountain States Super Lawyers | Super Lawyers |
| ~2010s | Adjunct Professor, UNLV Boyd School of Law (Trial Advocacy) | UNLV Boyd, firm site, directories |
| ~2013 | O.J. Simpson post-conviction legal team; cross-examined Yale Galanter | CBS News, ESPN, Fox News |
| 2014 | CLE presenter: “Trial Practice Tips from a Criminal Law Perspective” at UNLV Boyd | law.unlv.edu |
| ~2017—2019 | Defense counsel in USA v. Lewis et al. (D. Nev.) | DocketBird |
| ~2017—2019 | Represented Priscilla Rocha in CCSD theft case | LV Review-Journal, 8 News Now |
| 2022—2025 | Defense counsel for Judge Erika Ballou (judicial discipline) | NV judiciary filings, Review-Journal |
| Ongoing | Listed in Best Lawyers in America | bestlawyers.com |
| Ongoing | AV Preeminent rated | Martindale-Hubbell |
| Ongoing | Judge on Police Use of Force Review Board | Firm site, directories |
9. Media, Publications, and Speaking
Section titled “9. Media, Publications, and Speaking”9.1 Media Coverage
Section titled “9.1 Media Coverage”- Vegas Legal Magazine — “Vegas Icon: Tom Pitaro, Esq.” (feature profile)
- Las Vegas Review-Journal — Multiple mentions as defense counsel in high-profile cases (Binion/Murphy, Priscilla Rocha/CCSD, LVCVA gift card scandal)
- Las Vegas Sun — Coverage of Bongiovanni federal bribery trial (1997—1998); Sandy Murphy case
- CBS News / ESPN / Fox News — Coverage of O.J. Simpson post-conviction proceedings naming Pitaro as counsel
- Court TV — Coverage of Sandy Murphy / Binion trial
- 8 News Now (KLAS) — Coverage of Priscilla Rocha sentencing, Judge Ballou discipline
9.2 CLE Presentations (Confirmed)
Section titled “9.2 CLE Presentations (Confirmed)”- “Trial Practice Tips from a Criminal Law Perspective” — UNLV Boyd School of Law CLE event (April 4, 2014)
- Source: law.unlv.edu/event/cle-trial-practice-tips-criminal-law-perspective
- Confidence: Verified
- “Trial Practice Tips from Nevada’s Experienced Criminal Practice Lawyers” — UNLV Boyd School of Law CLE event (separate listing)
- Source: law.unlv.edu
- Confidence: Verified
9.3 Teaching
Section titled “9.3 Teaching”- Adjunct Professor, UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law — Trial Advocacy
- Confirmed via UNLV Boyd “Boyd Professors and Alumni Named to Top Lawyers List” page and CLE event pages
- Robert Telles (later charged in Jeff German murder) was reportedly one of Pitaro’s law students at Boyd approximately a decade before the 2022 homicide
- Confidence: Verified
9.4 Published Articles / Scholarly Work
Section titled “9.4 Published Articles / Scholarly Work”- No published articles, law review contributions, or books were located in public search results
- Confidence: Not found
10. Website Bio Audit
Section titled “10. Website Bio Audit”Claims on fumolaw.com/thomas-f-pitaro/ vs. Independent Verification
Section titled “Claims on fumolaw.com/thomas-f-pitaro/ vs. Independent Verification”| Claim | Verified? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed in Nevada since 1974 | Verified | Confirmed across 5+ directories |
| ~52 years practicing | Verified | Math checks: 1974—2026 = 52 years |
| AV Preeminent rated | Verified | Martindale-Hubbell profile confirms |
| Criminal defense: misdemeanors through capital murder | Verified | Media coverage, directory listings confirm |
| Adjunct Professor, UNLV Boyd School of Law (Trial Advocacy) | Verified | UNLV Boyd CLE pages, alumni/faculty news |
| Judge on Police Use of Force Review Board | Not publicly verified | Only found on firm site and derivative directory entries |
| Founding member, Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice | Not publicly verified | Not independently confirmed; NACJ website not located |
| Listed in Best Lawyers in America | Verified | Direct bestlawyers.com profile exists |
| NACDL membership | Not publicly verified | Only on firm site |
| Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice membership | Not publicly verified | Only on firm site |
| Nevada Society of Italian American Lawyers membership | Not publicly verified | Only on firm site |
| Clark County Bar Association membership | Not publicly verified | Only on firm site; plausible for any Clark County practitioner |
| Has represented unions | Likely accurate | Referenced across multiple directory descriptions |
11. Directory Submission Readiness
Section titled “11. Directory Submission Readiness”Currently Active Profiles
Section titled “Currently Active Profiles”| Directory | URL | Status | Action Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martindale-Hubbell | martindale.com/attorney/thomas-f-pitaro-1066396/ | Active, AV rated | Verify profile is current |
| Best Lawyers | bestlawyers.com/lawyers/thomas-f-pitaro/20882 | Active | Confirm current edition year; check LOTY eligibility |
| Super Lawyers | profiles.superlawyers.com/…/95f505a0… | Active but selections ended 2016 | Re-submit nomination or update profile |
| Avvo | avvo.com/attorneys/89101-nv-thomas-pitaro-4279788.html | Unclaimed, 0.0 rating | High priority: Claim profile, add details, solicit reviews |
| Lawyers.com | lawyers.com/…/thomas-f-pitaro-1066396-a/ | Active | Review for accuracy |
| FindLaw | lawyers.findlaw.com/…/thomas-f-pitaro-esq-… | Active (2 profiles: Criminal + Family) | Consolidate or clarify; ensure criminal defense is primary |
| Yelp | yelp.com/biz/pitaro-and-fumo-las-vegas | 11 reviews, 20 photos | Monitor; respond to reviews |
| Google Business | — | 4.7 stars, ~27 reviews | Maintain; request more reviews |
| linkedin.com/in/thomas-pitaro-8675a4176/ | Exists | Verify completeness | |
| Birdeye | reviews.birdeye.com/pitaro-fumo-chtd-… | 27 reviews aggregated | Monitor |
Missing / Recommended Profiles
Section titled “Missing / Recommended Profiles”| Directory | Status | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Justia | Not found | Create attorney profile |
| LawInfo | Firm-level only | Verify individual attorney listing |
| ACTL Directory | Membership listed on Super Lawyers but not verified on ACTL site | Confirm membership; request directory listing if applicable |
| Lawyer Legion | Profile exists (lawyers.lawyerlegion.com) | Verify accuracy |
12. Items Needing Follow-Up
Section titled “12. Items Needing Follow-Up”Needs Client Confirmation
Section titled “Needs Client Confirmation”-
Bar status: Confirm current active/good standing status directly via State Bar of Nevada member lookup (nvbar.org) — the bar’s online search was not publicly indexed in results.
-
American College of Trial Lawyers membership: Listed on Super Lawyers profile. Confirm current Fellow status; if active, this is an extremely high-value credential (top 1% of trial lawyers).
-
Police Use of Force Review Board: Which jurisdiction? Current or past service? This claim appears only on the firm site and derived directory entries.
-
Best Lawyers — specific years and LOTY: Confirm which editions he has been listed in and whether he has received any “Lawyer of the Year” designation.
-
Super Lawyers lapse after 2016: Was this a deliberate decision not to re-submit, or an oversight? Re-nomination may be warranted.
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Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice — founding member: Cannot independently verify. Obtain documentation if available (founding documents, historical membership records).
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NACDL, NSIAL, CCBA memberships: Verify current active status for each organization.
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Avvo profile: Currently unclaimed with a 0.0 rating. This is an actionable reputation gap. Recommend claiming the profile immediately.
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tompitaro.com negative site: Monitor this domain. Assess whether any response is warranted. The site is explicitly labeled as one person’s opinion and does not appear in top search results for the attorney’s name, but it may surface in deeper searches.
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Published articles / scholarship: None found. If any exist, these should be documented and added to directory profiles.
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Founding date of Pitaro & Fumo, Chtd.: The exact year the firm was established could not be independently confirmed.
-
Federal court admissions: Confirm admissions to U.S. District Court (District of Nevada), Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and any other federal courts.
13. Source Log
Section titled “13. Source Log”Official / Government Sources
Section titled “Official / Government Sources”- Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline filing (2022-173-P) — Pitaro as defense counsel for Judge Ballou: judicial.nv.gov
- UNLV Boyd School of Law CLE events: law.unlv.edu
- UNLV Boyd “Professors and Alumni Named to Top Lawyers List”: law.unlv.edu
Legal Directories (Professional Sources)
Section titled “Legal Directories (Professional Sources)”- Martindale-Hubbell: martindale.com/attorney/thomas-f-pitaro-1066396/
- Best Lawyers: bestlawyers.com/lawyers/thomas-f-pitaro/20882
- Super Lawyers: profiles.superlawyers.com
- Lawyers.com: lawyers.com
- Avvo: avvo.com
- FindLaw (Criminal): lawyers.findlaw.com
- FindLaw (Family): lawyers.findlaw.com
- Lawyer Legion: lawyers.lawyerlegion.com
News Media Sources
Section titled “News Media Sources”- Vegas Legal Magazine, “Vegas Icon: Tom Pitaro, Esq.”: vegaslegalmagazine.com
- Las Vegas Sun, “Ex-judge’s attorney raps FBI to close his case” (Dec 17, 1997): lasvegassun.com
- Las Vegas Sun, “Vindicated Bongiovanni says he won’t seek bench again” (Nov 2, 1998): lasvegassun.com
- Las Vegas Review-Journal, “Two lawyers take over Murphy case”: reviewjournal.com
- Las Vegas Review-Journal, LVCVA gift card scandal photo: reviewjournal.com
- Las Vegas Review-Journal, Judge Ballou discipline hearing: reviewjournal.com
- CBS News, O.J. Simpson new trial bid rejected: cbsnews.com
- 8 News Now, Priscilla Rocha sentencing: 8newsnow.com
Court Records
Section titled “Court Records”- DocketBird, USA v. Lewis et al. (D. Nev. 2:17-cr-00244): docketbird.com
Review Platforms
Section titled “Review Platforms”- Yelp (Pitaro & Fumo): yelp.com
- Birdeye (Pitaro & Fumo): reviews.birdeye.com
Social / Professional Networking
Section titled “Social / Professional Networking”- LinkedIn: linkedin.com
Firm Website (Primary Subject — Not Independent)
Section titled “Firm Website (Primary Subject — Not Independent)”- fumolaw.com/thomas-f-pitaro/
Adverse / Monitoring
Section titled “Adverse / Monitoring”- tompitaro.com (negative opinion site by Steven Barket): tompitaro.com
End of Dossier