John Gutke is a partner in the Las Vegas office of Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin, LLP. With nearly two decades of experience, Mr. Gutke has represented a wide range of clients in complex business and commercial litigation matters; these have included partnership disputes, business torts, contract disputes, receivership actions, banking and real estate matters, and defense of federal agency investigations and civil enforcement actions. Mr. Gutke also has significant experience with bankruptcy court litigation, having represented debtors in Chapter 11 reorganizations and other parties involved in various bankruptcy adversary proceedings. He has tried and won cases before numerous state and federal courts. Prior to joining the firm, John was a partner at a large national law firm for several years before starting a small boutique litigation firm.

Because of his educational background, which includes both a bachelor’s and a master’s degrees in economics, John approaches his clients’ matters from a practical business perspective and through a strategic game theory lens to find optimal solutions to meet each client’s unique legal needs.

John began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez, Chief Judge of Nevada’s Eighth Judicial District Court. Because Judge Gonzalez presided over a specialized business court docket, John received valuable experience in complex business litigation matters from the start of his career. Prior to becoming a lawyer, John was an economics instructor in Oregon and Utah.

EDUCATION

• University of Oregon School of Law (JD)
• Utah State University (BA and MS)

ADMISSIONS

• State Bar of Nevada
• State Bar of Idaho

Memberships

• Executive Committee Member, Nevada State Bar Association Litigation Section (2015-present)
• Member, Clark County, Nevada, and American Bar Associations

Honors & Awards

• Nevada Business magazine has named Mr. Gutke among Nevada’s best attorneys several years (2013-2021), in its annual “Legal Elite” edition, which recognizes the top attorneys in the Silver State, as voted by their peers.
• Named as a “Mountain States Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers Magazine (2015-2017, 2019-20, 2022-23).
• Selected as one of the 50 Best Up-and-Coming Attorneys in the state of Nevada by Nevada Business Magazine (2010-2014).
• Selected as a “Mountain States Rising Star” attorney by Super Lawyers Magazine (2009-2010, 2012-2013).
• Recognized by the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada for his volunteer pro bono work in Southern Nevada.

 

Languages

• Portuguese
• Spanish