Jennifer McGrath

McGrath urged university and college presidents to share resources and information to control costs. She also called for changes to prepare students for a workforce shaped by artificial intelligence.

May 1, 2026Supports Government Efficiency

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted to require written requests for nonpublic records to the chancellor and Board chief of staff. The approved changes excluded a proposed email delivery option. She raised security concerns about attachments and proposed password-protected links that expire. The vote passed, 8–3, with two Regents absent.

April 17, 2026Supports Government Efficiency

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath moved to spend $4.3 million in campus improvement fees on University of Nevada, Las Vegas network upgrades. The Board approved the motion.

April 24, 2025Supports Government Efficiency

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath urged university and college presidents to share resources and information to control costs. She also called for changes to prepare students for a workforce shaped by artificial intelligence.

May 1, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath seconded and voted for a package of student, course, housing, and meal fees. It added a $5-per-credit academic support fee for coaching and tutoring at the College of Southern Nevada. It added one-time Honors College fees of $125 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and $245 at the University of Nevada, Reno. It ended Las Vegas's $20 math enhancement fee for courses no longer offered. Other changes included higher technology fees, nursing course fees, and a 4% increase in Reno meal prices. The vote passed, 12–1.

January 23, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted for added tuition and fee increases for the 2026–2029 academic years. University and upper-level college increases were 3%, 4%, and 5%; lower-level college increases were 2%, 3%, and 4%. These were added to scheduled inflation increases. The increases were intended to cover salary adjustment shortfalls and preserve advising and tutoring. The vote passed, 8–5. She also requested a review of student aid fee allocations to protect middle-class families.

January 23, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted for university program fee changes. At the University of Nevada, Reno, online accounting costs fell from $750 to $594.25 per credit, including a $250 program fee. New fees were $100 per credit for online journalism and $175 for online undergraduate social work. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas ended its $200-per-credit Executive Leadership fee. The social work fee was intended to pay for permanent faculty and meet accreditation standards. The vote passed, 10–3.

January 23, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted to suspend yearly performance-based pay awards for professional employees for the 2026 and 2027 budget years. The motion passed, 9–2, with one abstention and one Regent absent.

June 12, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath moved to spend $4.3 million in campus improvement fees on University of Nevada, Las Vegas network upgrades. The Board approved the motion.

April 24, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath moved to narrow the student rule against nonphysical abuse to conduct that is severe, widespread, and objectively offensive enough to deny equal educational access. The rule also defined intimidation as a threat intended to cause fear of bodily harm or death. The Board approved the amendment.

June 12, 2026Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

Represented a patient in litigation against doctor Barry Brock and Cedars-Sinai and petitioned the appeals court to protect her unrelated medical records. The court temporarily stopped opposing lawyers from reviewing unredacted copies of those records on May 26, 2026, while it considered the petition.

May 19, 2026Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties

Source: appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov

McGrath urged university and college presidents to share resources and information to control costs. She also called for changes to prepare students for a workforce shaped by artificial intelligence.

May 1, 2026Supports Public Education Quality

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath seconded and voted for a package of student, course, housing, and meal fees. It added a $5-per-credit academic support fee for coaching and tutoring at the College of Southern Nevada. It added one-time Honors College fees of $125 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and $245 at the University of Nevada, Reno. It ended Las Vegas's $20 math enhancement fee for courses no longer offered. Other changes included higher technology fees, nursing course fees, and a 4% increase in Reno meal prices. The vote passed, 12–1.

January 23, 2026Supports Public Education Quality

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted for added tuition and fee increases for the 2026–2029 academic years. University and upper-level college increases were 3%, 4%, and 5%; lower-level college increases were 2%, 3%, and 4%. These were added to scheduled inflation increases. The increases were intended to cover salary adjustment shortfalls and preserve advising and tutoring. The vote passed, 8–5. She also requested a review of student aid fee allocations to protect middle-class families.

January 23, 2026Supports Public Education Quality

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted for university program fee changes. At the University of Nevada, Reno, online accounting costs fell from $750 to $594.25 per credit, including a $250 program fee. New fees were $100 per credit for online journalism and $175 for online undergraduate social work. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas ended its $200-per-credit Executive Leadership fee. The social work fee was intended to pay for permanent faculty and meet accreditation standards. The vote passed, 10–3.

January 23, 2026Supports Public Education Quality

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

Received Super Lawyers recognition in 2015–2016 and 2018–2021, and Rising Stars recognition in 2007, for her legal work.

October 1, 2026

Source: profiles.superlawyers.com

Worked as a lawyer on lawsuits at Greenberg Glusker and later as a partner at Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert and Harder Mirell & Abrams. Her work covered privacy, false statements harming reputations, and ownership rights for creative work.

October 1, 2026

Source: lls.edu

Served as a member of the Board of Regents' Academic, Research and Student Affairs Committee.

August 21, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

Received the Vegas Chamber's endorsement for Board of Regents District 2 in the 2026 general election.

August 21, 2026

Source: vegaschamber.com

Served as a member of the Board of Regents' Security Committee.

August 20, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

Served as vice chair of the Board of Regents' Health Sciences System Committee.

August 20, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

Took part in a United States Department of Agriculture forum on bringing nutritious food into schools. She joined federal, state, and local partners as a Nevada higher education representative.

July 21, 2026

Source: flickr.com

Represented former patients of Dr. James Heaps, a women's health doctor at the University of California, Los Angeles, through McGrath Kavinoky LLP. The firm handled 312 clients' cases and reached a tentative $374.4 million sexual abuse settlement in January 2022. The court appointed retired judges to oversee settlement payments.

June 29, 2026

Source: www4.courts.ca.gov

Cofounded the law firm McGrath Kavinoky LLP with Darren Kavinoky in 2020 to represent survivors of sexual abuse by Dr. James Heaps, a women's health doctor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

June 29, 2026

Source: www4.courts.ca.gov

McGrath seconded a motion requiring an action plan for campus police staffing, rural service gaps, and consistent safety policies. The plan had to address an outside review's recommendations at the next Security Committee meeting. The Board approved it.

June 11, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath joined a unanimous vote approving a five-year partnership between University Medical Center and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas medical school. The agreement supported medical training and allowed new training programs for doctors treating children without Medical Center approval. The vote passed, 12–0, with one Regent absent.

May 21, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath joined a unanimous vote appointing Sandra Richtermeyer as Nevada State University president and approving her employment agreement. The vote passed, 13–0.

May 1, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath joined a unanimous vote allowing The Boring Company to build and operate a transportation tunnel beneath University of Nevada, Las Vegas land. The agreement required the company to fund a future station, subject to later Board approval. The vote passed, 13–0.

March 6, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath urged attention to long-term sustainability during a committee discussion of Nevada's Rural Health Transformation Grant Program. The program supported rural healthcare access and workforce development.

February 26, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath helped bring forward a policy adding the Board vice chair to the chancellor's annual evaluation. She seconded and voted for it. The proposal received 7 yes votes and 6 no votes, but failed the required two-thirds majority.

February 20, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted to postpone a proposal allowing Nevada State University's acting president to enter its permanent president search. The postponement passed, 9–4.

February 20, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath moved to approve the advertising plan for Nevada State University's presidential search. The committee approved the motion.

February 6, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted to buy a $659,000 office building near the Nevada Legislature in Carson City. The motion passed, 8–5.

January 23, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath seconded and voted for revised faculty salary ranges, excluding executive schedules and the central system administration schedule. The proposal raised midpoints in 20 of 33 academic faculty ranges by 2%–54%. These were pay ranges rather than automatic pay raises. The motion passed; the minutes named 10 yes votes and one no vote, with one Regent absent. The minutes did not report the remaining Regent’s vote.

January 23, 2026

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath joined a unanimous vote lowering the salary range for Nevada State University's president. The approved range changed from $432,659–735,694 to $277,921–472,581. The vote passed, 13–0.

December 5, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath served on the Nevada State University presidential search committee.

November 24, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

Served as an unpaid treasurer of Hearts Alive Village, an animal welfare nonprofit. Its 2024 tax return reported about five hours of her work each week.

October 24, 2025

Source: heartsalivevillage.org

McGrath voted to remove three staff councils from formal Board policy: public safety; inclusion, diversity, equity and access; and business officers. The revision passed, 12–1.

October 17, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted to appoint Amber Lopez Lasater as acting president of Nevada State University. The appointment passed, 12–0, with one abstention. She also supported the employment agreement, which passed, 11–1, with one abstention.

October 17, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath moved to approve a package of committee recommendations. It expanded college credit for industry credentials and assessed learning outside classrooms, with transfer between Nevada public colleges and universities. It authorized up to $4 million to plan and design a new business school building at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. It also approved a 7.2-acre Las Vegas Paving land lease, medical-office lease extensions, and two Reno property advance approvals for potential purchases. The Board approved the package.

September 12, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted for a modular building exchange between the College of Southern Nevada and Campus for Hope. It included a $1 million donation to the college and supported relocating buildings for its early childhood education program. The vote passed, 10–2, with one Regent absent.

September 11, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted to appoint Amber Donnelli as Great Basin College president without a national search. The appointment and employment agreement passed, 13–0.

September 11, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

Joined the board of Hearts Alive Village in 2024 and led its Figaro Forensics Committee. The animal welfare nonprofit's committee worked to strengthen law enforcement partnerships for animal abuse investigations and prosecutions.

July 30, 2025

Source: heartsalivevillage.org

Founded a nonprofit foundation focused on helping animals and their caregivers.

July 30, 2025

Source: heartsalivevillage.org

McGrath seconded a motion authorizing another campus violence survey, subject to available funding. The Board approved it.

June 13, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath requested a policy review of how professors with tenure, which provides continuing employment protections, are reviewed.

June 13, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted to appoint Jeffrey Alexander as Truckee Meadows Community College president and approve his employment agreement. The initial vote passed, 8–3. After reconsideration, the final vote passed, 11–0.

May 8, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted for the Board of Regents to oppose Assembly Bill 191. The bill covered collective bargaining for higher education faculty, graduate assistants, and other professional employees, allowing them to negotiate pay and working conditions together. The opposition passed, 8–3.

April 24, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted to appoint Chris Heavey as interim president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The appointment passed, 11–1.

April 24, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted to appoint Matt McNair as Nevada's higher education chancellor and approve his employment agreement. The final vote passed, 10–1, after an earlier motion failed, 6–5.

April 10, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath voted against moving employee dismissal appeals from the full Board of Regents to the chancellor and Board chair. She asked about keeping the full Board informed of appeals. The proposal failed, 4–9.

March 7, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

McGrath joined a unanimous vote granting Clark County about 6.2 acres of University of Nevada, Las Vegas land for roadway projects. The approval included construction and maintenance access rights. The vote passed, 13–0.

March 6, 2025

Source: nshe.nevada.edu

Began serving as Nevada Board of Regents member for District 2 after Governor Joe Lombardo appointed her to fill Lois Tarkanian's vacancy.

March 1, 2025

Source: gov.nv.gov

Represented Nicholas Loeb in a dispute over frozen fertilized eggs, first with Johnson & Johnson LLP, then Theodora Oringher PC. The appeals court struck Sofia Vergara's claim that he had abused the courts with a baseless lawsuit, but allowed her contract claims to continue. The Supreme Court later denied review.

January 28, 2019

Source: appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov

Represented Gary Michelson and Karlin Holdings at Kinsella Weitzman in a dispute over disclosure of their communications with lawyers. The court rejected Proskauer Rose's request because the clients had not waived the legal protection keeping those communications confidential. The Supreme Court later denied review.

April 30, 2013

Source: www4.courts.ca.gov

Became a partner at Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert, where she represented clients in entertainment, creative work ownership, and business disputes.

January 4, 2012

Source: khiks.com

Represented DocuLex and other defendants in ExperExchange’s lawsuit over software licensing and copyright. The federal court listed her among their lawyers and awarded the defendants $577,931.75 in attorney fees, $51,840 in expert fees, and $6,669.47 in costs.

May 10, 2010

Source: govinfo.gov

Represented Laura Kightlinger at Kinsella Weitzman in an appeal against Mike White and filed her opening and reply briefs. The court affirmed the decision against Kightlinger and awarded White appeal costs.

November 23, 2009

Source: appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov

Became licensed to practice law in California on December 7, 2000, as Jennifer Joanne McGrath, State Bar license number 211388.

December 7, 2000

Source: apps.calbar.ca.gov

McGrath and her law firm lost an appeal seeking to move two former clients' claims into arbitration, a private process outside court. The court found they had not obtained the clients' written permission after explaining potential conflicts between clients, held the engagement agreements unenforceable, and awarded the clients appeal costs. It did not decide the malpractice claims.

June 29, 2026

Source: www4.courts.ca.gov