Practice Areas

Estate Planning and Business Services

Background and Experience

Ann Marie Hansen has a broad range of legal experiences making her a well-rounded and diverse attorney. Ms. Hansen is the mother of two young boys, one of whom is special needs. Ms. Hansen is currently focused on estate planning, with an emphasis on special needs planning (including wills, trusts, advanced directives, powers of attorney, and special needs trusts) and business services.

Ms. Hansen graduated at the top of her law school class from Ohio Northern University with High Distinction. Ms. Hansen has obtained many awards and recognitions throughout her legal career, most notably she was recognized as Mountain States Super Lawyers Top 50 Women in Nevada in 2015, while working part-time. In addition, she has received numerous awards for her commitment to pro bono. Ms. Hansen has a continuing desire to commit to pro bono work, and she is specifically focused on providing services to those in need within the special needs community.

Ms. Hansen started her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert J. Johnston in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada.

Following her clerkship, Ms. Hansen was a commercial litigator at a regional law firm followed by a national firm for approximately 10 years. Her clients included special servicers, financial institutions, landlords, insurance companies, insurance adjusters, manufacturers, distributors, restaurants, hotel/casinos, employers and businesses ranging from publicly traded to privately owned companies. She has significant experience defending clients in both trials and arbitrations involving general commercial disputes, insurance defense, and litigation arising from complex transactions.

Ms. Hansen then began representing consumers in consumer rights cases, including Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) violations in class actions and arbitrations.

After moving to Ohio, Ms. Hansen’s career took another turn, and she began doing corporate consulting work, drafting Master Servicer Agreements, Joint Venture Agreements, accomplishing stock splits, amending corporate by-laws, amending articles of incorporation, and implementing equity incentive plans. Ms. Hansen has also worked closely with other counsel on privacy policies, licensing agreements and website terms of use.

Prior to law school, Ms. Hansen worked as a Peace Corps volunteer, teaching health and English to children in rural Guatemala.

Representative Matters

• Appealed a decision by the Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities to revoke services from an autistic child and obtained a reversal of the decision.
• First chaired an arbitration representing a consumer alleging TCPA violations against a credit card service company and obtained a ruling in favor of the consumer.
• Successfully overturned a district court ruling compelling a minor child to arbitrate alleged violations of the TCPA based on her use of her mother’s credit card on one occasion, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed and remanded to the district court to reconsider class certification.
• Won a defense verdict at trial for a client accused of breach of contract and negligent hiring and supervision in relation to an employee accused of embezzling funds and other property from an employer
• Successfully defended an energy drink manufacturer against an $8 million to $12 million claim of lost profits by obtaining an order striking the plaintiff's expert report and granting summary judgment against the plaintiff
• Successfully defended NV Energy in an eminent domain action
• Won a defense verdict at trial for a property casualty insurance carrier
• Represented an international brokerage house in a stock trading dispute before Nevada state court and FINRA
• Represented a national home health care corporation in an appeal from a disability matter, judgment below for the corporation affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
• Successfully defended an employer against liability for a violent attack against an employee by another employee of the company
• Successfully overturned a Nevada insurance statute governing the licensing of insurance adjusters by filing a motion for summary judgment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada arguing its unconstitutionality in that it violated the Privileges and Immunities Clause by discriminating against nonresidents
• Successfully obtained the appointment of receivers over commercial properties on a regular basis.

Publications

• Co-author, "Nevada Supreme Court Opinion Impacts HOA Foreclosure Litigation," Ballard Spahr Mortgage Banking Update, February 4, 2016
• Co-author, "Nevada Amends Law Regarding Deficiency Judgment Calculation," Ballard Spahr alert, July 21, 2015
• Co-author,"Recent Nevada Supreme Court Opinions Impact Deficiency Actions," Ballard Spahr alert, May 11, 2015; reprinted in 69 Consumer Finance Law Quarterly Report Nos. 2, 3 & 4 167, 2015
• Comment, "Int’l Trend of Multinational Corp. Accountability for Human Rights Abuses & the Role of the U.S.," 33 Ohio Northern Law Review No. 1
• "State v. Cowan," 31 Ohio Northern Law Review No. 3 505, Fall 2005
  • Speaker, "Current Issues on Real ID Act and Name Change Process, with an Emphasis on LGBTQ Issues," Nevada Legal Services CLE, Las Vegas, February 8, 2016
  • Faculty, “Dealing with Distressed Tenancies,” Lorman Education Services, Basic Commercial Leases, Las Vegas, April 11, 2012

Speaking Engagements

• Speaker, "Current Issues on Real ID Act and Name Change Process, with an Emphasis on LGBTQ Issues," Nevada Legal Services CLE, Las Vegas, February 8, 2016
• Faculty, “Dealing with Distressed Tenancies,” Lorman Education Services, Basic Commercial Leases, Las Vegas, April 11, 2012

Recognition & Accomplishments

Nevada Legal Services, 2015 Champions of Justice, Gender Justice Attorney of the Year

Named among Mountain States Super Lawyers Top 50 Women in Nevada, 2015

Named among Mountain States Super Lawyers, 2014

Named among Mountain States Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" 2010-2013, in the area of business litigation

Named among Nevada Business Magazine's Legal Elite, 2014

"Top 20 Best Up-and-Coming Attorneys," 2010 Nevada Business Magazine's Legal Elite

Named to Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada Pro Bono Project's 50 and 100 Hours Club for 2009 and 2010

Education

Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law (J.D. 2006, with high distinction)

Associate Editor, Ohio Northern University Law Review; Member, Jessup Moot Court team; Recipient, National Association of Women Lawyers Outstanding Graduate award; Member, Order of the Barristers; Member, Willis Society