Cal Johnson Potter III

Cal Johnson Potter III was a prominent Las Vegas civil rights, criminal defense and personal injury attorney, widely regarded as the preeminent civil rights attorney in Nevada. A native of Phoenix, Arizona, he attended the University of Arizona, where he earned both his undergraduate and law degrees, and began practicing law in Las Vegas in 1979. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he built a reputation for taking on powerful entities, including the Metropolitan Police Department.

Potter's legal achievements were considerable. He was likely the only attorney in Nevada to have obtained a not guilty verdict in a capital murder trial, won several multi-million-dollar landmark verdicts in tort actions, and argued before the Supreme Court of the United States. He served as past president of the Nevada Justice Association (formerly the Nevada Trial Lawyers Association), was founding president of the Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice, and served as a judge for the Paiute Tribe for several years.

Beyond the courtroom, Potter was credited with playing a significant role in rebuilding the ACLU of Nevada into an effective advocate for civil liberties and civil rights. He also worked with the Nevada Homeless Alliance and sponsored the Helldorado Art Show for more than 20 years. He died on November 22, 2017, at the age of 64.