GAMING INDUSTRY MARKS PASSING OF NELSON WESTRIN
SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

The gaming industry lost a highly respected regulator and private practitioner when Nelson Westrin, the first Executive Director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, succumbed to complications arising from prostate cancer on May 28, six days before his 62nd birthday. A lifelong resident of mid-Michigan, Westrin graduated cum laude from Michigan State University and then obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from the Detroit College of Law. He commenced his legal career in the Ingham County Prosecutor's office, then moved on to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Michigan Department of Attorney General. In 1984 he moved to the Lottery and Racing Division of the Attorney General's office, where among other things he provided legal counsel and representation to the Governor regarding Tribal-State Class III gaming. In 1993 he became the Michigan Racing Commissioner, where he played a key role in maintaining Michigan's horse racing industry and provided State oversight of Michigan's Class III Indian gaming industry. When the Michigan electorate approved the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act by referendum vote in 1996, Governor John Engler tapped Westrin to be the state's first Executive Director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

Westrin's background gave him an appreciation for the complexities of commercial gaming regulation. After facing the daunting task of putting together a 100-person gaming regulatory staff from scratch, he embarked on extensive discussions with a number of state gaming regulators in furtherance of development of a comprehensive regulatory system for Michigan's commercial casinos. He then successfully guided the Michigan Gaming Control Board through the investigation and licensure of Michigan's three commercial casinos in Detroit and made Michigan a leading commercial gaming center in the process. In 2004 President Bush appointed Westrin to the National Indian Gaming Commission, where he served as its Vice Chairman. In 2007 Westrin then entered private practice in Lansing, Michigan.

Westrin dedicated most of his professional career to public service. Gaming counsel and gaming regulators alike recognized him as a practical, fair minded man who always strove to do what was right, rather than what was expedient. He was universally recognized as an excellent leader, mentor and regulator in his state service. He brought those qualities to the private practice of law, where he was recognized as a problem solver. From a personal perspective, Nelson was a good friend who always sought to achieve a practical, fair result for the industry. Simply stated, Nelson Westrin was a good man. I will miss him. The gaming industry has lost a great friend.

Today's funeral service was attended by a large contingent of family and friends, including the current Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission, Phil Hogan, as well as many members and former members of the Michigan Gaming Control Board staff and the Office of the Michigan Attorney General. Contributions can be made in Nelson's name to Ele's Place, 1145 West Oakland Avenue, Lansing, Michigan 48915. Ele's Place is a well-known program that specializes in dealing with a family's loss of a child.

Robert W. Stocker II

Regulatory Management Counselors President Joins IMGL

New member Dave Waddell is the President of Regulatory Management Counselors, P.C. ("RMC") in East Lansing, Michigan. RMC. is an av - rated law firm combining the talents of lawyers with a seasoned gaming industry analyst and compliance consultant, Robert R. Russell. RMC provides legal, governmental relations, information management, and management consulting services to clients working in heavily regulated industries including the casino gaming industry. Mr. Waddell was formerly a board member, chair of the business department, and chair of the gaming practice group of Fraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap, P.C. Over the years, Mr. Waddell has developed a dedicated legal practice specializing in business and regulatory matters impacting numerous heavily regulated industries. Mr. Russell earned his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University in 1997, and has also studied at the University of London, School of Economics and the University of Edinburgh. Following graduation, Russell joined Fraser Trebilcock Davis & Dunlap, P.C., where he spent the last 10 years developing his specialized casino gaming business consulting practice. Mr. Waddell writes a bi-weekly column for the Detroit News on gaming related business issues, and RMC publishes the Michigan Gaming Law newsletter and the Michigan Gaming website (www.MichiganGaming.com).

Crowe & Dunlevy Director Speaks at the 12th Annual National Institute on Gaming Law Minefield

D. Mike McBride III weighs in on recent developments and labor issues
TULSA — D. Mike McBride III, a director at Crowe & Dunlevy, spoke at the 12th Annual National Institute on Gaming Law Minefield on Feb. 14-15, 2008 at the Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nev. The program was designed to offer in-depth coverage and discussion of the recent legal, regulatory and ethical issues confronting both commercial and Native American gaming. McBride, who chairs the firm’s Indian Law and Gaming Practice Group, served on a panel discussion entitled, "Tribal Gaming: Where Does It Go From Here".
McBride has dedicated his 14 year legal career to Indian law, and has practiced primarily in the areas of federal Indian law and gaming, as well as complex federal, civil and criminal litigation. He is one of two Oklahoma General Members of the International Masters of Gaming Law.
McBride has served as the Attorney General for the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the Sac and Fox Nation and is currently a Justice for the Supreme Court of the Pawnee Nation. He is Tenth Circuit Vice President, as well as Chair of the Federal Bar Association's Indian Law Section, the largest Indian law organization in the country. Founded in 1902, Crowe & Dunlevy is one of the oldest and largest law firms in Oklahoma, with offices in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Norman.

Members of the Gaming Practice Group at Lewis and Roca LLP become Associate Editors for Industry Publication

Glenn Light and Karl Rutledge, members of Lewis and Roca's commercial gaming practice group, have been named as associate editors for Casino Lawyer. The quarterly magazine is published and distributed by The International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL), an invitation-only, non-profit association dedicated to the education and advancement of the gaming law profession and to establishing an exchange of professional information about the local and global practice and development of gaming law.

Arnie Wexler Presents Responsible Gaming Programs

Arnie and Sheila Wexler have presented workshops and training seminars nationally and internationally. They have trained over 35,000 casino employees and executives and work with gaming companies to help formulate Responsible Gaming Programs.
If you are looking to set up Responsible Gaming Programs for workers and executive training they can do that for you. For more information and to view the list of companies for which they have consulted please visit www.aswexler.com.

IMGL Reception at ICE
International Masters of Gaming Law members had a strong presence at this the 2008 edition of the International Casino Expo held in January in London, England. ICE is the largest casino services and equipment manufacturer trade show in Europe. Thanks to the splendid efforts of IMGL Vice President Tony Coles and fellow IMGL Member Nick Nocton of Jeffrey Green Russell, the IMGL hosted a highly successful reception in downtown London at La Galleria in Pall Mall after the conclusion of the first day of ICE.

It was the perfect location for the 85 plus IMGL members and guests who attended the reception. The wine was excellent, the servers were friendly and efficient and an excellent time was had by all. At the conclusion of the reception, IMGL President Bob Stocker, noting the fact that the function was well received by all present, authorized the immediate booking of the reception at the same location for the 2009 ICE program.

ABA Business Law Section's Gaming Law Committee announced the following IMGL members have been appointed to serve for the 2007-08 term beginning on August 13th. This Committee monitors and explores regulatory, financial and transactional developments in the tribal governmental and commercial gaming industries and serves as a forum for Section members to learn about the increasingly complex and prevalent area of gaming law.

Chair (for a three year term) Gabe Galanda with Williams Kastner

Subcommittees

Commercial Gaming — Sean McGuinness, Co-Chair
Federal, State & Tribal Regulation — Greg Giordano, Co-Chair; David Welch, Co-Chair; Sue McNabb, Vice Chair
Finance & Restructuring — Scott Freeny, Co-Chair
Indian Gaming — Heidi McNeil Staudenmaier, Co-Chair; John Roberts
International Gaming — Robert Stocker, Chair
Internet & Mobile Gaming — Ben Hayes, Co-Chair
Publications — Robert Stocker, Co-Chair