Lifestyle

In Conversation with Legal Expert Aviva Gordon

Published

4 years ago

July 28, 2021

Gordon Law is one of the few boutique firms to practice business law for small-to-medium sized businesses and their owners in Las Vegas, and one of the only law firms of any size to deliver the right balance of personal attention, aggressive representation, and business expertise.

Beyond helping clients with litigation, guidance, planning, advocacy and other legal needs, Gordon Law helps clients anticipate problems before they occur, and solve small problems before they become big problems. We had a chance to interview Aviva Gordon and this is what she shared up with us.

Talk to us about your law practice. How did it all get started for you and what is the inspiration that drives you the most when it comes to helping small business owners be successful?

As a young lawyer, I learned that the area I could affect the most change was in helping businesses and their owners navigate the legal system to better protect and grow their business. My first mentors encouraged me to try all areas of law. I did a few divorces…I managed a few personal injury cases…but I really found my strength in business law. I am perpetually inspired by the innovation, imagination, drive and outright moxie of business owners. Anytime that I can nurture and encourage that, I will.

If you find one moment in your career that stood out the most to you, perhaps a trial or someone who walked into your office, without mentioning names of course, what would it be and why?

There are many such moments and experiences. However, one that stands out is a case that I litigated for a business in Henderson. I had filed a lawsuit on behalf of the current business owners in relation to a dispute with some of their former partners. The case was very strong, however, it would have taken years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees to litigate to conclusion. There was a settlement conference early in the process and we were able to settle it. Although there are many cases in which this occurs for me, this one was memorable in that I knew I stood to gain significantly personally and financially by discouraging the settlement, but it never even crossed my mind. Even though it would have meant years of attorneys’ fees coming my way, I encouraged the client to settle the case early so that the business could put the dispute behind it. The business has since grown exponentially.

What is one of the key milestones for you personally that you have achieved and why is that important to you?

There are so many of these. It may sound trite or cliche, but each time a business has benefited from my efforts is a key milestone for me. It’s a tremendous honor for me to earn and keep the trust of my clients — and I strive to do everything within my expertise and experience to represent them and their interests vigorously.

We notice you’re very involved in the Henderson Chamber of Commerce and also work hard to provide helpful workshops to business owners. What motivates you to give back? What do you hope to accomplish? What do you hope others take from your service?

I live in this community and have raised a family here. Giving back to ensure that our business community thrives; thereby ensuring all aspects of our community thrive, is my obligation as a good citizen. I have certain skills and talents as a lawyer and want to be able to contribute those to my community. I think the workshops are helpful for people considering becoming business owners or are new business owners. There are so many things that a new business needs and often owners don’t know what they don’t know. Helping them to form a strong foundation benefits them and our community as a whole.

Bonus Question:

When you’re not in full on attorney mode, what do you enjoy doing most? What makes you smile? What brings you joy?

I have an amazing husband and three fantastic children. Any moment I am not in attorney mode is dedicated to them. There are a few other things I do that fill my cup of joy up. I love hiking and taking in all of the natural beauty that Southern Nevada has to offer. I am an avid reader – typically fiction. I also find myself enjoying cooking for my family more and more.

Visit Gordon Law: http://gordonlawlv.com

Lifestyle

Wanda Knight on Blending Culture, Style, and Leadership Through Travel

Published

7 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Michelle Langton

The best lessons in leadership do not always come from a classroom or a boardroom. Sometimes they come from a crowded market in a foreign city, a train ride through unfamiliar landscapes, or a quiet conversation with someone whose life looks very different from your own.

Wanda Knight has built her career in enterprise sales and leadership for more than three decades, working with some of the world’s largest companies and guiding teams through constant change. But ask her what shaped her most, and she will point not just to her professional milestones but to the way travel has expanded her perspective. With 38 countries visited and more on the horizon, her worldview has been formed as much by her passport as by her resume.

Travel entered her life early. Her parents valued exploration, and before she began college, she had already lived in Italy. That experience, stepping into a different culture at such a young age, left a lasting impression. It showed her that the world was much bigger than the environment she grew up in and that adaptability was not just useful, it was necessary. Those early lessons of curiosity and openness would later shape the way she led in business.

Sales, at its core, is about connection. Numbers matter, but relationships determine long-term success. Wanda’s time abroad taught her how to connect across differences. Navigating unfamiliar places and adjusting to environments that operated on different expectations gave her the patience and awareness to understand people first, and business second. That approach carried over into leadership, where she built a reputation for giving her teams the space to take ownership while standing firmly behind them when it mattered most.

The link between travel and leadership becomes even clearer in moments of challenge. Unfamiliar settings require flexibility, quick decision-making, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. The same skills are critical in enterprise sales, where strategies shift quickly and no deal is ever guaranteed. Knight learned that success comes from being willing to step into the unknown, whether that means exploring a new country or taking on a leadership role she had not originally planned to pursue.

Her travels have also influenced her eye for style and her creative pursuits. Fashion, for Wanda, is more than clothing; it is a reflection of culture, history, and identity. Experiencing how different communities express themselves, from the craftsmanship of Italian textiles to the energy of street style in cities around the world, has deepened her appreciation for aesthetics as a form of storytelling. Rather than keeping her professional and personal worlds separate, she has learned to blend them, carrying the discipline and strategy of her sales career into her creative interests and vice versa.

None of this has been about starting over. It has been about adding layers, expanding her perspective without erasing the experiences that came before. Wanda’s story is not one of leaving a career behind but of integrating all the parts of who she is: a leader shaped by high-stakes business, a traveler shaped by global culture, and a creative voice learning to merge both worlds.

What stands out most is how she continues to approach both leadership and life with the same curiosity that first took her beyond her comfort zone. Each new country is an opportunity to learn, just as each new role has been a chance to grow. For those looking at her path, the lesson is clear: leadership is not about staying in one lane; it is about collecting experiences that teach you how to see, how to adapt, and how to connect.

As she looks to the future, Wanda Knight’s compass still points outward. She will keep adding stamps to her passport, finding inspiration in new cultures, and carrying those insights back into the rooms where strategy is shaped and decisions are made. Her legacy will not be measured only by deals closed or positions held but by the perspective she brought, and the way she showed that leading with a global view can change the story for everyone around you.