Terry Care

Terry Care is Senior Counsel in McDonald Carano’s Government Affairs & Advocacy group. His practice focuses on his experience as a commercial litigator, lobbyist, and government affairs attorney. Terry has argued multiple times before the Nevada Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. As a government affairs advocate, he has represented Nevada-based and national entities and organizations before the state legislature, as well as local government bodies.

Terry returned to McDonald Carano in 2025 after retiring as a Partner in 2014. Terry chaired our statewide team of lobbyists and government affairs professionals from 2010-2014. Terry has also served Nevada as an elected state senator representing Clark County (1998-2010), and later as a district representative and district director for Congresswomen Dina Titus (2018-2021). Prior to changing careers, Terry was a prominent print and broadcast journalist, culminating in his tenure as news director for KTNV-TV, the Las Vegas ABC affiliate where he supervised a newsroom of more than 20 members. Terry also served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army and is a decorated U.S. Army Ranger.

During his three senate terms, Terry served on the judiciary, government affairs, taxation, and transportation committees. His numerous leadership positions included serving as assistant majority leader during the 2009 session, chair of the senate judiciary committee, vice-chair of the senate committee on government affairs, and vice-chair of the senate committee on taxation. Term limits prevented him from re-election in 2010. Terry was inducted into the Nevada Senate Hall of Fame in 2015.

Prior to his return to McDonald Carano as Senior Counsel, Terry served as a case worker, district representative, and district director for Congresswoman Titus in Nevada’s First Congressional District (2018-2021). His responsibilities included overseeing constituent services case work with the IRS, Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, and other federal offices. He continues to serve on Congresswoman Titus’ interview selection committee for applications to the U.S. military service academies. Terry’s government background also includes serving as a member of former Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske’s election task force, as well as former Nevada Attorney General, now U.S. Senator, Catherine Cortez-Masto’s Open Meeting Law task force. He also chaired the Nevada State Democratic Party for two years and was Nevada co-chair of the steering committee for a presidential campaign.

Terry has been a commissioner on the Uniform Law Commission representing Nevada since 1999. ULC, also known as the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, was established in 1892 to provide states with non-partisan legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of state statutory law. Terry participated in numerous ULC study and drafting committees, and helped draft the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act and the Uniform Assignment of Rents Act. Terry also served as chair of the Legislative Committee and was ultimately responsible nationwide for the enactment of ULC acts.

• J.D., University of New Mexico School of Law, 1991
• B.A., University of New Mexico, 1988

• Nevada

• Nevada Senate Hall of Fame (2015)
• AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating – Martindale-Hubbell (since 2012)
• First Amendment Champion – Nevada Press Association (2007)
• Legislative Award, all-time record for enactments – Uniform Law Commission (2007)
• Legislator of the Year – Nevada Association of Counties (2009)
• Lilburne Award – Citizens in Charge Foundation (2009)
• Recognition for Outstanding Contributions to Nevada’s Home Building Industry – Southern Nevada Homebuilders Association (2009)

• Author, “It Don’t Mean Nothin’,” Broadway Play Publishing Inc., May 26, 2022
• Feature, “For Terry Care, it was about policy, not partisanship,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, February 25, 2015
• Interview, “Executive Snapshot: lobbyist Terry Care,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 8, 2014
• Author, “The Search for Legislative Intent,” Communique’, Clark County Bar Association, November, 2012
• Interview, “Q&A: Terry Care, Former Senator,” Las Vegas Sun, July 31, 2009
• Author, “Legislative Agenda,” Northern Nevada Business Weekly, January 19, 2009

• Current Board of Trustees member, Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation (oversees the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas)
• Former Governing Board member, Nevada Donor Network
• Former Community Advisory Board member, KNPR (southern Nevada public radio)
• Former State Judge Advocate, American Legion (pro bono legal services)
• Former member, Nevada Veterans Services Commission