RENAISSANCE MAN

By Malcolm Hall

Attorney, rancher, aviator, cowboy poet - who is this guy?

Al Marquis is a founding partner of the Summerlin-based Marquis & Aurbach law firm. But that's his day job.

Marquis spends four days a week in the Summerlin office and three at his ranch in Sandy Valley. He says those work-free days give him the time to do what he loves most - raise appaloosa and paint horses, write cowboy poetry and fly his Cessna P-210 airplane, a single-engine, pressurized, turbo-charged, six-seat sweetheart with retractable landing gear.

"It's a traveling airplane," he says. "It goes about 200 miles per hour and flies at 16 to 17 thousand feet. We often fly it to Washington state, where I'm from, or to Texas, where my wife is from. We've even flown it as far as Florida."

His love of flying was instilled in him by his father, who flew an airplane on D-Day during World War II. After high school in Kent, Washington, Marquis attended the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs for 2 1/2 years, then served another two years in the Air Force stationed in Texas.

Soon after that, he was back home, where he studied law and physics at the University of Washington in Seattle. At the time, he was married, had two kids, loans to pay off and was living on food stamps. But that all changed once he earned his law degree and relocated to Las Vegas in 1975.

Once here and armed with the law degree and a background in physics, Marquis understood the consequences of nuclear testing that was taking place in NEvada during the 1980s and began to take part in the anti-testing protests that were springing up at the time.

"Protesters would enter the test site and then would often face civil disobedience arrests on the spot," he says. "So in February of 1986, I organized a group of 10 attorneys to go out there and offer some assistance, but the police beat us to the punch and broke up a 'prayer circle' to make their arrests."

Included in that circle was Hollywood actor Martin Sheen.

Marquis teamed with Sheen and joined him the following day on "Good Morning America." Later, he represented the "West Wing" star and got the case thrown out of the Nevada Supreme Court. Sheen gave him a standing ovation for his efforts.

When he's not flying, Marquis' other favorite hat is that of ranch owner and cowboy author. In fact, he recently released his first book on the subject, "Frivolous Cowboy Poetry," which comes with a caveat that reads, "These here stories are all true (mostly)." Marquis, who is 56, says it all came about sort of naturally.

Writing cowboy poetry, he says, is really a kick because it gives him an outlet to tell all those wonderful stories that come with owning animals. He's always ready to perform.

"I remember the first time I went to a cowboy poetry event and I'd never heard anything before that was so irreverent, raucous and risque," he says. "It was just knee-slapping, belly-laughing stories. And I started thinking about all the stories in our family that we've been telling for years every time we get together and we laugh just as hard every time. So all I did was take some of them and turn them into poems."

Marquis plans to title his next book, "My Experiences on Planet Earth," which will feature "how-not-to" advice based on his trial-and-error dramas in daily work and living.

Some of that might include his law practice. The firm specializes mostly in business, real estate and construction law. Marquis believes bureaucracy, delays and costs make it very difficult to resolve disputes in today's court cases. He says tort reform, which is sponsored by the insurance industry and would limit the amount of money that could be levied against a builder, doctor or other professional for malpractice, is not a good idea.

At this point in his career, Marquis is having "the most fun he's ever had." His schedule, while still very busy, gives him more time than ever to kick back and pursue hobbies. And he loves having moved the firm's 27 attorneys and 65 employees to Summerlin, home to nine out of 11 of its partners.

Marquis & Aurbach was located downtown for 18 years, but the principals wanted a change of scenery and three years ago found land in Summerlin at 10001 Park Run Drive, next door to the Howard Hughes Corporation headquarters. Marquis says the location offers easy access to Highway 95 and the Interstate 215.

Although we were concerned about how far it is to go to court downtown, we've never regretted coming out here for a minute," he says. "it's just so beautiful out here by Red Rocks and with all the landscaping along the streets. Every setting outside our windows is a gorgeous view."

Marquis is married to Joanie, and together they have four children and five grandchildren.