Profile
Michael J. Bonner is Co-Managing Shareholder of the Las Vegas Office and concentrates his practice in the areas of corporation finance, corporate governance, business transactions, securities and gaming.
He represents clients in corporate securities and other business transactions; including acting as lead counsel on mergers and acquisitions, public securities offerings, private placements and a variety of financing, acquisition and restructuring transactions for publicly held and privately held business entities. Mr. Bonner counsels publicly held companies on disclosure obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including the preparation of annual reports to stockholders, proxy statements, and annual and quarterly periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Mr. Bonner acts as outside counsel to boards of directors and special committees of boards of directors of publicly held and privately held entities.
He represents publicly held and privately held hotel-casino resort operators, manufacturers, suppliers, lenders and officers, directors, and key employees in transactional, licensing and other approvals before the Nevada State Gaming Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission.
Outside of his robust legal practice, Michael has served on the boards of directors of several community and business organizations. In partnership with the University of Nevada (UNLV) William S. Boyd School of Law, Michael co-chairs Greenberg Traurig’s Summit for Corporate Governance, an annual forum for distinguished academics, business leaders, and legal practitioners to discuss hot topics and developments in corporate governance facing public companies.
Concentrations
- Corporation finance
- Corporate governance
- Mergers & acquisitions
- Securities
- Gaming regulatory
Capabilities
Experience
- Represented the Special Committee of Independent Directors in connection with an interested party debt restructuring.
- Represented a leading nightlife company in multiple acquisitions of nightlife and restaurant companies.
- Acted as regular outside counsel to the Board of Directors of publicly held gaming industry companies.
- Acted as regular outside counsel to the Board of Directors of publicly held entertainment and real estate companies.
- Acted as regular outside counsel to the Board of Directors of a publicly held data storage company.
- Acted as regular outside counsel to compensation committees and nominating and governance committees of publicly held companies.
- Acted as lead counsel in the acquisition of a Latin American distributor for a gaming industry and technology company.
- Acted as lead counsel in the acquisition of a European and Latin American based gaming manufacturing and technology company.
- Represented the Special Committee of Independent Directors in connection with controlling stockholder proposals to implement dual class common stock recapitalizations.
- Supported the Tokyo team in representation of Japan Integrated Resort applicants in the RFP process.
- Represented companies in gaming regulatory compliance enforcement matters.
- Represented a leading electronic music company in licensing matters.
- Acted as lead counsel to several gaming resort operators, gaming manufacturing and technology companies, and other companies in initial public offerings, follow on public offerings, and debt and equity private placements.
- Acted as outside counsel to public companies for annual, quarterly, and periodic reporting obligations under federal securities laws.
- Acted as the lead counsel on mergers and acquisitions in gaming and home building industries.
- Served as special committee counsel to independent committee of board of directors in going-private transaction.
- Served as special committee counsel in combination of related public companies.
- Acted as outside counsel to owners and operators of nightclub and restaurant operations.
- Acted as lead Nevada gaming regulatory counsel for major hotel-casino owners, operators and executives, gaming manufacturing companies, and gaming technology companies.
- Acted as gaming regulatory counsel to institutional investors in Nevada gaming regulatory approvals and waivers.
- Acted as gaming and corporate counsel in negotiations and approval of hotel-casino management agreements.
- Served as special Nevada corporate and gaming counsel in contested hostile takeover transaction.
- Served as special Nevada corporate and gaming counsel in restructuring transactions.
- Testified in legislative hearings on enhancements to Nevada's corporate statutes.
- Assisted in the drafting and review of amendments to Nevada gaming regulations concerning corporate takeover-related issues and limited liability company licensure.
°Some of the above representations were handled by Mr. Bonner prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law; Gaming Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2008-2025
- Listed, "Las Vegas Mergers and Acquisitions Law Lawyer of the Year," 2014, 2019, and 2024
- Listed, "Las Vegas Corporate Law Lawyer of the Year," 2012 and 2018
- Listed, "Las Vegas Gaming Law Lawyer of the Year," 2016
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2002-2024
- Listed, The Legal 500, “M&A Private Practice Powerlist – USA Region,” 2023-2024
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Mountain States Super Lawyers, 2007-2024
- "Top 100 Lawyers in the Mountain States," 2012-2014
- "Top 75 Lawyers in the Mountain States," 2011
- Listed, IFLR, "IFLR1000 - Nevada," 2021-2024
- Listed, Nevada Business magazine
- "Most Respected Leaders," 2023
- "Legal Elite: The Silver State’s Top Attorneys," 2009-2016, 2021
- Team Member, a Law360 "Real Estate Practice Group of the Year," 2023
- Listed, VEGAS INC, "Top Lawyers," Corporate and Securities, 2013, 2021-2022
- Team Member, Corporate Board Member magazine and FTI Consulting Inc., one of "America's Best Corporate Law Firms," 13th Annual Legal Industry Study, 2013
- Recognized, Las Vegas Business Press, "Top 10 Business Lawyers in Las Vegas," 2009
- Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0
- Member, UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees
- Vice Chair of the Board
- Chair, Audit Committee
- Finance Committee
- Emeritus Board of Trustees, Past Board of Trustees and Past Chairman, Vegas Chamber
- Board of Directors, Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance
- Chair, Nominating and Governance Committee
- Member, Dean's Council, UNLV Boyd School of Law
- Member, State Bar of Nevada
- Executive Committee Member, Gaming Law Section, 2002-2017
- Former Chairman, Business Law Committee, Corporations Sub-Committee
- Former Vice-Chairman, Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board
- Member, International Association of Gaming Advisors
- Member, YPO Gold
Credentials
- J.D., University of California at Los Angeles, School of Law, 1981
- B.S., University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1978
- Nevada
News, Insights & Events
Michael is a contributor to the GT L&E Blog 
and the Hospitality Law Check-In Blog 