McKay, Burton & Thurman, P.C.

Attorney David L. Bird

David L. Bird (born Salt Lake City, Utah) joined McKay, Burton & Thurman in 1979 and is the longest tenured attorney at the firm. David is an experienced and well respected attorney in the legal community, and he has received an ‘AV' attorney rating from his peers, the highest attorney rating available. David is capable of developing strategies to assert and protect his clients' interests in both transactional and litigious circumstances. His practice areas include Business and Corporate Law, Real Property Law, Franchising, and Litigation.

Bar Admissions:

• Utah, 1979
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit

Education:

• Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Provo, Utah
  • J.D. - 1979
  • Honors: cum laude
  • Honors: Recipient: American Jurisprudence Award
• University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 00/1975

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Utah State Bar, Member, Real Property Section, 1979
• Salt Lake County Bar Association, Member

Attorney David L. Miller

Mr. Miller has over thirty-seven years as a practicing attorney with experience working: (1) in the federal government for fourteen years as a trial attorney for the Internal Revenue Service, with a cross designation of Special Assistant United States Attorney (handling hundreds of trials and hearings in the US Tax Court and the US Bankruptcy Court); (2) one year as in-house corporate tax counsel for various subsidiaries of Shell Oil Company in Houston, Texas; (3) a year each at two small law firms; (4) twenty-three years as a part-time city judge seeking to balance justice and mercy under the law for thousands of individuals (and conducting hundreds of jury & non-jury trials); (5) twenty-one years as a sole practitioner representing clients involving bankruptcy and tax controversy matters; and (6) twenty years as a Chapter 7 trustee administering thousands of bankruptcy cases.  He now works Of Counsel to the firm of McKay, Burton & Thurman, P.C., while also continuing to serve as a trustee and part-time judge.

Attorney Jamie L. Nopper

Jamie L. Nopper (born Salisbury, Maryland) joined McKay, Burton & Thurman in 2005. Jamie is a graduate of Brigham Young University where she was a member of the school's Trial Advocacy Team and an Editor of the BYU Law Review. While attending school, Jamie completed an externship with Judge Norman H. Jackson of the Utah Court of Appeals and served as the Vice Magister for the legal fraternity Phi Delta Phi. Jamie has served on the Service Committee of the Utah State Bar's Young Lawyers Division. Her practice areas include Appellate Practice, Bankruptcy, Creditor Rights, Condominium Association Law, Community Association Law, Employment and Labor Law, Litigation, and Real Property Law.

Bar Admissions:

• Utah
• U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit

Education:

• Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Provo, Utah
  • J.D. - 2005
  • Honors: cum laude
  • Honors: Member: Trial Advocacy Team (2003-2005)
• Brigham Young University
  • B.S. - 2000
  • Honors: cum laude

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Utah State Bar, Committee Member, Young Lawyers Division Service, 2005-present
• Phi Delta Phi, Vice Magister, 2004-2005
• Community Associations Institute (CAI)

Attorney Brian J. Porter

Graduated with honors from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah in 2012. While at law school Brian was elected president of the Global Justice Think Tank, and co-founded the International Law Society. Since graduation, Brian has focused his practice primarily on consumer bankruptcy (Chapter 7, 11, 13), and has represented hundreds of individuals in consumer bankruptcy matters, worked as a staff attorney for the Chapter 13 bankruptcy Trustee for the state of Utah, and assisted mortgage creditors with bankruptcy and foreclosure litigation. Brian's practice areas also include Family Law, Criminal Defense, Real Property, and Estate Planning matters.

Bar Admissions:

• Utah, 2012
• Wyoming, 2018

Education:

• University of Utah College of Law, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • 2012
• Brigham Young University
  • B.A. - 2008
  • Major: History

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
• Utah State Bar, Bankruptcy Law Section, Former President
• Utah Bankruptcy Lawyer's Forum

Attorney Nickolas S. Rice

Nickolas S. Rice (born Salt Lake City, Utah) joined McKay, Burton & Thurman in 2006 after graduating with honors from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. During his legal education, Nick was recognized as a William H. Leary Scholar and received the CALI Award in Corporate & Contract Law Theory and the Course of Law Outstanding Achievement Award in Trial Advocacy. Nick's practice areas include Business and Corporate Law, Labor and Employment Law, Litigation, Real Property Law, and Bankruptcy.

Bar Admissions:

• Utah

Education:

• The S.J. Quinney College of Law at The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • J.D. - 2006
  • Honors: with Honors
  • Honors: William H. Leary Scholar
  • Honors: Recipient: CALI Award, Corporate & Contract Law Theory (2006)
  • Honors: Course of Law Outstanding Achievement, Trial Advocacy (2006)
• University of Utah
  • B.A. - 2003

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Utah State Bar, Member, Young Lawyers Division
• Salt Lake County Bar Association

Languages Spoken:

• Polish

Attorney Mark C. Rose

Mark C. Rose (born Henderson, Nevada) is an honors graduate of Creighton University's School of Law. While at Creighton, Mark was a member of the Creighton Law Review, a member of the school's Advanced Trial Practice Team, and was named to the National Order of Barristers. Since graduating, Mark's practice has focused primarily on Bankruptcy (Chapter 7, 11, and 13), Creditor and Debtor Rights, Defense and Prosecution of Bankruptcy Adversary Proceedings, and Representation of Bankruptcy Trustees. Mark's practice also includes Business Law, Real Property, and General Civil Litigation.

Bar Admissions:

• Utah, 2011

Education:

• Creighton University School of Law, Omaha, Nebraska
  • J.D. - 2011
  • Honors: cum laude
  • Honors: National Order of Barristers
• Dixie State College of Utah
  • B.S. - 2008
  • Major: Accounting

Languages Spoken:

• Spanish

Attorney Stephen W. Rupp

Stephen W. Rupp (born Fort Riley, Kansas) joined McKay, Burton & Thurman in 1981. He is an AV rated attorney and has served on the Panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the District of Utah since his appointment in 1983. For over 25 years, Steve has practiced primarily in the debtor, creditor, and bankruptcy fields representing trustees, creditors, debtors, businesses, receivers, and individuals. Steve is a member of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), and the Utah Bankruptcy Lawyers Forum. He has also lectured at forums and ABI conferences. Steve is admitted to practice in Utah, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.

Bar Admissions:

• Utah, 1981
• U.S. Federal Courts, 1981
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit

Education:

• University of Utah College of Law, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence - 00/1981
• Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
  • B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 1977
  • Honors: Phi Kappa Phi

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Utah State Bar, Member, Bankruptcy Section
• Panel of Chapter 7 Trustees, District of Utah, 1983-present
• Salt Lake County Bar Association, Member
• National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Utah Bankruptcy Lawyers Forum