Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
JOHNSON MARIANNE BOYD
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION [WAL]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION, 2700 WEST SAHARA AVENUE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
04/30/2009
(Street)

LAS VEGAS, NV 89102
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 04/30/2009   J(1)   10,946 A (1) 332,999 I By the Marianne E. Boyd Trust, dated March 7, 1989
Common Stock 04/30/2009   J(1)   17,410 D (1) 214,928 I By BG-05 Limited Partnership
Common Stock 04/30/2009   J(2)   421,747 D (2) 0 I By Boyd-05 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust #2
Common Stock 04/30/2009   J(3)   525,187 D (3) 0 I By Boyd-05 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust #3
Common Stock               72,010 D  
Common Stock               9,638 I By William & Myong Boyd Children's Trust
Common Stock               257,143 I By Boyd 2005 Irrevocable Trust, dated April 14, 2005

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
JOHNSON MARIANNE BOYD
C/O WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATION
2700 WEST SAHARA AVENUE
LAS VEGAS, NV 89102
  X      

Signatures

 /s/ Gregory F. Parisi, Attorney-in-Fact   05/11/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) On April 30, 2009, the BG-05 Limited Partnership distributed 10,772 shares to the Marianne Boyd Johnson-05 Western Grantor Retained Annuity Trust #1 (the "GRAT"), 174 shares to the Marianne E. Boyd Trust and an aggregate of 6,464 shares to two trusts over which Ms. Johnson has no investment or voting control. On May 1, 2009, the GRAT distributed 10,772 shares to the reporting person, who in turn transferred 10,772 shares to the Marianne E. Boyd Trust on May 4, 2009.
(2) On April 30, 2009, the Boyd-05 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust #2 distributed 421,747 shares to William S. Boyd.
(3) On April 30, 2009, the Boyd-05 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust #3 distributed 525,187 shares to William S. Boyd.

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