Nick is an experienced litigator and bankruptcy attorney known for helping clients resolve complex business problems. Businesses and entrepreneurs look to Nick for help when facing financial problems, insolvency, inadequate cash flow, embezzlement, and malfeasance by business partners, corporate directors and officers. Nick has real trial experience as lead counsel in numerous jury trials, bench trials, arbitrations, and administrative hearings. These disputes have included shareholder and partner disputes, contract disputes, securities violations, fraud, construction defect claims, trade secret misappropriation, employment matters, real estate disputes, and consumer claims. While Nick is a litigator, he also uses his skill set to avoid the cost and time of litigation if possible, so that clients can get back to focusing on business.
Clients also call Nick for help with debtor creditor matters and bankruptcy issues. Nick has helped variety of businesses reorganize their financial affairs, both in and outside of bankruptcy and receivership, including agricultural businesses, tech companies, medical and dental practices, professional athletes, restaurants, development and construction companies, gym owners, and trucking/transportation companies.
In addition to helping borrowers, Nick is equally adept at representing creditors, offering sound legal counsel to enforce contracts and recover amounts owed. His expertise in contract law combined with his proficiency in litigation tactics empowers creditors to pursue their claims with confidence. Nick’s commitment to delivering tailored solutions and his track record of successful outcomes have earned him the trust of clients seeking resolution to their financial disputes. Whether advocating for debtors or creditors, Nick’s dedication to his clients’ financial well-being sets him apart as a respected figure in the legal community.
For almost two decades, Nick has also represented businesses and entrepreneurs with forming entities, business planning, contracts and loan agreements, employment law compliance, mergers and acquisitions, franchise sales, and various financial and banking matters.
Representative Matters
Some of Nick’s representative matters include the following:
Business and Commercial Litigation:
- Lead trial counsel in partnership dispute case for fiduciary duty and embezzlement of company funds.
- Lead counsel in arbitration of partnership dispute for property development company.
- Lead trial counsel in multiple securities fraud and fraud cases.
- Lead trial counsel in fraudulent conveyance litigation to unwind complex asset-sheltering scheme.
- Lead trial counsel in shareholder disputes involving allegations of various breach of fiduciary duty claims.
- Lead trial counsel in several commercial landlord-tenant disputes.
- Lead trial counsel in trade secret litigation involving misappropriation of trade secrets.
- Lead trial counsel in defending materials manufacturer against construction defect claims.
- Plaintiff and defense counsel in franchise litigation.
Bankruptcy / Debtor-Creditor:
- Lead counsel for buyer in bankruptcy sale of 150 franchise restaurants in 10 states.
- Debtor’s counsel in Chapter 11 for well-known aviation museum in Pacific Northwest.
- Debtor’s counsel in Chapter 11 Subchapter V case for Oyster Farm in Coos Bay, Oregon.
- Debtor’s counsel for graphics design company.
- Personal bankruptcy counsel for professional athlete.
- Chapter 11 debtor’s counsel for retail store business with multiple locations in numerous states.
- Chapter 11 debtor’s counsel for hotel owner, to negotiate and resolve personal guarantees. Plaintiff’s counsel in fraudulent transfer cases.
- Chapter 12 debtor’s counsel for dairy farm.
- Chapter 12 debtor’s counsel for cattle ranching operation.
- Chapter 11 debtor’s counsel for construction company.
- Chapter 12 debtor’s counsel for nursery business.
- Plaintiff and defense counsel in various discharge and dischargeability challenges in bankruptcy courts.
- Commenced involuntary bankruptcy cases on behalf of creditors seeking to collect debts from debtors engaged in fraudulent transfers.
- Represented receivers and creditors in multiple small business receivership cases.
- Defended small business in judicial dissolution case and successfully defeated a member’s attempt to take control of the business through a motion to appoint receiver.
Business Transactions:
- Represented corporate borrower in obtaining $100 million secured loan facility.
- Represented corporate borrower in obtaining multiple loans in excess of $50 million.
- Represented buyer in numerous multi-million dollar acquisitions of manufacturing plants across the country.
- Represented buyers and sellers in numerous stock purchase and asset purchase transactions.
- Represented franchisors and franchisees in numerous franchise transactions.
Education
- Lewis & Clark Northwestern School of Law, Portland, Oregon Juris Doctorate (2007); Honors: Scholar List, 2007; Certificate in General Business Law; Appellate Moot Court Honors
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. Bachelor of Science (2004); Major: Mathematics, emphasis in statistics; Minor: Business
Bar Admissions
- Oregon
- Washington
- U.S. District Court, Oregon
- U.S. District Court, Washington Western District
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Honors and Awards
- Oregon State Bar President’s Public Service Award (2022) for debt collection matter.
- Oregon Super Lawyers Magazine, Rising Star Designation for nine consecutive years: 2009- 2018, and Super Lawyer Designation 2020-2024.
- Martindale-Hubbell, rated AV Preeminent since 2013
Personal and Charitable Activities
- Pro Bono Attorney, Lewis & Clark Northwestern School of Law Small Business Legal Clinic
- Board Member for local youth sports league
- When not in the office, Nick enjoys spending time with his family, particularly while driving fast boats and testing the limits of his knees on wakeboards.