Nick’s practice focuses on helping entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses with collections, bankruptcy, and other debtor-creditor matters, including bankruptcy reorganization and financial restructuring, out-of-court workouts, and sales and acquisitions of troubled companies and assets, both in and outside of bankruptcy.  Nick has successfully helped a variety of businesses reorganize their financial affairs, both in and outside of bankruptcy, including restaurants, property development companies, construction companies, subcontractors, landscape contractors, auto mechanics, gym owners, software development firms and trucking/transportation companies.

Nick also represents entrepreneurs and businesses in litigation, including trials and arbitrations in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts in Oregon and Washington.  Nick has successfully litigated a variety of cases, including bankruptcy-related matters, commercial and business disputes, securities violations, fraud, construction defect issues, trade secret misappropriation claims, employment matters, and real estate disputes.

In addition to bankruptcy and litigation matters, Nick represents small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of transactions, including franchise sales, entity formation, trade secret protection, corporate maintenance, and various financial matters.

Representative Matters:

• Lead counsel in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Reorganization for graphic design and advertising firm.  Confirmed plan of reorganization in February 2012.
• Successfully reorganized several small businesses both in and out of bankruptcy, including restaurants, property development companies, construction companies, subcontractors, landscape contractors, auto mechanics, gym owners, software development firms, and trucking/transportation companies.
• Lead trial counsel in multiple securities fraud and fraud cases.  Successfully obtained several six-figure recoveries for aggrieved investors.
• Lead trial counsel in fraudulent conveyance litigation to unwind complex asset-sheltering scheme by judgment debtor, involving transfers of money and land to several business entities, family members and friends.
• Lead trial counsel in shareholder disputes involving allegations of various breach of fiduciary duty claims.  Obtained trial verdict for client with recovery of costs and fees.
• Lead trial counsel in several commercial landlord-tenant disputes.
• Represented several small businesses in bankruptcy preference defense litigation, successfully limiting client’s exposure for acceptance of pre-bankruptcy payments.
• Represented lenders and individual creditors in several non-dischargeability actions in bankruptcy to have debts owed to clients declared non-dischargeable.
• Lead trial counsel in trade secret litigation involving former employees charged with misappropriation of trade secrets.  Obtained judgment of dismissal for defense with recovery of unpaid compensation to clients.
• Lead trial counsel in defending materials manufacturer against construction defect claims.  Obtained complete defense judgment and recovered client’s costs of defense.
• Represented several franchisors in sales of franchise businesses exceeding 1 million dollars.
• Represented franchisor against franchisees bringing claims for fraud, misrepresentation, and violations of federal franchise regulations.  Obtained favorable result just before trial.
• Lead counsel in 17 million dollar acquisition of manufacturing plant.
• Lead counsel in 10 million dollar acquisition of manufacturing plant.

Professional Experience:

Prior to his current position, Nick was an owner and co-founder of Henderson Trauman, P.C. from 2007-2009, where his primary practice areas were debtor-creditor law, bankruptcy, and business and commercial litigation.

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 State Bar, 2007
U.S. District Court, District of Oregon, 2007
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Oregon, 2007
Washington State Bar, 2012
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, 2012
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington, 2012

Professional Designations and Memberships:

American Bankruptcy Institute, 2009-Present
Local Rules/Forms Committee, Oregon State Bar Debtor-Creditor Section, 2012
American Bar Association, Member, 2007-Present.
Multnomah Bar Association, Member, 2007-Present.
Oregon Super Lawyers Magazine, Rising Star Designation, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.
Owen M. Panner American Inn of Court, Member, 2007–Present.

Personal and Charitable Activities:

Pro Bono Attorney, Lewis & Clark Northwestern School of Law Small Business Legal Clinic.

Nick enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, his family and his friends.  Nick is an avid boater and water-sports enthusiast.  He also loves golfing, traveling, fishing, and cooking.