From mock trials and unique classes in high school to an Associate Justice in Gonzaga’s student government, Nikolas (Nik) knew he was going to be a trial attorney for as long as he can remember. He was trying to work in criminal law before the pandemic, but hiring freezes in local governments led him to a personal injury job. Nik was pleasantly surprised – "From my first client interaction, I knew this was what I was meant to do."

During law school, Nikolas worked for the Deputy Civil Chief at the US Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, and worked on high-profile cases such as DACA and the Purdue Pharmaceutical MDL while there. That externship exposed and prepared him for high volumes of incredibly complex and important work. This is where he perfected the habit of paying very close attention to detail, working very efficiently, and being willing to take on things he had never done or heard of to make sure that the work assigned was completed. The externship was also highly sought–after-, which meant that you had to be willing to put in the hours and tackle assignments that you would otherwise not likely see until you were years into practice.

He second-chaired his first jury trial for the victim of a motor vehicle accident in 2021 that resulted in a plaintiff’s verdict in the 6 figures. Nik’s biggest takeaway from that trial was that being in the courtroom was where he belonged.