Nicholas B. Wille

Counsel

Nick practices in the area of complex business and commercial litigation. He has represented large and small organizations and individuals across a wide range of industries in state and federal courts and in private arbitrations throughout the country. He routinely represents clients in matters involving contractual disputes, sales and supply contracts, business divorce and member withdrawals, enforcement of and challenges to non-competition agreements and other restrictive covenants, and misappropriation of trade secrets. Nick has represented numerous companies and individuals in disputes involving secured transactions, distressed asset sales, and fraudulent transfers. Nick prides himself on being a results-oriented problem solver who works to obtain successful results for his clients not only by bringing matters to trial but also through strategic pre-trial motion practice, mediation, settlement, and pre-litigation dispute resolution.

Education & Admissions

Education

  • University of Minnesota

    (B.A., 1999)

  • Cornell University

    (M.A., 2003)

  • University of Pennsylvania Law School

    (J.D., 2008)
    Executive Editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review

Admissions

  • State of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan

Experience

  • Obtained a dismissal in favor of the operator of an electronic trading
    platform in a lawsuit brought by investors in an allegedly fraudulent hedge fund asserting claims under the Ohio Securities Act for aiding in the sale of unlawful securities.
  • Successfully defended a merchant payment processor in affirming an award of case-terminating sanctions against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for abuses of the discovery process in connection with a civil fraud action.
  • Successfully defended a blood plasma broker in a pricing dispute arising from a blood plasma supply agreement with a blood center. Obtained a full defense verdict after coming in as new counsel only a month before bench trial and prevailed in an appeal before the Florida District Courts of Appeal.
  • Defended a board member in an arbitration proceeding involving the dissolution of an insolvent medical device company and a challenge to the client’s successful purchase of the company’s assets in a public sale.
  • Represented a plaintiff medical practice in a lawsuit involving breaches of restrictive covenants and misappropriation of trade secrets obtained during due diligence by a company in negotiations to acquire the practice, and negotiated a successful settlement of the dispute.
  • Represented a tenant-automotive dealer in a landlord/tenant dispute following a change of ownership after a secured party took possession of the assets.
  • Assisted a client in withdrawing from a two-person partnership that owned a downtown Cleveland office building through obtaining a sale of the building.
  • Obtained dismissals of individual defendants and summary judgment in favor of a defendant entity in a lawsuit alleging misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference, and civil conspiracy.
  • Obtained a temporary restraining order and favorable settlement on behalf of a chemical manufacturer in a lawsuit to enforce non-competition agreements and protect against misappropriation of trade secrets.
  • Represented a distressed company in challenging a secured party sale of the company’s assets.
  • Represented a former member of an investment banking firm in a dispute involving the member’s withdrawal and alleged breaches of restrictive covenants and misappropriations of corporate opportunities.

Publications & Presentations

Publications

Involvement

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  • Shaker Youth Soccer Association (Board of Directors, 2021-2022)
  • Les Délices (Board of Directors, 2014-2019)

Honors

HONORS

  • Named to the Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars list (2017-2019)