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I help clients find the facts that matter most and develop solutions that support their larger goals.

Overview

Nick Scheiner represents companies, institutions, and public entities in internal and government investigations, enforcement actions, and complex business litigation across a variety of industries.

Nick has developed a diverse litigation practice, representing clients in an array of industries, including health care, consumer technology, education, mobile software, and manufacturing.  Whether in high-stakes multidistrict litigations or smaller scale private business disputes, clients appreciate Nick’s practical, levelheaded approach to all aspects of litigation. Nick understands that being an effective litigator is not about having the loudest voice, but the most credible.

Formerly a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Manhattan, Nick also has extensive experience  conducting investigations and communicating with government agencies. Nick has applied that experience in client-initiated internal investigations, civil enforcement actions by federal and state agencies, and criminal investigations for clients in a host of industries, including health care, telecommunications, consumer technology, and renewable energy. Nick’s breadth of experience allows him to work closely with clients to understand their businesses and to develop strategies for conducting investigations and engaging with government agencies that take into account their unique business risks and sensitivities.

Nick has also maintained an active pro bono practice, representing, among other clients, a journalist injured by a police projectile when reporting on the protests following George Floyd’s murder, indigent tenants in disputes with abusive landlords and property managers, a prisoner alleging violations of his First Amendment rights by corrections officers, and a prisoner convicted by a non-unanimous Louisiana jury, in partnership with the Promise of Justice Initiative.

EDUCATION

  • J.D., Stanford Law School; Editor-in-Chief, Stanford Journal of Criminal Law and Policy
  • M.A., University of California, Los Angeles, East Asian Studies
  • B.A., University of Florida, Mathematics and East Asian Languages and Literatures

EXPERIENCE

  • Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, LLP, Associate
  • U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, Law Clerk
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent

ADMISSIONS

  • State Bar of Minnesota
  • State Bar of California
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

AFFILIATIONS

  • American Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association, Minnesota Chapter
    • White Collar Crime Committee Co-Chair (2022-present)

Nick's Practice Areas

  • Antitrust and Competition

    Greene Espel can help you navigate antitrust and competition investigations, government enforcement actions, white collar criminal investigations and litigation, trial and appellate litigation, and compliance counseling.

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  • Commercial Litigation

    Our business litigation practice embraces the wide variety of commercial disputes facing private and public companies today. Areas of particular expertise include intellectual property, antitrust, securities, employment, professional liability, and construction disputes.

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  • Class Actions

    Clients regularly turn to Greene Espel when faced with high-stakes, class-action litigation. Greene Espel attorneys have defended dozens of putative class actions in federal and state courts all across the country.

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  • Employment Litigation

    Businesses, public institutions, and individuals seek out Greene Espel for representation in a wide range of employment-litigation matters. 

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  • Local Government Defense

    Local government defense is a cornerstone of Greene Espel’s practice.

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  • Copyright Litigation

    Greene Espel is frequently called upon to protect copyright interests as well as defend against claims of copyright infringement.

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  • Internal Investigations

    We leverage our experience to conduct sensitive and high-profile internal investigations for our clients. We also help clients navigate investigations to mitigate reputational, regulatory, and litigation risks. 

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  • Elections and Redistricting

    Greene Espel takes on attacks to voting rights and democratic institutions—and wins. We take on lawsuits to tackle voter suppression, election subversion, and districting issues.

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  • Products Liability

    Defending products liability claims has been a cornerstone of Greene Espel’s practice since our founding in 1993. Manufacturers and other businesses turn to us when they face product defect allegations brought by individuals, by large groups of plaintiffs, or as putative class actions.

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  • White Collar Criminal and Regulatory Defense

    We provide an insider’s perspective and the experience to vindicate your interests and defend your name in complex criminal and regulatory matters. 

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  • False Claims Act and Health Care Litigation

    We have the experience to help clients—particularly those in the healthcare industry—navigate the ever-expanding breadth of False Claims Act (“FCA”) and health care litigation.  We have achieved success for our clients at every phase—conducting thorough investigations, persuading government agencies not to intervene in whistleblower suits, obtaining dismissals through motion practice, negotiating favorable settlements with government agencies and relators, and taking cases through litigation and trial. 

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  • Anti-corruption and FCPA

    Greene Espel rivals big firms with its experienced group of corruption and FCPA investigators and counselors. We help companies efficiently and effectively investigate allegations of corruption, assess their compliance programs, and present their best possible case to prosecutors and regulators. 

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Cases & Wins

Class Actions

  • Obtained favorable settlement for major consumer technology company in class action alleging fraud related to mobile phone software.

False Claims Act and Health Care Litigation

  • Defended multiple managed care health plans in connection with False Claims Act investigations by the Department of Justice Civil Fraud Section, U.S. Attorney’s Office, State Attorney General’s Office and HHS-OIG relating to alleged improprieties in plans’ implementations of plans’ alleged implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
  • Secured dismissal with prejudice of all False Claims Act claims against automotive parts manufacturer in qui tam action alleging violations of the False Claims Act.
  • Represented publicly traded healthcare provider in multi-state parallel criminal and civil False Claims Act investigations by U.S. Department of Justice.

Products Liability

  • Obtained partial summary judgment followed by eve-of-trial settlement for manufacturer of consumer and industrial products in case alleging design defect, manufacturing defect, and failure-to-warn claims relating to computer dust remover.

Internal Investigations

  • Conducted internal investigation into allegedly fraudulent reporting of performance measures by a Chinese subsidiary of a multinational telecommunications company.
  • Conducted internal investigation into allegedly deficient internal accounting systems for major computer hardware manufacturer.
  • Conducted internal investigation and assessment of email fraud prevention controls for enterprise software company, involving remote interviews of employees in multiple foreign countries.

White Collar Criminal and Regulatory Defense

  • Conducted internal investigation for consumer technology company in response to grand jury subpoena, leading to government declination to prosecute.
  • Represented major renewable energy producer in criminal investigation by Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Local Government Defense

  • Obtained complete summary judgment for City of Eden Prairie in lawsuit asserting claims for improper denial of planned unit development application and regulatory takings.

Public Sector Internal Investigations

  • Conducted internal investigation into allegations of construction contract bid rigging and retaliation on behalf of public entity.

Nick's Recognition & Awards

  • 2021 Attorney of the YearMinnesota Lawyer
  • 2022 "Up & Coming Attorney," Minnesota Lawyer
  • Selected to Minnesota Rising Stars list, Minnesota Super Lawyers (2022-2023)
  • Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2023-2024)

Nick's Community Involvement

Nick maintains an active pro bono practice, with the below representative successes: 

  • Together with co-counsel obtained six-figure settlement from the City of Minneapolis for independent journalist Linda Tirado, who was blinded in one eye by a police projectile during protests after George Floyd’s murder.  
  • Obtained favorable settlement in 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action on behalf of prisoner alleging violation of First Amendment rights by correctional officers. 
  • Brought quiet title action on behalf of elderly client, resulting in rescission of fraudulently obtained grant deed from title to family home. 
  • Represented Afghan individual who assisted U.S. military as contractor in connection with application for Special Immigrant Visa. 

NEWS &
UPDATES

August 17, 2023
Best Lawyers Recognizes 16 Greene Espel Attorneys on the 2024 Best Lawyers and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch Lists
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July 18, 2023
16 Greene Espel Attorneys Recognized on the Minnesota Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Read More

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