Nicholas P. Connon is a graduate
of Columbia Law School, where he distinguished himself as a Stone Scholar.
Nicholas began his litigation practice in the Los Angeles office of Proskauer
Rose LLP. Nicholas has represented various businesses and employers in all phases of employment
litigation, including lawsuits involving employment discrimination, wrongful
termination, sexual harassment, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans
with Disabilities Act, wage and hour claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act
and California law, workers’ compensation discrimination and employee health
benefits. Nicholas also has litigated a variety of complex civil business disputes
involving unlawful business practices, including investigations by the Federal
Trade Commission, civil and criminal environmental litigations, insurance
coverage disputes, misappropriation of trade secrets, defamation and slander
actions, contract disputes, and numerous litigations under the California
Business and Professions Code.
Nicholas’ practice continues to involve complex civil business
litigation and employment disputes. Nicholas litigates major class action lawsuits and has served as
lead class counsel in a variety of class action lawsuits, including a major wage
and hour class action and collective action that Nicholas successfully resolved
in 2002 for $17 million on behalf of approximately 3,000 class members from
around the country. Nicholas served as lead class counsel
in one of the leading class action lawsuits in the nation under the
Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, which
resulted in establishing significant legal precedent in
Kaufman
v. ACS Systems (2003) 110 Cal.App.4th 886,
wherein the California Court of Appeal rejected a whole series of
constitutional challenges to the Federal statute. The relief
made available to the class amounted to nearly $7 million for the
affected class members.
Nicholas remains involved in community activities and, for the past
fifteen years, Nicholas has provided pro bono legal services to the Los Angeles
Free Clinic, a medical clinic that provides free medical services to the
community. Nicholas has also been active in various bar associations, including the
Trial Practice Inn of Court of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and for
the 2006-2007 year, he
will serve as the Chair of the International Law Section of
the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Since
2003, Nicholas has served on the Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee of the Los Angeles
County Bar Association, which is responsible for evaluating and rating
candidates for judicial office, and he presently serves as a Subcommittee Chair
on the Committee. Nicholas also currently serves as a member
of the Rules & Legislation Committee of the Litigation Section of
the California State Bar, which provides analysis and evaluation of
proposed changes to the Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Court.
J.D., Columbia Law School, 1990 (Stone Scholar; Member, Columbia Journal of Law
and Social Problems; Participant, Human Rights Internship; Participant, Jerome
Michael Moot Court Jury Trials; Volunteer, Harlem Tutorial Program)
B.S. (high distinction), Public Affairs, Indiana University, 1987 (Member,
Mortar Board Honor Society; Member, Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society; Member, Blue
Key Honor Society; Participant, 1986 Erasmus University Overseas Study Program;
Volunteer, Middle Way House Domestic Violence Shelter)
Crown Point High School, Crown Point, Indiana 1983 (Valedictorian)
SEMINARS
Nicholas frequently speaks and provides seminars to
businesses and a variety of employer and consumer groups regarding contemporary
legal issues. He also
participates on speaking panels at yearly conferences and symposiums.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Chair, Los Angeles County Bar, International Law Section (2006-2007)
Vice Chair, Los Angeles County Bar, International Law
Section (2005-2006)
Subcommittee Chair, Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee, LA
County Bar (2006)
Member, Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee, LA County Bar
(2003-Present)
Member, Los Angeles County Trial Practice Inn of Court (1998-2003)
Member, Los Angeles County Bar, Labor and Employment Section
Member, Los Angeles County Bar, Litigation Section
Member, Los Angeles County Bar, International Law
Section
Member, State Bar of California, Labor and Employment Law Section
Member, State Bar of California, Litigation Section
Member, State Bar of California, Antitrust and Unfair Competition
Law Section
Member, Rules & Legislation Committee, Litigation Section,
California State Bar (2005)
RECOGNITIONS
Southern California Super Lawyers for 2005, 2006 & 2007 (top 5% of Southern
California lawyers)
Southern California Rising Star for 2004 (top 2.5% of Southern
California lawyers under 40)
Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals, 2001-2002
Volunteer of the Year, Los
Angeles Free Clinic, 1995
Rated AV by
Martindale-Hubbell