Profile
In addition to serving as the managing partner of Murphy Pearson’s Seattle office, Nick Larson represents businesses, individuals, government agencies, and nonprofits in all phases of civil litigation in both Washington and California. His practice focuses on professional liability (representing attorneys, accountants, judges, real estate brokers, and insurance agents), white collar, corporate, real estate, and insurance litigation, as well as government investigations. He represents and advises professionals, executives, and businesses in internal investigations and civil and criminal proceedings involving State and Federal governmental agencies. His diverse practice also includes crisis-management, nonprofit, construction, employment, IP, tax, and appellate work.
In 2023, Nick was appointed by the Washington State Supreme Court to serve on the Access to Justice (ATJ) Board – a Supreme Court created Board. This appointment was based, in part, on Nick’s dedication to pro-bono work, including the three years he served as Co-Chair of the Washington State Bar Association’s Pro Bono and Public Service Committee. Prior to joining MPBF, Nick served as a Senior Policy Analyst for the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), where he led a team of policy analysts evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of government programs to help improve the performance and accountability of the U.S. government. During law school, he was a judicial extern for the Honorable William H. Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Represents numerous employees of several Fortune 200 companies in connection with investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and parallel investigations by the SEC, OCC, and State Attorney General’s Offices
- Represented a leading deposit insurance organization seeking payment of insurance proceeds in connection with multiple lawsuits filed in several states against failed banks’ directors and officers for negligence and breach of duty
- Achieved a complete defense victory for nonprofit and their volunteers in action for damages initiated by plaintiff that received pro bono services
- Represent commercial landlord in real estate matter with major municipality
- Represent major insurance carrier in PNW natural disaster coverage action
- Successfully resolved shareholder dispute for tech startup, and chief executive officers, with former company founder
- Represented charter school in state department of education investigation
- Successfully resolved trade secret misappropriation and violation of non- compete agreement litigation for national building materials company
- Conducted internal investigation for Bay Area tech startup needed pre-IPO
- Represented plaintiffs in complex multidistrict trademark and trade dress counterfeiting case with widespread sales of counterfeit dietary supplements
Published Appellate Decisions
- Trapp v. Naiman, 218 Cal.App.4 th 113, 159 Cal.Rptr.3d 462, California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Two, July 26, 2013
Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- King County Bar Association
- Washington State Bar Association (WSBA)
- Pro Bono and Public Service Committee, former chair
- State Bar of California
- Bar Association of San Francisco
- Barristers Pro Bono and Community Service Committee, former Chair
- University of Washington, Law School Moot Court Competition, volunteer
- University of San Francisco, Law School Moot Court Competition, volunteer
- Neighborhood community association, Board of Directors and Legal Chair
Publications
- “PBPSC? What is that?,” Washington State Bar News, October 2020
- “Malpractice Damages – CA v. WA: Comparing Important Aspects of Professional Liability Standards,” King County Bar Association Bulletin, July 2017
- “Can Juries Award Prejudgment Interest in Malpractice Suits?,” The Daily Journal, March 8, 2013
- “Hope You Enjoyed Your Visit to California, You May Need to Stay Longer than Expected: Statute of Limitations Period for Malpractice Claims Inapplicable to Nonresident Attorneys,” co-author with Arthur J. Harris, Riding the E&O Line, Volume 4 Issue 3, Defense Research Institute
Presentations
- “Ethical Advice for Solo Practitioners & Doing Pro Bono Work,” co-presenter, San Francisco Bar Association, May 2013
Recognitions
- Selected for inclusion in Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars
Education
J.D., University of San Francisco, Magna Cum Laude
M.A., Stanford University, Psychology, Psi Chi Honor Society
B.A., Stanford University, Public Policy and Psychology, Senior Class President