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In high stakes matters, small decisions carry real costs. The work lives where money, reputation, and freedom are on the line. That is the frame in which Dr. Nick Oberheiden, Founder of Oberheiden P.C., has built his practice and his firm.
Dr. Oberheiden’s path was traditional and untraditional at the same time. He attended UCLA School of Law, served as a judicial intern, and then entered private practice as an associate at one of the world’s largest law firms before choosing the freedom and flexibility of building his own practice.
The untraditional side began in Germany, where he started his legal education, then returned after UCLA to earn a PhD in Comparative Law. He interned at the Supreme Court of Brazil and externed at the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague. He also made academic visits to Brazil, France, Germany, Namibia, and South Africa. Together, those experiences formed a comparative lens that informs how he practices today.
He then began as a BigLaw associate and later left to start an independent practice. The choice was about control of his calendar, his methods, and about finding a structure that fits the matters he wanted to handle. This decision was the foundation for a model he would refine at Oberheiden P.C.
A Benchmark of Excellence
Oberheiden P.C. is a boutique firm with a national presence. The firm is smaller than the largest global platforms yet has the resources and capabilities to go toe-to-toe in settlement negotiations, arbitration, and litigation.
That posture comes from focus more than footprint. The firm handles complex civil litigation and defends individuals and businesses under scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal authorities. This work has been a significant portion of the practice since the beginning and encompasses both federal investigations and defense in federal court.
The firm does not revolve around a central office. It operates as a network of senior attorneys who work in major cities across the United States. That structure keeps administrative costs down and allows the team to be on-site at clients’ offices quickly when needed. The design relies on technology as a connective tissue and has been set up to serve the pace and stakes of the matters the firm handles.
Adopting Technology
The team at Oberheiden P.C. is constantly looking for ways to leverage innovations across operations and practice. They continue to grow, which in turn drives technological needs. In the
practice itself, they are exploring how to use AI and other tools to streamline and enhance legal representation.
As Dr. Oberheiden notes, lawyers must be extremely careful about relying on AI, and generative AI in particular, and stories about briefs with AI-generated citations underscore the risks for lawyers and clients. He emphasizes that attorneys are responsible for the recommendations they provide and the arguments they make, so any use must be in the right contexts and used correctly.
He recently published ‘AI Litigation: Navigating Legal Challenges’, a book that examines issues lawyers and courts are already facing and that helps frame the conversation about careful and responsible adoption. “So, the short answer is we’re still figuring it out, and this is going to be the case for a while, because we need to get it right,” says Dr. Oberheiden.
Building From Zero
The hardest business challenge for Dr. Oberheiden was getting the firm off the ground. As a new lawyer without a broad reputation, building a client list took time. He invested heavily in online marketing, which was still relatively novel at the time, and he did everything possible to ensure that early clients would recommend him to colleagues. That combination of visibility and over-servicing created the first referral loops that would compound.
The daily challenges at the firm are inherent to the work. Clients rely on Dr. Oberheiden to protect finances and reputations, and in many cases, they rely on him to protect freedom. He describes that combination as both challenging and rewarding. The stakes justify the senior-talent model and the measured technology posture, because outcomes matter most.
Signature Team Additions
Dr. Oberheiden considers the team his most significant achievement. He began alone without lawyers, paralegals, or assistants. Today, the roster includes several former federal prosecutors and government officials. He names former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and former Congressman Trey Gowdy. They serve as Of Counsel and advise clients in select high-stakes federal matters.
Leadership Philosophy
On leadership, Dr. Oberheiden is careful about advertising ethics. “Lawyers are not allowed to make subjective comparisons between themselves and their peers, so I need to be careful here.” He adds that he would not necessarily call himself a leader in the legal services space and that his practice is fairly unique. He is proud of a reputation that brings referrals from clients and other lawyers, and he believes that work ethic and legal acumen are key factors behind his success to date.
A Source of Motivation
Dr. Oberheiden describes motivation in straightforward terms. “As a law firm founder and practicing attorney, I am responsible for both the success of the firm and the success of the firm’s clients.” That responsibility keeps him highly motivated every day.
He wants to continue building the firm and to ensure that highly talented attorneys have work that is both interesting and important. He is committed to providing all clients with the quality of legal representation they need and deserve. Dr. Oberheiden adds a personal note: “What motivates me on a daily basis is helping others succeed,” because the work allows him to help people who are unable to help themselves.
Skills and Choices
Dr. Oberheiden draws a clear distinction between being a successful lawyer and building a successful law firm. For young lawyers, the first step is to decide what they want. Do they want to spend all of their time advising, representing, and advocating for clients, or do they also want to invest time in building a business. He notes that starting a firm can be a viable option if they want both. There is also a timing choice. One can start right away or first build skills and a book of business at another firm. Both can work with a strong plan and the effort to follow through. Whatever the route, success comes down to the capabilities needed to represent clients effectively.
His advice to people who want to build something similar to Oberheiden P.C. is direct. Have a plan, be confident in it, and stick to it. Know when to adapt and be willing to do so. If you are committed and diligent, and if you keep clients’ interests first, he believes you will have a strong chance of success.
A Forward View
Dr. Oberheiden envisions continuing what he does for the foreseeable future. That means building the firm and growing as a lawyer. The firm is always looking for skilled and passionate lawyers who believe in its approach. He believes that by staying true to it, the team will be able to continue for decades to come.
Conclusively, for Dr. Oberheiden, precision under pressure is a way of protecting what clients value most, and it is how him and the firm intend to practice and to build in the years ahead.
