Nicholas W. Smith
Associate
Nicholas Smith is a litigation associate based in Ropes & Gray’s Chicago office. Nicholas represents clients in connection with complex commercial litigation, white collar criminal enforcement, and internal investigations. He also maintains an active pro bono litigation practice. During law school, Nicholas served as both Comments Editor and Topic Access Editor for the University of Chicago Legal Forum.
Experience
- Defending national pharmacy in fraud and consumer fraud lawsuits based on retail pharmaceutical drug pricing.
- Represented major hospital system in DOJ antitrust investigation of alleged anti-steering restrictions.
- Represented parent in “Varsity Blues” college admissions prosecution.
- Defending private equity firm client in multiple trials based on alleged conduct of ultimate portfolio company.
- Representing behavioral health company in DOJ investigation into vendor selection practices.
- Represented Fortune 500 company in a contract and consumer-fraud suit stemming from a data security breach through trial.
- Represented minority-shareholder and company-founder client in arbitration against majority shareholder, vindicating client’s contractual rights in arbitral award and subsequent confirmation by the S.D.N.Y.
- Represented investment manager in residential mortgage-backed securities trust litigation.
- Conducted internal investigation of pharmaceutical company regarding allegations of improper sales tactics.
- Secured grant of asylum for multiple pro bono clients fleeing political and religious persecution in their home countries.
- Represented criminal defendant with Criminal Justice Act appointed counsel from initial arraignment through contested sentencing hearing.
Publications
- Co-author, “DOJ Launches Formal Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy for All U.S. Attorney Offices,” Ropes & Gray Alert (February 27, 2023)
- Co-author, “Remote Control: Best Practices for Litigating and Investigating During COVID and Beyond,” Ropes & Gray Alert (July 29, 2020)
Education
- JD, Honors, The University of Chicago Law School, 2017
- BA (Joint Honors Degree in Political Science and Sociology), McGill University, 2011
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- Illinois, 2017
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2020