Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Nick Danella concentrates his practice on high-stakes and appellate litigation throughout the federal and state court systems. In particular, he focuses on critical motions and appeals.

Recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a “noted appellate litigator,” Nick has handled dozens of federal and state court appeals nationwide, most recently in the Eleventh, Sixth, and Fourth Circuit Courts of Appeals, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, Maine, and Alabama. Just in the past year, Nick has worked on appellate matters that have resulted in two major victories: the reversal of a trial judge’s interpretation of a statutory notice requirement with broad-ranging impact for the financial services industry (in a case that Nick argued orally); and the post-trial reduction of a punitive damages award from $30 million to $300,000 in a medical malpractice case.

In addition, Nick regularly works as the “appellate lawyer at trial” (and pre-trial), with responsibility for legal strategy and briefing, including dispositive motions, Daubert/Frye motions, motions in limine, motions for judgment as a matter of law, nonsuit, and directed verdict, and other in-trial motions and bench briefs. He also handles post-trial proceedings in trial courts, including motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, new trial, and remittitur. For example, Nick was part of a defense trial team that was engaged in two month-long product liability trials in Pennsylvania state court, each of which resulted in a jury verdict for the defense. He also was part of a defense trial team that was engaged in a two-month False Claims Act trial against the U.S. Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, which resulted in judgment as a matter of law for the defense.

Substantively, Nick has handled a broad spectrum of litigation matters, including cases involving commercial issues, the False Claims Act, and contract disputes. He also has experience in antitrust and competition, medical malpractice, statutory interpretation, federal and state constitutional issues, class actions, arbitration, tax, admiralty, bankruptcy, sports law and product liability. Further, he has provided clients with strategic advice regarding a wide range of business practices.

Nick was named to the “40 & Under Hot List” by Benchmark Litigation and was named one of the “Top 40 Under 40” by the Birmingham Business Journal. He was also listed as a “Rising Star” in Appellate by Mid-South Super Lawyers.

Nick joined Bradley after several years of litigation experience at Skadden Arps in New York and Los Angeles. He also served as a law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Bar Admissions

• Alabama, 2015
• Tennessee, 2014
• New York, 2013
• California, 2007

• United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
• United States District Court, Northern District of Alabama
• United States District Court, Southern District of New York
• United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
• United States District Court, Central District of California
• United States District Court, Northern District of California

Education

• University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 2006, summa cum laude; Executive Issue Editor, Notre Dame Law Review
• Harvard University, A.B., 2001, cum laude