Nicole Mueller is a partner in the firm's Commercial Disputes practice. Nicole is an experienced litigator, regularly appearing before federal and state courts across the United States and before arbitration panels at home and abroad. She propels positive resolutions to complex legal issues and has a proven success rate in achieving case dismissals, advantageous settlements, and favorable judgments.
Nicole’s practice is focused on class action defense against claims brought under consumer protection statutes. Nicole has successfully represented manufacturers and sellers of consumer products in putative class actions brought under more than 30 state consumer protection statutes. She represents financial service companies and their management in direct and derivative litigation brought under the federal and state securities laws.
Nicole also represents clients in a wide array of business tort litigation and complex commercial litigation, including all manner of breaches of commercial contract, and the enforcement of noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements.
Nicole is passionate about environmental issues and regularly counsels clients on ESG and Sustainability Litigation issues. She works with clients in the energy, consumer products, healthcare, and manufacturing industries, both advising on risk mitigation in this evolving area of law and defending clients when litigation occurs.
Prior to joining the firm, Nicole served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Joan Humphrey Lefkow in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
During law school, Nicole was the Executive Articles Editor for the Journal of Law and Social Policy. Nicole was also a teaching assistant for the Legal Writing and Research course and research assistant for the Environmental Advocacy Center at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law's Bluhm Legal Clinic. Nicole also participated in the Supreme Court Clinic. Nicole served as the Treasurer for the Northwestern chapter of the American Constitution Society and Liaison to the Chicago chapter of the American Constitution Society.
In her life before becoming a lawyer, Nicole worked as a field organizer, training volunteers to coordinate political campaigns in their communities, and later as a legal assistant in a general practice law firm in Illinois.
Nicole was a summer associate at K&L Gates.
- Listed Chicago Lawyer's 40 Under Forty | Illinois Attorneys to Watch, 2023
- Listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, 2021
- Listed in Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars list, 2020
- Selected to Leading Lawyers Emerging Lawyers in Illinois for Commercial Litigation, 2017
- Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission
- Hearing Board Panel Chair, 2023-present
- Hearing Board Panel Member, 2020-2023
- Board Member, Federal Bar Association, Chicago Chapter, 2023-present
- YP Ambassador, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, 2020-2022
- Board of Directors, Break Away: the Alternative Break Connection, 2017-2021
- Presentations to firm clients regarding recent trends and developments in Sustainability litigation, including rise of consumer class actions, securities litigation, and regulatory actions
- Presentations to firm clients regarding evolving regulatory framework surrounding securities, including cryptocurrencies and NFTs
- “Piercing the Corporate Veil,” Rossdale CLE Group, 5 April 2023
- "Piercing the Corporate Veil: Finding and Fixing Corporate Liability Loopholes,” American Legal Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE), 15 November 2022
- "Letters of Intent: Execute the Deal as Intended, Skip the Courtroom,” American Legal Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE), 12 July 2022
- “Regulation of Cryptocurrencies and ICOs,” K&L Gates Chicago Investment Management Conference, 13 November 2018
- “Registered Fund Litigation Update,” K&L Gates Chicago Investment Management Conference, 13 November 2018
- “Registered Fund Litigation Update,” K&L Gates Chicago Investment Management Conference, 31 January 2018.
- "Supreme Court Remands Securities Class Action Against Goldman Sachs Back to Second Circuit," The National Law Review, 2 August 2021
- “Crowdfunding Bill May Become State Law,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Volume 161, No. 109, 4 June 2015
- Mentioned, "KERING AMERICAS: Cohen Suit Removed to N.D. Illinois," Class Action Reporter, 30 September 2024
- Mentioned, 40 Under Forty, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 2023
- "GOLDMAN SACHS: K&L Gates Attorneys Discuss Class Action Ruling," Class Action Reporter, 31 August 2021
- "GOLDMAN SACHS: K&L Gates Attorneys Discuss Class Action Ruling," Class Action Prospector, 28 July 2021
- "CDLB People," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 11 March 2021
