Nicholas Ma is a litigation associate in Miller Starr Regalia’s Walnut Creek office. Nicholas has significant experience defending clients in business, personal injury, and employment litigation. Nicholas has served a diverse range of clients, including tech companies, financial institutions, public entities, religious institutions, and real estate developers. He has obtained favorable results for his clients through mediation, settlement, and multiple motions, including dispositive motions.
Before joining Miller Starr Regalia, Nicholas worked at Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin in San Francisco, and prior to that, at a national law firm, representing clients in a variety of litigation matters, including defending claims in complex construction defect, products liability, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury litigation.
Nicholas was born and raised in Walnut Creek, California, and knew that he wanted to be a litigator after working at a real estate firm in Walnut Creek before law school. Nicholas attended the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he focused on trial and appellate advocacy, securities regulation, and antitrust law. He served as the Executive Articles Editor of the Hastings Business Law Journal and as a regular competitor on the nationally-ranked Hastings Moot Court Team. Nicholas also provided corporate legal services to multiple tech companies in the Bay Area through the Hastings Startup Legal Garage. Nicholas received multiple CALI awards at Hastings, including awards for Appellate Advocacy, Trial Advocacy, and Antitrust & Intellectual Property.
Outside of the office, Nicholas enjoys traveling, performing music, and spending time with his Terripoo, Akela.
J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law (2015)
B.A., magna cum laude, University of California, Irvine, Political Science and Business Economics (2012)
Successfully opposed a special motion to strike (also known as an anti-SLAPP motion), thereby preserving a tenant’s claims of extortionate conduct against his landlord in San Francisco County.
Prevailed on motion to pierce the corporate veil, thereby amending judgment against film production company to include equitable owner.
Represented financial services technology provider through government investigations by various state and federal securities enforcement agencies.
Negotiated nuisance value settlement on behalf of landowner in premises liability matter involving dog bite and “fear of rabies” claims.
Negotiated nuisance value settlement on behalf of university following claims of defamation by an employee against university administration.
San Francisco Bar Association
• Equality Committee – Minorities
• Litigation Section
Blogs
“San Francisco Issues Guidance on “Back to Work” Layoff and Reemployment Notices,” Weintraub Tobin’s The Labor & Employment Law Blog, August 24, 2020
“Ninth Circuit Clarifies the Interactive Process Does Not Apply to Public Accommodations under Title III,” Weintraub Tobin’s The Labor & Employment Law Blog, September 3, 2019
“The Request and Use of Background Checks by California Employers,” Weintraub Tobin’s The Labor & Employment Law Blog, June 3, 2019
2019 Employment Law Update (San Francisco), Weintraub Tobin (Co-presenter)
2020 Employment Law Update (Sacramento), Weintraub Tobin (Co-presenter)
California
Miller Starr Regalia (MSR), a preeminent California real estate law firm for more than 50 years, announced today that Samantha Chen and Nicholas E. Ma are joining the firm's Walnut Creek headquarters as litigation associates.