Download Nathan J. Novak

Nathan Novak
Senior Associate
Los Angeles
T +1 213 612 2409
E [email protected]
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Practice Areas
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Complex Litigation &
Dispute Resolution
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Financial Services
Litigation
Nathan Novak’s practice focuses on
complex commercial and business litigation
as well as labor and employment litigation,
with particular emphasis on contract
litigation, real estate litigation, litigation
involving sophisticated finance, accounting
or tax issues, and class actions.
Honors
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Member, Georgetown
Journal of Law and
Public Policy
Education
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J.D., Georgetown
University Law Center,
2005, cum laude
B.S.B.A., Finance and
Accounting, Creighton
University, 2002, summa
cum laude
Memberships
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State Bar of California
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Association of Certified
Fraud Examiners, CFE
#705195
Orrick Biography: Nathan Novak
During law school, Nathan was a member of Georgetown’s
Appellate Litigation Clinic, where he engaged in extensive
appellate practice in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Prior to attending law school, Nathan spent one year working as a
financial analyst for Northern Border Pipeline Company in Omaha,
Nebraska, evaluating energy infrastructure investment
opportunities.
Nathan is a Certified Fraud Examiner and an active member of the
Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud
Examiners.
Representative Engagements
Nathan's representative matters include:
 Mark Dyne v. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Defended Big
Four accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in a nearly
five-year-long litigation arising out of alleged professional
negligence (malpractice) on the part of PwC accountants and
tax advisers. Plaintiff, a ground-floor investor in Skype, alleged
that PwC personnel were negligent in advising Plaintiff regarding
structure and tax implications of a complicated international
investment vehicle and that said negligence caused Plaintiff to
pay ordinary income tax rates rather than capital gains rates on
gain from the investment. Nathan served as second-chair trial
counsel. After a 16-day jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court,
the jury returned a defense verdict after deliberating just two
hours. (See media coverage in Law360).
 Karen Sun v. U.S. Bank Equipment Finance. Defended
subsidiary of U.S. Bank in contract dispute and gender
discrimination and harassment suit brought by one of its former
salespeople. Plaintiff alleged that she was sexually harassed
and discriminated against with regard to salary and incentive
compensation on the basis of gender and alleged harassment
by her direct supervisor, and that she was denied incentive
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compensation for a deal she closed prior to leaving the
company. Nathan served as second-chair trial counsel. After a
seven-day trial, the court rendered a defense verdict on all tort
claims.
 DHL. Served as counsel for international express mail and
freight shipper DHL in dozens of actions. Defended DHL in class
actions alleging that sale of DHL’s “Shipment Value Protection”
(SVP) constituted the unlawful and unlicensed sale of insurance.
In Wayne v. DHL Worldwide Express, won summary judgment
on grounds that SVP was not insurance as a matter of law.
California Court of Appeal affirmed by 2-1 vote. Also defended
DHL in approximately 15 actions filed in various jurisdictions
across the United States by DHL’s “resellers”—small and
medium-sized freight and express mail forwarders who shipped
their customers’ packages through the DHL network—when
those resellers’ agreements with DHL were terminated as a
result of DHL’s cessation of domestic freight and express
services in 2008. Resellers throughout the United States alleged
claims under contract, tort, and franchise law.
Publications
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Author, " The Key To Educating Employees On The Effects Of
Fraud," Law360, July 19, 2016
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Author, "A Minor Subpoena Form Fix," Los Angeles Daily
Journal, June 11, 2015 (online version as "Subpoena Form
Places Unintended Burden on Some")
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Co-author, "What Japanese Companies Need to Know About
the United States' Attorney-Client Privilege," JCA Journal, April
2014
Speeches and Programs
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"Handling E-Discovery in Complex Cases," Speaker,
WestLegalEdCenter (webcast MCLE), February 29, 2016.
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"What Japanese Companies Need to Know About the United
States’ Attorney-Client Privilege," Speaker, Orrick Library
Series (Tokyo), May 21, 2013
Admissions
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Orrick Biography: Nathan Novak
California
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