The Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC) is pleased to announce that appellate lawyer Nicholas J. Nelson joined the legal team this month. Nicholas joins UMLC as a full-time Senior Appellate Counsel, bringing extensive experience in appellate litigation and advocacy, and a passion for defending First Amendment rights.
Before joining UMLC, Nicholas has worked as a Partner at CrossCatle PLLC since 2022, where he counsels on appeals at all levels of state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, and currently serves as President-Elect of the Minnesota Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society.
Throughout his career, Nicholas has championed legal battles such as challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, defending the validity of the Defense of Marriage Act, and successfully defending President Donald Trump’s 2024 primary ballot access in state supreme courts.
Prior to his work at CrossCastle, Nicholas was Counsel at Faegre Drinker, an Associate at Bancroft PLLC in Washington, D.C., and a judicial law clerk to Thomas Hardiman on the Third Circuit and Stephen J. Murphy in the Eastern District of Michigan. He earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Notre Dame Law School, where he was a member of the Notre Dame Law Review.
“We are proud to welcome Nicholas to our team of passionate lawyers,” said Doug P. Seaton, Founder and President of the Upper Midwest Law Center. “His passion and experience will be a welcome boost to our legal team, and we look forward to working with him to fight for the rule of law in Minnesota.”
