Nicholas Moran’s practice focuses on environmental and toxic tort matters. He has experience with many of the major environmental statutes including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Clean Water Act, and the California Environmental Quality Act.  

Prior to joining GRSM, Nicholas worked as an associate defending clients in environmental, toxic tort, personal injury, and construction defect cases. He deposed Plaintiffs’, nonparty witnesses, and experts and settled many cases either informally or through mediation. Nicholas also worked as a Staff Attorney in the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Rockville, Maryland. There, he drafted motion responses in groundwater contamination cases, and other technical matters associated with license applications; researched Commission regulations, counseled staff in regulatory matters and enforcement cases; and reviewed and approved new reactor license exemption requests and settlement agreements. 

Nicholas also obtained professional experience before obtaining his law degree through postings with the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment, the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice, and the California Public Utilities Commission. 

Admissions

• California

Memberships

• State Bar of California
• San Francisco Bar Association

Community Involvement

• Through BuildOn, an organization dedicated to increasing education worldwide, Nicholas built an elementary school in a rural part of Nicaragua.

• Counseled client on the issues of bringing a CERCLA contribution action against former owners and contributors to a contaminated property.  
• Informally settled a high damages auto accident case significantly under the evaluated potential liability. 
• Won a motion to strike punitive damages from a Plaintiff’s complaint in a mold case.
• Represented Nuclear Regulatory Staff in an enforcement action involving a company’s failure to properly store and transfer a radioactive nuclear gauge used in construction.