Nicholas A. Gowen

Nicholas Gowen is a trial attorney who represents global companies, middle-market businesses, entrepreneurs, and governmental entities in commercial disputes including shareholder disputes, post-closing disputes, real estate litigation, trade secret misappropriation, employment matters, and other business disputes in courts and arbitration forums around the country, and international arbitration forums. Nicholas approaches litigation with an eye toward results; understanding that advancing his clients’ litigation strategies must fit within their overall business interests.

Nicholas has represented numerous incarcerated persons pro bono in litigation and appeals who have alleged civil rights violations against medical providers and correctional officers. He recently obtained multiple favorable settlements for clients abused by correctional officers. In 2022, in a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, he obtained reversal of summary judgment and entry of injunctive relief against the Wisconsin Department of Corrections on behalf of a Muslim inmate who sought to enforce his religious freedoms pursuant to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (“RLUIPA”) and the Fourth Amendment.

Nicholas is an arbitrator for complex commercial and consumer matters on the American Arbitration Association’s National Roster of Arbitrators, and has been appointed to serve in nearly 50 arbitrations as the sole arbitrator or as a member of a three-person panel in both evidentiary and appellate matters.

Nicholas has been honored by Crain's Chicago Business as one of "Chicago’s Notable Litigators and Trial Attorneys," and was twice selected as one of "Chicago's Notable Minority Lawyers." He was previously honored as one of Chicago’s “Top 40 under 40 Game Changers” by Ariel Investments and The Urban Business Roundtable.

Nicholas obtained his B.A. in political science with honors from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2000, where he was admitted to Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2003.

• Crain's Chicago Business, honored as one of Chicago’s Notable Litigators and Trial Attorneys for 2023
• Crain's Chicago Business, honored as one of Chicago’s Notable Minority Executives in Accounting, Consulting and Law for 2020
• Crain's Chicago Business, honored as one of Chicago's Notable Minority Lawyers for 2018
• Ariel Investments and The Urban Business Roundtable, honored as one of Chicago's Top 40 under 40 Game Changers, 2012
• Illinois Super Lawers, 2020-2021
• Illinois Super Lawyers, recognized as a Rising Star, 2008-2019

• Chicago State University, Board of Trustees, Chairman/Vice-Chair/Member, (2017-2019)
• Project H.O.O.D. Advisory Committee, Board of Directors (2012 – Present)
• Illinois Equal Justice Foundation, Board of Directors (2018-Present)
• Kimball Anderson and Karen Gatsis Anderson Center for Advocacy and Professionalism at the University of Illinois College of Law, Advisory Board, Member (2021 – present)
• University of Illinois College of Law, Diversity Committee, Alumni Representative (2022-present)
• Chicago Foundation for Education, Board of Directors (2019-2020)
• University of Illinois at Chicago, Visiting Instructor, Political Science, (2005-2017)
• Chicago Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Committee, Investigative Division, member
• National Bar Association

o Commercial Law Section

• Chicago Bar Association

o Federal Civil Practice Committee, Past Vice Chair/Chair

• National Employment Law Council
• American Arbitration Association, National Panel of Commercial Litigation and Consumer Arbitration Panel Arbitrator
• Economic Club of Chicago, Member