Nicholas D. Fram (he/him/his) is a litigation partner who focuses on high-stakes complex commercial litigation, internal investigations and mass torts, with extensive expertise in wildfire litigation.
He excels at helping companies navigate their most challenging and high-profile problems and distilling complex situations into straightforward and relatable narratives.
Mr. Fram has become a go-to attorney for clients for some of the most devastating and high-profile wildfires in the past five years. He was the first attorney on the ground for Hawaiian Electric after the 2023 Maui wildfires, leading the investigation and representing the utility in the subsequent litigation. He is also counsel to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in connection with the 2025 Palisades Fire, and Southern California Edison Company in connection with the 2025 Eaton Fire, two of the most devastating urban fires ever. He continues to represent PG&E in civil litigation arising from the 2021 Dixie Fire, the largest single-origin fire in California history.
Mr. Fram brings his extensive experience with wildfire investigations and understanding of utility company operations to help clients develop strategy around litigation, interactions with regulators and government investigators, and public communications.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Fram clerked for Judge Michael A. Chagares of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Judge George B. Daniels of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
He earned his J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law, where he was elected Order of the Coif and served as notes and comments editor of the California Law Review. He earned his M.A. in international policy and his B.A. with honors in public policy from Stanford University. In 2010, Mr. Fram completed an internship in the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.
Mr. Fram grew up in San Francisco where he still lives with his wife and three children. He is a past member of the board of directors of the Barristers Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco.
Experience
Wildfire Litigation and Public Utilities
- Hawaiian Electric as one of the lead attorneys representing Hawaiian Electric in the investigations and civil litigation arising from the 2023 Maui wildfires. His work included leading the investigation and preparing the CEO for congressional testimony as well as helping lead the defense of the hundreds of civil lawsuits that have been filed.
- Southern California Edison as one of the lead attorneys working on the investigation and regulatory issues in connection with the 2025 Eaton Fire in Altadena, California.
- Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as one of the lead attorneys representing the utility in the civil litigation and investigations arising out of the 2025 Palisades fire.
- PG&E as one of the lead attorneys working on the investigations and civil litigation stemming from the 2021 Dixie Fire, the largest single-origin fire in state history.
Complex Litigation and Investigations
- Southern California Edison in complex-designated, mass tort litigation filed by over 100 plaintiffs claiming injuries based on exposure to stray voltage. MTO won a complete victory on summary judgment on the bellwether claims and successfully defended that victory on appeal in a published opinion, leading the remaining plaintiffs to drop their suits.
- An online service provider in several actions against web scrapers who take and sell the client’s data. Multiple representations led to consent judgments in the provider’s favor that permanently bar the defendants from scraping the provider’s site and ordered them to destroy all the data it obtained.
- A consortium of large lenders in successfully defeating a $600 million clawback action asserted by the GM bankruptcy estate. The representation resulted in a settlement under which the firm’s clients paid nothing and recovered a significant portion of their attorneys’ fees.
- Morgan Stanley in obtaining a unanimous arbitration award requiring a former employee to repay an outstanding promissory note in full, plus interest and attorneys’ fees, and rejecting $9 million in counterclaims.
Pro Bono
- The San Francisco Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement in coordinating and conducting a year-long investigation into institutionalized bias in the San Francisco Police Department. The investigation involved more than 40 attorneys at eight law firms and resulted in a 250-page report with 81 recommendations on improving police practices and oversight in San Francisco.
- Two Guatemalan minors in successfully obtaining asylum.
- Amicus briefs in immigration cases in the Fourth and Ninth Circuits.
- An individual alleging unconstitutional nomination to a terrorism watchlist.
- An elderly woman facing eviction from her home.
Thought Leadership
- Mr. Fram regularly speaks at conferences and on panels on fire investigations and litigation.
- Co-author, “A Union of Amateurs: A Legal Blueprint to Reshape Big-Time College Athletics,” Buffalo Law Review, Vol. 60, No. 4, 2012
Education
-
UC Berkeley School of Law (J.D., 2012) Order of the Coif
-
Stanford University (M.A., 2007)
-
Stanford University (B.A., with honors, 2006)
Clerkships
- Judge Michael A. Chagares, U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 2013-2014
- Judge George B. Daniels, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 2012-2013
Bar Admissions
- California
Experience
Wildfire Litigation and Public Utilities
- Hawaiian Electric as one of the lead attorneys representing Hawaiian Electric in the investigations and civil litigation arising from the 2023 Maui wildfires. His work included leading the investigation and preparing the CEO for congressional testimony as well as helping lead the defense of the hundreds of civil lawsuits that have been filed.
- Southern California Edison as one of the lead attorneys working on the investigation and regulatory issues in connection with the 2025 Eaton Fire in Altadena, California.
- Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as one of the lead attorneys representing the utility in the civil litigation and investigations arising out of the 2025 Palisades fire.
- PG&E as one of the lead attorneys working on the investigations and civil litigation stemming from the 2021 Dixie Fire, the largest single-origin fire in state history.
Complex Litigation and Investigations
- Southern California Edison in complex-designated, mass tort litigation filed by over 100 plaintiffs claiming injuries based on exposure to stray voltage. MTO won a complete victory on summary judgment on the bellwether claims and successfully defended that victory on appeal in a published opinion, leading the remaining plaintiffs to drop their suits.
- An online service provider in several actions against web scrapers who take and sell the client’s data. Multiple representations led to consent judgments in the provider’s favor that permanently bar the defendants from scraping the provider’s site and ordered them to destroy all the data it obtained.
- A consortium of large lenders in successfully defeating a $600 million clawback action asserted by the GM bankruptcy estate. The representation resulted in a settlement under which the firm’s clients paid nothing and recovered a significant portion of their attorneys’ fees.
- Morgan Stanley in obtaining a unanimous arbitration award requiring a former employee to repay an outstanding promissory note in full, plus interest and attorneys’ fees, and rejecting $9 million in counterclaims.
News
Pro Bono
- The San Francisco Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement in coordinating and conducting a year-long investigation into institutionalized bias in the San Francisco Police Department. The investigation involved more than 40 attorneys at eight law firms and resulted in a 250-page report with 81 recommendations on improving police practices and oversight in San Francisco.
- Two Guatemalan minors in successfully obtaining asylum.
- Amicus briefs in immigration cases in the Fourth and Ninth Circuits.
- An individual alleging unconstitutional nomination to a terrorism watchlist.
- An elderly woman facing eviction from her home.
Thought Leadership
- Mr. Fram regularly speaks at conferences and on panels on fire investigations and litigation.
- Co-author, “A Union of Amateurs: A Legal Blueprint to Reshape Big-Time College Athletics,” Buffalo Law Review, Vol. 60, No. 4, 2012
Industries
Education
-
UC Berkeley School of Law (J.D., 2012) Order of the Coif
-
Stanford University (M.A., 2007)
-
Stanford University (B.A., with honors, 2006)
Clerkships
- Judge Michael A. Chagares, U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 2013-2014
- Judge George B. Daniels, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 2012-2013
Bar Admissions
- California