Nathan Dullum
Of Counsel
San FranciscoNathan is Of Counsel in The San Francisco office and a member of the firm's Complex Litigation and Dispute Resolution. Nathan has worked on a variety of litigation matters and currently focuses on mass torts and product liability.
Nathan is a member of the Orrick team representing Johnson & Johnson as national coordinating counsel and California trial counsel in lawsuits alleging that the company's talc products contain asbestos. In October 2019, Nathan was part of the trial team named as Law360 Legal Lions for its representation of Johnson & Johnson in a suit alleging the company’s talc products caused the plaintiff’s mesothelioma. In addition to punitive damages, the plaintiffs sought at least $45 million in compensatory damages. After a five-week trial, a Los Angeles state court jury rejected all of plaintiffs’ claims and returned a complete defense verdict for Johnson & Johnson.
Nathan has practiced before state and federal courts and has arbitrated matters before The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the International Center for Dispute Resolution. In addition to litigating, Nathan also has extensive experience advising U.S. and foreign companies regarding product safety and product liability prevention. This includes advising companies on their warnings and disclosures, developing internal compliance policies and protocols, and helping clients address customer complaints to avoid potential litigation.
Nathan joined Orrick as a summer associate in 2001. In 2007, he took a brief leave of absence to work as a prosecutor in the San Francisco County District Attorney’s Office where he tried several cases to verdict.
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Some of Nathan's notable representations include:
- Johnson & Johnson. Nathan is a member of the Orrick team acting as national coordinating counsel and California trial counsel to Johnson & Johnson in connection with lawsuits alleging that the company's talcum powder products cause mesothelima.
- Union Carbide Corporation. Nathan is a member of the Orrick team acting as national coordinating counsel and California trial counsel to Union Carbide Corporation in connection with its ongoing asbestos-related product liability litigation.
- ForesTech Energy v. German Pellets GmbH. Nathan represented a German biomass company and its U.S. affiliates in a commercial dispute regarding the construction and financing of a manufacturing plant in the United States.
- Alenia Aermacchi, S.p.A and Salver S.p.A. Nathan represented two Italian aerospace designers in two separate arbitration proceedings before the International Centre for Dispute Resolution regarding commercial disputes over the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A380.
- Salomon Smith Barney, Inc. Nathan successfully resolved a broker-dealer arbitration involving claims of fraud, conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duty.
- PG&E Corporation. Nathan was part of the Orrick team that represented PG&E Corporation in various litigation matters arising out of the California energy crisis, including a seven-year long Section 17200 lawsuit by the California Attorney General.
- Mentor Graphics Corp. v. Cadence Design Systems, Inc. Nathan was a member of the trial team that defended an action brought by Mentor Graphics and Meta Systems alleging infringement of six patents, misappropriation of trade secrets, and unfair competition. Following a four week jury trial, Cadence/Quickturn prevailed on all counts and invalidated the patents-in-suit, completely defeating plaintiffs’ claim for approximately $1 billion in damages.