Omel Nieves is a senior shareholder, Chief Operating Officer, and named partner of the Pasadena based law firm Hunt, Ortmann, Palffy, Nieves, Darling & Mah, Inc. Mr. Nieves specializes in complex litigation with an emphasis on construction, real estate, and business law matters. With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Nieves has earned a national reputation for excellence in his field, successfully representing a wide range of clients within the construction and real estate industries including builders, developers, public entities, contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, and homeowners associations. Representing such notable clients as Scripps College, Art Center College of Design, Los Angeles World Airports, City of Pasadena, Water Replenishment District of Southern California, HBE Corporation, Peterson Brothers Construction, Inc., and the Philippines based Church of Christ, Mr. Nieves has litigated cases in which the amount in controversy was in excess $100 Million. A successful trial attorney, he has obtained substantial verdicts for his clients. In addition to his construction and real estate practice, Mr. Nieves is an accomplished business litigation lawyer. He has represented businesses in a wide variety of sectors and has assisted his clients in the formation and dissolution of business entities as well as in resolving complex partnership disputes involving intellectual property and trade secrets. His achievements have been widely recognized over the past decade. He has been named as one of California’s Super Lawyers each year since 2007 and has been recognized as one of Pasadena’s Top Lawyers since 2010 Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mr. Nieves earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University at Fresno in 1983 and his Juris Doctor degree at University of California, Davis in 1987.He is admitted to practice in the State of California as well as in all California federal district courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Before joining Hunt Ortmann in 1990, Mr. Nieves spent several years with the Los Angeles law firm of Lawler, Felix, and Hall which later merged with the national firm of Arter & Hadden. He then joined the Beverly Hills law firm of Rubin, Egan & Fedder where he had a business and real estate litigation practice. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Nieves played professional basketball in Puerto Rico and was a member of the 1983 NIT Championship Basketball Team at Fresno State University, which has since been inducted into the City of Fresno’s Hall of Fame. When not practicing law, Mr. Nieves gives generously of his time to numerous civic organizations. He was on the executive committee of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce for 10 years and served pro bono as their legal counsel for 5 years. He has also served as their past chair. In addition, he has served on numerous commissions and special task forces for the City of Pasadena. He has also served on the Fresno State Foundation Boards of Governors, Fresno State Athletic Corporation, Board of Trustees for Fresno State University’s Alumni Association, and was the co-chair of Fresno State’s $200 million Capital Campaign. He has also served on the Boards of several local schools and has consistently provided pro bono legal counsel to these organizations as well. He currently is the President of California State Los Angeles Foundation. Mr. Nieves is a frequent lecturer in the areas of mechanics liens, ADA compliance, and contract and construction and real estate law before such organizations as CALPASC (specialty subcontractor’s organization), Lorman Continuing Education, City of Pasadena, and the Construction Law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He also teaches construction law courses dealing in the private and public sectors.
Pasadena Chamber of Commerce (executive committee, 10 yrs; chair, 1 yr; legal counsel, 5 yrs); Saint Mark’s Elementary School Board; City of Pasadena Parks and Recreation (chair, 3 yrs); Fresno State Alumni Association Board; Fresno State of Governors; Fresno State Athletic Corporation; Cal State Los Angeles Foundation; Co-chair, Fresno State $200 million Capital Campaign; City of Pasadena Liquor Nuisance Task Force; City of Pasadena Good Governance Task Force; Sequoyah School Advisory Committee; Former President of the First Tee of Pasadena; Pasadena Latino Forum; Pasadena Business Forum; and United Girls and Boys Club of America.