Omel A. Nieves

Overview

Experience

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.

Education

• University of California, Davis, J.D.
• California State University, Fresno, Bachelor of Arts

Bars + Courts

• California
• United States District Court of California, Central
• United States District Court of California, Eastern
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Practice Areas

• Collection Actions
• Business & Commercial Law
• Disputes & Litigation, Commercial
• Construction Consulting
• Construction Contracts & Bid Documents
• Disputes & Litigation, Construction
• Real Estate Law
• Class Action Program (CAP)

Memberships

Memberships

• American Bar Association
• Los Angeles County Bar Association, Construction Subcommittee
• National Hispanic Bar Association
• Pasadena Bar Association
• CALPASC

Civic Activities

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.

Honors

• Selected as Super Lawyer 2007 – 2019
• Pasadena Top Attorney sponsored by Pasadena Magazine 2010 – 2014
• University of California, Fresno National Invitational Tournament Basketball Championship Team, 1982-83
• City of Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame
• Santa Barbara City Athletic Hall of Fame
• Lorman Education Services Distinguished Faculty

Omel A. Nieves

News + Publications

News

• Hunt Ortmann Wins Major Summary Judgment For Major Pasadena Employer
• Guirguis Added to Hunt Ortmann Super Lawyers in 2015
• Nieves Co-Chair of Fresno State Capital Campaign
• 2013 Super Lawyers Announced! Hunt Ortmann Holds Ground
• 2012 Pasadena Top Attorneys Announced!
• 2012 “Super Lawyers” Released- Hunt Ortmann Continues to Dominate Construction Category for Third Straight Year!
• Hunt Ortmann Launches New Class Action Practice Division
• Hunt Ortmann is Honored with 2011 Pasadena Top Attorney Selection
• Nieves Fights for Construction Industry Employers and Labor Groups in Sacramento
• Hunt Ortmann Continues to Support Pasadena Community in 2011
• 2011 “Super Lawyers”- Hunt Ortmann Leads Construction Category for the Second Straight Year!
• Ortmann, Nieves, Paciulli & Brody Selected to Pasadena Magazine’s Top 2010 Attorneys!
• Nieves Speaks to Latino Business Exchange
• 2010 “SuperLawyers” – Hunt Ortmann Tops Construction Category
• Nieves recognized in Pasadena Chamber of Commerce newsletter
• Nieves co-Chairs $200 million Fresno State fundraising campaign
• Nieves speaks at Pasadena Latino Forum
• Nieves becomes an active member of CALPASC
• Seven (7) Hunt Ortmann attorneys named as 2008 “SuperLawyers” by Law and Politics
• Nieves heads up The First Tee in Pasadena, CA
• Pasadena construction litigation boutique changes name and re-brands as Hunt Ortmann

Publications

• UC Campuses Adopt Best Value Contracting Pilot Program
• Attys Get $4.6M In Fees For ‘Happy Birthday’ Copyright Suit

Speaking Engagements + Seminars

• California Mechanics’ Liens, Stop Payment Notices and Payment Bond Claims
• Avoiding the Traps of Construction Contracts- 5 Things You Need to Know
• Get Paid: Mechanic’s Liens, Stop Payment Notices and Bond Claims
• California Mechanic’s Lien Law, Use of Stop Payment Notices & Bond Claims
• Fundamentals of Construction Contracts: Understanding the Issues in California
• Public Contracts and Procurement Regulations- Bakersfield, CA
• Worker’s Classification and Mechanic’s Lien Workshop- Brea, CA
• Worker’s Classification and Mechanic’s Lien Workshop- Corona, CA
• AIA Contracts- Santa Ana
• AIA Contracts- Santa Ana
• Key Construction Contract Terms
• Contractual Risk – What You Need to Know Before You Bid Your Next Project and The Ins and Outs of Bonding – How to Get What You Want.
• How to Win the Battle of the Construction Experts
• CAL PASC – Contract Council Meeting
• AB 2738 and Crawford vs. Weather Shield
• AIA Contracts- Santa Ana
• AIA Contracts- Pasadena
• Public Contracts and Procurement Regulations in California