Nathan Campbell is a trial lawyer representing both plaintiffs and defendants. In 2023 alone, he tried a six-week jury trial, helped secure a unanimous $32.5 million verdict for his clients, had one day off, and then began a four-week jury trial, defeating a $30 million claim for another client.
While focusing on complex commercial litigation, Mr. Campbell handles cases in many areas, including healthcare, oil and gas, trade secrets, executive employment, and construction.
Peer-review and other publications have repeatedly recognized Mr. Campbell for his practice. He has been named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” for commercial litigation every year since 2021. This is a national peer review award. He has also been named as a Texas Rising Star, compiled by Thomson Reuters’ Texas Super Lawyers, every year since 2021. Mr. Campbell is a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow.
A Harvard Law grad, Mr. Campbell was an article editor of the Harvard Journal of Law & Technology in law school and volunteered as a student attorney at the Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project.
Prior to law school, Mr. Campbell served as a paralegal in the Boston office of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, where he assisted in False Claims Act investigations and litigation.
Mr. Campbell is also a graduate of the College of Holy Cross and completed intensive post-graduate Mandarin language training at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan.
Nathan Campbell is a trial lawyer representing both plaintiffs and defendants. In 2023 alone, he tried a six-week jury trial, helped secure a unanimous $32.5 million verdict for his clients, had one day off, and then began a four-week jury trial, defeating a $30 million claim for another client.
While focusing on complex commercial litigation, Mr. Campbell handles cases in many areas, including healthcare, oil and gas, trade secrets, executive employment, and construction.
Peer-review and other publications have repeatedly recognized Mr. Campbell for his practice. He has been named to “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” for commercial litigation every year since 2021. This is a national peer review award. He has also been named as a Texas Rising Star, compiled by Thomson Reuters’ Texas Super Lawyers, every year since 2021. Mr. Campbell is a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow.
A Harvard Law grad, Mr. Campbell was an article editor of the Harvard Journal of Law & Technology in law school and volunteered as a student attorney at the Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project.
Prior to law school, Mr. Campbell served as a paralegal in the Boston office of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, where he assisted in False Claims Act investigations and litigation.
Mr. Campbell is also a graduate of the College of Holy Cross and completed intensive post-graduate Mandarin language training at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan.
Representative Results
- In 2023, a Harris County jury awarded AZA’s energy client $2.4 million in attorney’s fees in a breach of contract case arising from a $90 million asset purchase. The seller sought approximately $30 million from Mr. Campbell’s client but took nothing. Mr. Campbell presented at opening, and took such key witnesses as the client’s Chief Financial Officer, and the opposing party’s damages expert.
- In 2023, after a complex six-week case involving the construction of Houston Midtown apartments, a Harris County jury awarded Mr. Campbell’s clients $32.5 million. Mr. Campbell presented at opening, argued during closing, and presented or cross-examined five witnesses.
- In 2022, Mr. Campbell helped try and win a multimillion dollar three-week jury trial involving breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty on behalf of a national energy company.
- In 2021, the Supreme Court of Texas affirmed the Second Court of Appeals’ judgment enforcing an arbitration provision, which paved the way for the firm’s client to proceed against its counterparty to recover in excess of $15 million under an indemnity provision. Mr. Campbell helped draft the appellate briefing.
- In 2021, Mr. Campbell successfully settled a case for a commercial property owner and management company on a seven-figure premises liability lawsuit.
- In 2020 and 2018, Mr. Campbell successfully defended motions for summary judgment on two separate eight-figure claims, in which he primarily drafted the briefing and argued the defense at the summary judgment hearings. One case involved executives seeking compensation and benefits from their current employer. The second involved a mixed-use property developer seeking damages against a contractor and a surety on an over $60 million project.
- In 2020, Mr. Campbell cross-examined two key witnesses, directly examined a third, and delivered closing arguments in an international commercial arbitration over a commodity trading dispute. In addition to awarding his client damages, the arbitration award quoted Mr. Campbell’s cross-examination of the opposing party’s principal when disposing of an entire counterclaim in favor of Mr. Campbell’s client.
- In 2019, Mr. Campbell was lead counsel in a successful bench trial on attorney’s fees and declaratory judgment in a tech start-up investor dispute. The Court found that the firm’s client was entitled to preferred stock rather than common stock, as the defendant was arguing.
- In 2019, he successfully argued and defended summary judgment for briefing on land-use restrictions where he was the primary author. Following the summary judgment hearing, the judge unexpectedly indicated that he wanted to conduct a bench trial on the case in five days. Mr. Campbell led the trial preparation efforts and showed up ready to try the case on the fifth day. The opposing party caved in a settlement favorable to Mr. Campbell’s client before opening statements. The result was the preservation of a century-old deed restriction that has helped maintain the aesthetic and charm of a Montrose neighborhood from a developer threatening to sue neighbors and the civic association who were attempting to enforce the restrictions. This matter was handled on a pro bono basis.
- In 2018, the firm’s client was awarded damages in an arbitration after the respondent ordered specialty-manufactured goods used in oil field services and did not pay for them.
- In 2017, Mr. Campbell successfully excluded an opposing party’s expert after deposing the expert, drafting the motion to exclude, and arguing the motion in court. The case was a construction dispute between a property owner whose building flooded following rain and the engineer who designed the building.
- In 2016, Mr. Campbell was on the trial team for a janitorial contractor who hired AZA to end a nearly 10-year-old case against a union that lied about the cleaning company and caused the company to lose business. AZA stopped the stalling, got the case to trial, and obtained a jury verdict that, with interest added, totaled $7.8 million for the firm’s client. The case made national news.
- In 2015, National Oilwell Varco was sued for $120 million by eight former employees claiming they were treated differently because of their race. Mr. Campbell joined the trial team after the client offered a substantial settlement that was refused. The client won a take-nothing verdict in a hard-fought case where plaintiffs were represented by a high-profile civil rights lawyer.
EDUCATION
- Harvard Law School, J.D., May 2015
- Harvard Journal of Law & Technology, Article Editor
- Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project, Student Attorney
- College of the Holy Cross, B.A. summa cum laude, May 2008
- Political Science and Chinese Language and Civilization,
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Rev. George King, S.J., and Richard Keenan Prize for Proficiency in Political Science
- National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Huayu Enrichment Scholar at the International Chinese Language Program, Fall 2008 – Spring 2009
- Awarded Republic of China Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarship to pursue intensive Mandarin language training
BAR ADMISSIONS
- State Bar of Texas
- U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
HONORS AND AWARDS
- 2021 – 2023 lists of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
- 2021 and 2022 list of Texas Rising Star honors as presented by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters Business
- Texas Bar Foundation Fellow
IN THE NEWS
- AZA Names Four New Partners
- Jury Awards AZA Client Mid Main $32.5 Million in Midtown Construction Case
- Jury Refuses to Find Against Odessa Pumps; Awards It $2.4 Million
- Twenty-Six AZA Lawyers Honored as Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch
- Thirteen AZA Attorneys Earn Texas Rising Stars Honor
- CITGO Victorious in Political Venezuelan Plant Construction Case
- Seven Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2023
- AZA Beats Frivolous Anti-SLAPP Appeal in Construction Case
- Ten AZA Lawyers on Texas Rising Stars List for 2022
- Twelve Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2022
- AZA Prevails for Apache Corp. at the Supreme Court of Texas
- Eleven AZA Lawyers Make the 2021 Texas Rising Stars List
- Three More AZA Lawyers Elected Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation
- Eleven AZA Associates Make US List of ‘Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch’ for 2021
- US Supreme Court Won’t Overturn NOV Win in $120M Discrimination Suit
- AZA Wins $9M Jury Verdict in Texas Patent Infringement Case Against Motorola
- WSJ: Texas Union Fights to Stay in Bankruptcy after Losing Defamation Case
- AZA Lawyer Zavitsanos Tells Newspaper How Social Media Aids in Jury Selection
- Houston Janitorial Service Wins $7.8 Million from Union Over Disparagement
- AZA Secures Victory for National Oilwell Varco in $120 million Discrimination Lawsuit
- 9 Reasons We Are Even Stronger
- In 2023, a Harris County jury awarded AZA’s energy client $2.4 million in attorney’s fees in a breach of contract case arising from a $90 million asset purchase. The seller sought approximately $30 million from Mr. Campbell’s client but took nothing. Mr. Campbell presented at opening, and took such key witnesses as the client’s Chief Financial Officer, and the opposing party’s damages expert.
- In 2023, after a complex six-week case involving the construction of Houston Midtown apartments, a Harris County jury awarded Mr. Campbell’s clients $32.5 million. Mr. Campbell presented at opening, argued during closing, and presented or cross-examined five witnesses.
- In 2022, Mr. Campbell helped try and win a multimillion dollar three-week jury trial involving breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty on behalf of a national energy company.
- In 2021, the Supreme Court of Texas affirmed the Second Court of Appeals’ judgment enforcing an arbitration provision, which paved the way for the firm’s client to proceed against its counterparty to recover in excess of $15 million under an indemnity provision. Mr. Campbell helped draft the appellate briefing.
- In 2021, Mr. Campbell successfully settled a case for a commercial property owner and management company on a seven-figure premises liability lawsuit.
- In 2020 and 2018, Mr. Campbell successfully defended motions for summary judgment on two separate eight-figure claims, in which he primarily drafted the briefing and argued the defense at the summary judgment hearings. One case involved executives seeking compensation and benefits from their current employer. The second involved a mixed-use property developer seeking damages against a contractor and a surety on an over $60 million project.
- In 2020, Mr. Campbell cross-examined two key witnesses, directly examined a third, and delivered closing arguments in an international commercial arbitration over a commodity trading dispute. In addition to awarding his client damages, the arbitration award quoted Mr. Campbell’s cross-examination of the opposing party’s principal when disposing of an entire counterclaim in favor of Mr. Campbell’s client.
- In 2019, Mr. Campbell was lead counsel in a successful bench trial on attorney’s fees and declaratory judgment in a tech start-up investor dispute. The Court found that the firm’s client was entitled to preferred stock rather than common stock, as the defendant was arguing.
- In 2019, he successfully argued and defended summary judgment for briefing on land-use restrictions where he was the primary author. Following the summary judgment hearing, the judge unexpectedly indicated that he wanted to conduct a bench trial on the case in five days. Mr. Campbell led the trial preparation efforts and showed up ready to try the case on the fifth day. The opposing party caved in a settlement favorable to Mr. Campbell’s client before opening statements. The result was the preservation of a century-old deed restriction that has helped maintain the aesthetic and charm of a Montrose neighborhood from a developer threatening to sue neighbors and the civic association who were attempting to enforce the restrictions. This matter was handled on a pro bono basis.
- In 2018, the firm’s client was awarded damages in an arbitration after the respondent ordered specialty-manufactured goods used in oil field services and did not pay for them.
- In 2017, Mr. Campbell successfully excluded an opposing party’s expert after deposing the expert, drafting the motion to exclude, and arguing the motion in court. The case was a construction dispute between a property owner whose building flooded following rain and the engineer who designed the building.
- In 2016, Mr. Campbell was on the trial team for a janitorial contractor who hired AZA to end a nearly 10-year-old case against a union that lied about the cleaning company and caused the company to lose business. AZA stopped the stalling, got the case to trial, and obtained a jury verdict that, with interest added, totaled $7.8 million for the firm’s client. The case made national news.
- In 2015, National Oilwell Varco was sued for $120 million by eight former employees claiming they were treated differently because of their race. Mr. Campbell joined the trial team after the client offered a substantial settlement that was refused. The client won a take-nothing verdict in a hard-fought case where plaintiffs were represented by a high-profile civil rights lawyer.
- Harvard Law School, J.D., May 2015
- Harvard Journal of Law & Technology, Article Editor
- Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project, Student Attorney
- College of the Holy Cross, B.A. summa cum laude, May 2008
- Political Science and Chinese Language and Civilization,
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Rev. George King, S.J., and Richard Keenan Prize for Proficiency in Political Science
- National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Huayu Enrichment Scholar at the International Chinese Language Program, Fall 2008 – Spring 2009
- Awarded Republic of China Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarship to pursue intensive Mandarin language training
- State Bar of Texas
- U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
- 2021 – 2023 lists of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
- 2021 and 2022 list of Texas Rising Star honors as presented by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters Business
- Texas Bar Foundation Fellow
- AZA Names Four New Partners
- Jury Awards AZA Client Mid Main $32.5 Million in Midtown Construction Case
- Jury Refuses to Find Against Odessa Pumps; Awards It $2.4 Million
- Twenty-Six AZA Lawyers Honored as Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch
- Thirteen AZA Attorneys Earn Texas Rising Stars Honor
- CITGO Victorious in Political Venezuelan Plant Construction Case
- Seven Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2023
- AZA Beats Frivolous Anti-SLAPP Appeal in Construction Case
- Ten AZA Lawyers on Texas Rising Stars List for 2022
- Twelve Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2022
- AZA Prevails for Apache Corp. at the Supreme Court of Texas
- Eleven AZA Lawyers Make the 2021 Texas Rising Stars List
- Three More AZA Lawyers Elected Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation
- Eleven AZA Associates Make US List of ‘Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch’ for 2021
- US Supreme Court Won’t Overturn NOV Win in $120M Discrimination Suit
- AZA Wins $9M Jury Verdict in Texas Patent Infringement Case Against Motorola
- WSJ: Texas Union Fights to Stay in Bankruptcy after Losing Defamation Case
- AZA Lawyer Zavitsanos Tells Newspaper How Social Media Aids in Jury Selection
- Houston Janitorial Service Wins $7.8 Million from Union Over Disparagement
- AZA Secures Victory for National Oilwell Varco in $120 million Discrimination Lawsuit
- 9 Reasons We Are Even Stronger