Shane B. Nichols

Associate  / Chicago

Shane Nichols is has spent his entire career litigating general and commercial aviation matters throughout the country, providing him with the expertise necessary to address the complex and unique situations that inevitably arise in the aviation industry. Shane’s experience includes the representation of component part manufacturers, airlines, airport service providers, and maintenance facilities in intricate matters involving wrongful death, personal injury, and commercial disputes. He has also provided guidance to various entities within the aviation industry on regulatory compliance, risk assessment and management, and pre-suit dispute resolution. His efforts extent from pre-suit investigation through trial and have resulted in numerous favorable outcomes for clients.

Shane is particularly adept at handling the complexities of aviation litigation through his ability to effectively navigate the ever-changing legal landscape and apply it to the specific circumstances presented in order to achieve an appropriate and pragmatic solution to each client’s individual needs. Shane understands that there is no “one size fits all” approach to aviation litigation, and it is with this understanding that he utilizes his skillset to achieve favorable results in litigation.

Shane is a 2008 graduate of the University of Arizona. He earned his J.D. and graduated cum laude from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois in 2013. While in law school, Shane worked as a law clerk for a firm specializing in aviation, was a contributing member of The John Marshall Law Review, and competed in several mock trial competitions through the trial advocacy program.

  • John Marshall Law School, J.D. 2013
    University of Arizona, B.A. Journalism 2008
  • Illinois, 2013
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2014

Shane was named to the Illinois Rising Stars list in both 2021 and 2022, which is a distinction that only the top 2.5% of attorneys in Illinois received.

Some of the notable matters in which Shane has participated over the years include:

  • The defense of a large, multinational avionics provider in mass-tort wrongful death litigation arising from the high-profile crashes of two commercial airlines;
  • The defense of a general aviation aircraft manufacturer that marketed a light sport aircraft, in a case arising from an accident in which the pilot fell out of the aircraft in flight, allegedly due to a defective canopy latch system;
  • The defense of numerous general aviation aircraft component manufacturers in wrongful death litigation arising from both domestic foreign accidents requiring application of foreign and international law.

Shane B. Nichols

E: [email protected]
T: 312.728.4902
F: 312.728.4950

10 South LaSalle Street
Suite 3400
Chicago, IL 60603

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