Ray Nichols

Ray Nichols
Senior Associate
Email: Ray@attorneycook.com

Ray Nichols is a member of Darrell W. Cook & Associates Litigation practice and is highly experienced at handling general litigation and trial process. He also has extensive trial and commercial litigation experience, which includes representing both commercial institutions as well as personal litigation.

Mr. Nichols served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an infantry officer. He served under two presidents primarily conducting counter narcotics operations in service with other agencies. He was trained by Marine Corps Special Operations Training Group and served in a Marine FAST unit at the early stages of its existence. He is honorably discharged and a disabled veteran.

Mr. Nichols has a degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Stephen F. State University. He graduated Cum Laude. Mr. Nichols obtained his law degree from the University of Tulsa and graduated in the top quarter of his class. He started his legal career as a prosecutor and continued from there by representing insurance companies by guiding them through coverage and litigation issues. Currently Mr. Nichols has a focus on general commercial litigation, trial work and SEC enforcement litigation. 

Representative Commercial Litigation Experience

• Insurance contractual and non-contractual liability: Represented insureds and insurers in relation to beach of coverage agreements and bad-faith claims generally for failure to cover occurrences that would other wise be covered under the policy. Representation included, marshaling evidence, pre-suit mitigation tactics, pre-litigation preparedness, litigation and trial in both state and federal court.

• Wrongful Foreclosure: Represented homeowners against major financial institutions in relation to the wrongful foreclosure of residential notes due to violation of agreements or unfair debt collections practices. Representative experience included pre-litigation negotiations and resolutions, litigation and trail.

• Misappropriation of Trade Secrets and Confidential Information: Represented several companies and defended individual employees for and against claims of stealing trade secrets or confidential information ranging from military industrial contractor claims to small business operations secrets and unfair competition claims. Representation included, marshaling evidence, pre-suit mitigation tactics, pre-litigation preparedness, litigation and trial in both state and federal court.

• Fair Standards and Labor Act (FLSA): Represented employers and employees providing them with the information they need to understand Federal minimum wage, overtime, child labor and recordkeeping requirements. Represented clients in pre-litigation negotiations and resolutions, litigation, trail and appellate work in Federal Court litigation only for overtime complaints. 

• Licensed Realtor / Broker Liability: Represented real estate agents, real estate brokers and real estate consumers in connection with liability arising from failure to disclosure material information in a real estate transaction, misrepresentations due to mishandled documentation and general failures of duties under the Texas Real Estate Licensing Act and Texas Real Estate Commission. Representation included, marshaling evidence, pre-suit mitigation tactics, pre-litigation preparedness, litigation and trial in state court.

Representative General Trial Experience

• Ray Nichols has, as a first chair, represented individuals and companies in both jury and non-jury trials in both State and Federal Court. His trial experience included law suits involving Financial Institutions, State Government, Criminal, Medical Malpractice, Real Estate Broker fraud, Violations of the FSLA, Consumer Contract disputes, Commercial Contract disputes, Personal Injury, Military Domestic Child Custody, and DSS Security Clearance. 

Representative White Collar Experience

• SEC Enforcement Actions: Represented principal of Dallas-based Client in connection with an ongoing SEC investigation and litigation regarding possible oil and gas offering fraud related to an alleged billion dollar ponzi scheme.

• Represented Dallas-based Clients in connection with investigations and litigation by SEC, FINRA DOJ, and State’s Attorney’s General into allegations of fraud in connection private business investment schemes based on secured loan agreements. 
  Representative Labor Law Experience

• Fair Standards and Labor Act (FLSA): Represented employers and employees providing them with the information they need to understand Federal minimum wage, overtime, child labor and recordkeeping requirements. Represented clients in pre-litigation negotiations and resolutions, litigation, trail and appellate work in Federal Court litigation only for overtime complaints. 
  Representative Security Clearance Experience

• Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) - DSS Clearance Challenges: Represented individuals and companies in matters involving National Security Clearance. The representation typically involved allegations brought by the government (DSS) included financial credibility, personal conduct, drug abuse allegations and criminal conduct. The defense of these matters are aggressively argued before a DOHA Judge, where witnesses are called and evidence is introduced, similar to a bench trial.