Nathan D. Alder

Nate Alder litigates, tries, and resolves complex civil cases. His focus is successful outcomes for clients. He is recognized as one of the Top 100 lawyers in the five-state Intermountain West (Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming), and as one of the Top 25 lawyers in Salt Lake City (Super Lawyers/Thomson Reuters). Utah Business magazine has named him one of the state’s “Legal Elite” and as one of the state’s top mediators. He received his peer-reviewed AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell in 2005. Nate has served as the elected president of the Utah State Bar (2008-2009), the 16-state Western States Bar Conference (2012-2013), and the National Caucus of State Bar Associations (2014 – 2015).

Nate is a leader and currently serves on: the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission (appointed by Governor Herbert); House of Delegates, American Bar Association; Executive Council, National Conference of Bar Presidents; Utah State Bar Commission; and the Salt Lake City Police Foundation Board of Directors. His past service includes two Utah Supreme Court advisory committees, an ABA standing committee, the Utah Council on Conflict Resolution (chair), Utah’s Dispute Resolution Section (chair), Utah’s Young Lawyer’s Division (president), the Personal Injury Section of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society (chair), and Utah State Bar Commission (elected commissioner).

AREAS OF PRACTICE

• Commercial Litigation and Crisis Management: Advises and represents individuals and corporations in commercial cases and hot button disputes. Representative matters include:
  • Represented corporations and professionals in matters involving joint ventures, asset purchases, licensing and intellectual property claims, non-competition agreements, fiduciary obligations, theft, proprietary information, and business contracts and commercial leases
  • Represented an international corporation in a mass shooting case
  • Defended national software company being prosecuted by the State of Utah for antitrust violations
  • Served as Special Master in a major commercial dispute
  • Hired by political party to handle TRO relating to an election
  • Hired by a foreign government to enforce international treaty provision
  • Responded to accident scenes to preserve evidence and establish litigation strategies.
• Professional: Handles cases regarding professionals, including claims against lawyers, medical providers, insurance brokers, engineers, designers, financial executives, board members, and corporate officers. Representative matters include:
  • Assisted physician in obtaining reinstatement of license
  • Defended engineers in soils testing / construction case
  • Resolved dispute between insured and broker regarding representations about coverage
  • Resolved claims against medical providers
  • Defended board chairman, CFO, and other leaders of corporations in fiduciary cases
• Catastrophic Personal Injury: Handles cases involving traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, wrongful death, eye injuries and other significant injury claims. Representative matters include:
  • Obtained seven-figure settlement for injured plaintiff with mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury who was able to return to work and receive promotions
  • Obtained seven-figure settlement for plaintiff involved in auto-pedestrian accident
  • Obtained seven-figure settlement for plaintiff in motorcycle accident
  • Obtained multiple settlements for family members in vehicle rollover accidents
  • Obtained six-figure settlement for plaintiff injured in equestrian accident
  • Obtained significant six-figure policy limits settlement for ankle injury
  • Obtained policy limits and other significant settlements for dog attacks
  • Obtained numerous policy settlements for injured drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists in auto accidents
  • Obtained seven-figure settlement in highway design case
• Product Liability Defense: Defends cases involving motor vehicles, machinery, appliances, chemicals, tools, household items, exercise equipment, furniture, component parts, agribusiness, and other claims involving manufacturing processes, design, warnings, and fines. Representative matters include:
  • Defended automaker in various claims involving rollover protection, roof crush, safety restraint, air bag deployment, stability handling, sudden acceleration, etc.
  • Defended fertilizer companies in multi-million dollar crop destruction claims
  • Defended product manufacturers in asbestos litigation
  • Defended tool manufacturer in alleged defect claim arising from eye injury
  • Defended parts manufacturer in multi-million dollar brain injury claim
  • Defended recreation equipment maker in spine injury case
• Dispute Resolution: Mediations with Nate are scheduled through Utah ADR Services, 801-943-3730,www.utahadrservices.com. Nate is a Qualified Mediator (Utah State Court Roster of Mediators) and received his mediator training at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University’s School of Law in Malibu, California.

Admitted to practice in all Utah state and federal courts, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, U.S. Supreme Court

• Indiana University-Bloomington School of Law, J.D., 1995

• Indiana University-Bloomington School of Public and Environmental Affairs, M.P.A., 1995

• Utah State University, Bachelor of Arts, University Honors, cum laude, Phi Kappa Phi, 1991

• Dixie State College, Associate of Arts, summa cum laude, Phi Theta Kappa, 1988

• AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 2005 to present
• “Top 100 Lawyers” in the Intermountain West (Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming), Super Lawyers Magazine/Thomson Reuters, 2011-2014
• “Utah Legal Elite” recognition by Utah Business magazine. Recognitions include: Civil Trial, 2006; Personal Injury, 2004, 2005, 2007-2011, 2013; Pro Bono, 2005; Mediator, 2012
• “Super Lawyer” recognition, 2007-2014
• Raymond S. Uno Award for the Advancement of Minorities in the Legal Profession, 2011
• “Top 25 Lawyers” in Salt Lake City, Super Lawers/Thomson Reuters, 2012, 2013

• President, National Caucus of State Bar Associations, 2014-2015
• President, Western States Bar Conference, 2012-2013
• President, Utah State Bar, 2008-2009
• Co-founder, Dispute Resolution Section, Utah State Bar
• Chair, Utah Council on Conflict Resolution, 2010-2011
• Board of Bar Commissioners, Executive Committee, Utah State Bar, 2003 – 2010
• Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Professionalism, 2001 – 2014
• Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on New Lawyer Training, 2010 – 2014
• Standing Committee on Professionalism, American Bar Association, 2011- 2014
• American Bar Association, Sections: Tort Trial and Insurance Practice; Litigation; Dispute Resolution
• Judge Pro Tem, Salt Lake City Justice Court, 2002 – 2008
• Bar Examiner, Utah State Bar, 2003 – 2007
• Defense Research Institute
• Salt Lake County Bar Association
• Federal Bar Association, Utah Chapter
• Utah Defense Lawyers Association
• Utah Association of Justice
• Brain Injury Alliance of Utah
• ALFA International

• Speaker, “Negotiations: Why the Deal is the Real Deal,” Utah Council on Conflict Resolution, 2012
• Speaker, “Deposing a Brain Injured Plaintiff,” Brain Injury Conference, 2012
• Speaker, “New Lawyer Training,” Western States Bar Conference, 2012, Nevada
• Presenter, “Evidence Seminar: Experts,” National Business Institute, 2012
• Presenter, “Personal Injury 101: Damages, Liens, Insurance,” National Business Institute, 2012
• Speaker, “Anatomy and Physiology for Attorneys,” National Business Institute, 2011
• Speaker, “Professional Practice Pointers,” Utah State Bar, 2011, 2012
• Presenter: “New Lawyer Training,” Oregon State Bar, 2010
• Speaker: “Oral Persuasion for Lawyers,” Utah State Bar, 2010
• Speaker, “Brain Injury: A View from Both Sides of the Fence,” Brain Injury Conference, 2010
• Speaker, “Legal Writing Seminar,” Utah State Bar, 2009, 2012
• Speaker, “ADR Systems for Institutions,” Utah Council on Conflict Resolution, 2009
• Speaker, “Defense Perspectives on Brain Injury Litigation,” Brain Injury Conference, 2009
• Speaker, “Utilizing Paralegals,” Utah State Bar Annual Convention, 2008
• Speaker, “Mediation Musings: Stories, Tips, Trends,” Utah State Bar Annual Convention, 2007
• Speaker, “Rule 35 Medical Exams,” Utah Association of Justice, 2003.
• Speaker, “Direct Examination of a Neuropsychologist,” Utah Brain Injury Conference, 2003.
• Faculty, “ADR Academy,” Dispute Resolution Section, Utah State Bar, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010

• Author, “Avoiding Prohibited Statements at Trial,” Utah Trial Journal, 2012
• Author, “Are ‘Peace of Mind’ Letters Discoverable After Green v. Louder?” Utah Trial Journal 2005