Nicole E. Gage
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Nicole Gage, a partner in the Tucker Ellis Mass Tort & Product Liability Group, focuses her practice on civil litigation primarily in the mass tort arena.
Nicole serves as lead national counsel overseeing thousands of matters and managing local counsel in numerous jurisdictions across the country, including the so-called judicial hellholes, such as New York, Illinois, and South Carolina. Nicole develops and maintains a consistent national defense, while controlling legal spend and reducing case counts.
Nicole has extensive experience representing multinational companies in asbestos-related lawsuits, including product manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of electrical controls, aviation engines, valves, pumps, automotive components, and HVAC equipment in state, federal, and multidistrict venues. She also defends companies in general product liability cases, designing winning strategies in the defense of product defect, design defect, failure to warn, and strict liability claims.
Nicole manages matters throughout the life of the case, including through trial. Her trial experience includes second-chairing a trial and cross-examining witnesses, as well as jury selection, and drafting and arguing motions in limine. She is particularly known for her negotiating skills and is often the attorney called upon by clients to negotiate big-demand/high-risk cases to resolution in jurisdictions across the country.
Nicole lives in Berkeley with her husband and two children who keep her busy outside of work, which includes attending multiple sporting events, including volleyball. Aside from spending time with her family, Nicole enjoys cooking and traveling. Nicole is fluent in Swedish.
- Education
- Golden Gate University School of Law (J.D., 2000); Dean's List; Public Interest Award
- University of San Francisco (B.A., 1995)
- State Admissions
- California, 2000
- Federal Admissions
- United States District Court, Northern District of California
- Languages
- Swedish
- Service Areas
- Business Litigation
- Mass Tort & Product Liability
- Industries Represented
- Chemical
- Electrical Equipment
- Machinery Manufacturing
- Petroleum & Coal
- Transportation Equipment
- Utilities
- Defended automated equipment manufacturer in major trauma case involving allegations of negligence, strict liability, and breach of expressed and implied warranties
- Defended various premises owners and manufacturers in personal injury and wrongful death actions involving allegations of negligence, strict liability, and fraud
- As second chair trial counsel, tried an asbestos product liability case in Alameda County, California, resulting in non-suit
- Favorably negotiated and resolved various personal injury and wrongful death cases involving seven-figure demands
Speaking Engagements
- “Motions for Summary Judgment,” Tucker Ellis LLP, San Francisco, California (December 2016)
- Rockwell Summit, co-presenter (November 2015)
- California Minority Counsel Program
- Defense Research Institute