Nathan D. Converse

Nathan guides clients through complex business disputes and government investigations through strategic counsel and tenacious advocacy.

Nate maintains a broad litigation practice but concentrates on complex business disputes, white collar criminal and regulatory defense, and internal investigations. He has experience in representing clients confronting multifaceted government investigations and parallel litigation, minority/majority shareholder disputes, internal corporate investigations and conflicts between business competitors. Specific areas of Nate’s practice include cases involving allegations of fraud, breach of contract, business torts and breach of fiduciary duty.

Nate also maintains a healthy pro bono practice and is active in causes pursuing criminal justice reform and fighting wrongful convictions.

Before joining Fredrikson, Nate was an associate at a boutique litigation firm specializing in the litigation of complex civil and white-collar criminal cases. Before that, Nate clerked for the Honorable Stephanie M. Rose, District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa and for the Honorable John D. Telleen, District Judge for the Iowa Business Specialty Court—a trial court presiding over for business, commercial and fiduciary disputes.

Business Litigation

• Obtained complete dismissal of claims brought under the Minnesota Consumer Fraud Act (CFA), Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and Fair Housing Act (FHA) through pre-answer motion to dismiss.
• Won seven-figure arbitration award on behalf of health system over insurer’s breach of contract. 
• Secured favorable settlement on the eve of trial for less than 1% of the claimant’s opening demand in international arbitration seeking $300 million for alleged fraud and breach of contract.
• Successfully defended claimant’s effort to obtain pre-award attachment and asset-freeze injunction in international arbitration.
• Obtained complete dismissal of claims at summary judgment in fraud and breach of contract claims brought by former employee and aspiring shareholder.
• Drafted successful pre-answer motion obtaining partial dismissal of lawsuit brought by former shareholder alleging fraud in prior confidential settlement agreement.

White Collar & Regulatory Defense

• Won near complete defense jury verdict on behalf of landlord in consumer fraud enforcement action brought by the state attorney general’s office.
• Represent major healthcare company in False Claims Act and Medicaid fraud investigations pursued by the Department of Justice and state attorneys general.
• Represented individual in federal criminal investigation into Small Business Association (SBA) grant applications.
• Represent local healthcare provider in ongoing regulatory compliance and investigations by state regulators.
• Advised family-owned company on implications of co-owner’s bank fraud conviction and order for restitution.
• Represented non-profit organization in criminal investigation and regulatory proceedings concerning allegations of Covid-19 federal programming fraud.
• Investigated allegations of bank fraud, false bank entries, and false statements to regulators on behalf of client facing parallel civil litigation, regulatory proceedings and a criminal investigation.
• Represented insurance company executive in internal investigation that resolved on favorable terms.

Appellate

• Represent individual challenging conviction before the Minnesota appellate courts based on unlawful search and seizure under the U.S. and Minnesota Constitutions.
• Represented domestic violence public interest groups as amicus curiae before the Minnesota Supreme Court in criminal case challenging the conviction of a woman who killed her abuser in self-defense. Due in part to the participation of the amicus in the case, the state conceded its position and the court dismissed the appeal. A link to the amicus brief can be found here.

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 2017, with distinction
  • Administrative Editor, Journal of Corporation Law
  • Appellate Advocacy I Coordinator, University of Iowa Moot Court Board
• Luther College, B.A., 2014, magna cum laude

Admissions

• Iowa, 2017
• Minnesota, 2019
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 2022
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, 2021
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 2021

Clerkships

• Clerk, Honorable Stephanie M. Rose, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
• Clerk, Honorable John D. Telleen, Iowa Business Specialty Court—a trial court presiding over for business, commercial and fiduciary disputes

• North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2023
• Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence in Administrative Law, 2017
• 7th Place Regional Advocate, Jessup Int’l Moot Court Competition, 2017
• Top Advocate and Best Oral Advocate, Appellate Advocacy II (Int’l Law), 2016
• Phi Beta Kappa, 2014

• American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, White Collar Crime Division, Member
• United States District of Minnesota Federal Bar Association, Co-Chair of Digital Communications Committee
• Minnesota State Bar Association, Member