Nathan Otis

I have been practicing law since 2010.  Before beginning my legal career, I spent three years working in Austin, Texas as a sales representative and corporate trainer for Dell, Inc.  Upon graduating summa cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School, I entered the legal field by accepting a Federal Clerkship with the Honorable Robert W. Pratt, District Court Judge for the Southern District of Iowa.  In this position I honed my knowledge of the federal criminal law, working on criminal cases involving charges for Felon-in-possession of a firearm,  Possession and/or distribution of child pornography, and Manufacturing and/or delivering controlled substances. I also developed an expertise in applying the complex federal sentencing guidelines.  One of the cases I worked on,United States v. Burrage, was decided by the United States Supreme Court during its previous term.   

Upon completing my Federal Clerkship, I returned to Madison where I initially worked as a Special Prosecutor for the Dane County District Attorney's Office.  As a prosecutor, I primarily handled OWI and other traffic cases, learning the intricacies of Wisconsin's drunk driving laws.  I also handled a variety of felony and misdemeanor cases ranging from battery to theft.  This position afforded me the opportunity to learn the practices and procedures used by prosecutors, and to refine my litigation skills, as I appeared in court on a daily basis. 

Since joining Nicholson & Gansner in January of 2013, I have represented clients in a variety of criminal and family matters.  The majority of his practice focuses on criminal defense, where I represents individuals facing a wide array of charges, including OWI, Drug possession and distribution, Domestic-abuse related offenses, and fraud.  

I have secured the dismissal of all charges for clients in OWI cases in both Madison Municipal Court and Dane County Circuit Court, as well as the dismissal of all charges for various clients charged with domestic-abuse crimes such as battery, disorderly conduct, and criminal damage to property.  My recent successes include obtaining a not-guilty verdict for a client falsely charged with second-degree sexual assault of a child, and securing nearly $100,000 in compensation for the estate of an individual who was wrongfully convicted and incarcerated for a crime he did not commit.  

I also devote a substantial amount of my practice to family law.  In this capacity, I have assisted clients in matters including divorce, establishing paternity and child-placement, child-support modification, and obtaining guardianship of minors.  I knows the difficulties, pitfalls, and limitations that exist when trying to solve familial problems using the legal systems.   Because of this, I assists clients in identifying and prioritizing their interests, and helps them focus on achieving their big-picture family and financial goals.