Nicholas Zugaro

Nicholas “Nick” Zugaro joined McCathern’s Houston office as an Associate in 2014. His practice includes Commercial Litigation and various Bankruptcy matters. Mr. Zugaro has represented clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small local businesses and individuals. 

Mr. Zugaro’s experience includes defending a major offshore drilling company in litigation arising from a catastrophic explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He has represented numerous energy commodities and trading operations in litigation for breaches of forward contracts and fraudulent practices in energy trading matters. Mr. Zugaro has also defended an inland barge and shipping company concerning a collision and major oil spill in Galveston Bay. In addition, Mr. Zugaro has represented offshore drilling contractors in breach of contract disputes with operators and other offshore oil and gas companies.

Mr. Zugaro has represented clients in all aspects of Corporate Bankruptcy including debtors, unsecured creditors’ committees, post-confirmation trustees, and secured creditors. He has worked on teams that successfully orchestrated substantial recovery on behalf of the unsecured creditors of an offshore workboat company and modified a Chapter 11 plan for a defunct global consulting firm and ultimately obtained authority to bring directors’ and officers’ liability claims against former directors. 

Mr. Zugaro has also represented a federal housing authority in a complex bankruptcy proceeding involving competing multi-billion dollar claims, and ultimately obtained a favorable settlement. Furthermore, he has represented commodities’ trading operations in utilizing the bankruptcy safe-harbor provisions when rolling up outstanding forward contracts.             

Mr. Zugaro graduated cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center in 2009, where he served as a staff editor of the Houston Journal of International Law. Before beginning his legal career, Mr. Zugaro worked in energy trading operations with a multi-national energy company.

After finishing law school, Mr. Zugaro served as a briefing clerk to the Honorable Wesley Steen, Bankruptcy Judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Prior to law school Mr. Zugaro attended Texas A&M University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics.         

Mr. Zugaro enjoys traveling with his wife, running, cycling, and photography.