Nick Colella is a partner with Lynch Carpenter in the firm’s Pittsburgh office. A Western Pennsylvania native, Nick graduated in 2012 from Penn State University before going on to earn his law degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 2017.

While in law school, he gained invaluable experience through internships with multiple private law firms and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. He was first exposed to class action litigation during his summer internship with Lynch Carpenter, assisting in data privacy matters and other complex litigation. Before rejoining Lynch Carpenter, Nick began his legal career at a boutique firm in North Florida where he represented financial institutions in regulatory and compliance matters.

Since rejoining Lynch Carpenter in 2020, Nick has advocated for his clients in matters involving consumer protection and data privacy. Most recently, Nick has helped recover millions of dollars in tuition refunds for students nationwide who attended universities that closed campus and switched to online learning due to Covid-19, including in Ramey et al v. The Pennsylvania State University, No. 2:20-cv-753 (W.D. Pa.) ($17 million settlement); Hickey v. University of Pittsburgh, No. 2:20-cv-690 (W.D. Pa.) ($7.85 million settlement); Kincheloe et al. v. University of Chicago, No. 1:20-cv-03015 (N.D. Ill.) ($4.95 million settlement); and Pfingsten v. Carnegie Mellon University, No. 2:20-cv-716 (W.D. Pa.) ($4.8 million settlement).

He has also been appointed in leadership positions in numerous data privacy matters, including in Hood v. Educational Computer Systems, Inc., No. 2:23-cv-666 (W.D. Pa.) (Interim Co-Lead Counsel); In re: BPS Direct, LLC and Cabela’s LLC, Wiretapping, MDL 3074 (E.D. Pa.) (Interim Co-Lead Counsel); In re Hankins Plastic Surgery Associates, P.C., No. 2:23-cv-824 (D. Nev.) (Interim Co-Lead Counsel); Baker v. ParkMobile, LLC, No. 1:21-cv-02182 (N.D. Ga.) (Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, $32.8 million settlement); In re USAA Data Security Litigation, No. 7:21-cv-5813 (S.D.N.Y.) (Class Counsel, $3.25 million settlement); and Jackson v. Suffolk University, No. 1:23-cv-10019 (D. Mass.) (Class Counsel, $1.25 million settlement).