Meet Dr. Nick Oberheiden — A Dallas-Based Attorney Focused on National Security Law, White Collar Defense, and Federal Litigation

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If you live in Dallas long enough, you’ll meet some pretty interesting people. People from all over the world congregate in the city for a variety of reasons — from professional to personal to academic — and there’s never a shortage of intriguing personalities at the local watering holes. But it’s hard to meet someone as intelligent, authentic, and humble as attorney Dr. Nick Oberheiden. 

Nick Oberheiden’s firm, Oberheiden P.C., truly is on another level. To give you an appetizer: No law firm in Dallas, in Texas, or in the United States can say that they have the former Director of the CIA, the former Secretary of State, and the former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) part of their firm. Nick does.

Despite his long list of international accolades and cinema-worthy work in international espionage, Dr. Oberheiden is as genuine as they come. Here, he breaks down how he got there, how he stays involved, and the advice he has for his younger self.

You have a very interesting career in National Security Law. What can you tell us about it, and how did you get here?

I practice National Security Law and federal litigation. Most of my cases involve the FBI and other federal agencies. Growing up in Europe, naturally, I can’t say that I planned to handle international espionage cases in Washington D.C. or Dallas. Yet I always wanted to be a lawyer. I graduated from law schools in Germany and the U.S., helped prosecute war crimes for the United Nations, and then obtained a Ph.D. in law. After practicing in New York, I started building my Dallas-based law firm, Oberheiden P.C., which has since grown from one to about 60-plus people — including several retired U.S. Secret Service and FBI agents.

What philanthropies are you involved in?

I support educational and human causes, from schools to food programs. But I always do so under one condition: anonymity. 

What motivates you, professionally and personally?

Mother nature gave me a phenomenal gift: self-motivation. I am naturally driven. I love my job. There is not a single day of regret. I literally wake up every morning as excited as if this is my first day of work. With that, I am blessed that my career gives me great independence. I don’t work for a new car or a lake house.

What is something people may not know about you?

Well, I wish I could share some of my professional secrets. Perhaps one day I will write a book in acronyms about the things or people I encounter. Personally, people who know me well would tell you that I am actually pretty funny at times. I love witty comebacks. My repertoire — diligently researched and self-created for inside and outside the courtroom — gets me through life situations seemingly spontaneous. Oh, perhaps one more thing: I love Dallas summers. July and August are my favorite months. Seriously. Heat? Bring it on!

How do you spend your free time?

I travel quite a bit. To compromise, I rarely work past 6 pm to be with my wife and three daughters. I attend swim lessons, soccer games, and gymnastics, and I can probably say that I am familiar with most princesses by now. Other than that, I read to relax and exercise to stay fit.

What’s your favorite vacation destination?

There is no easy answer. I have visited all 50 states domestically, as well as all continents. I truly find something intriguing, enriching, and novel in every place. No exception. I am happy wherever I am. I enjoyed Buenos Aires, have fond memories of many visits to Brazil, adventured through Japan and South Korea, had fun in Iceland, took my parents to Namibia, learned much in the Middle East, and equally loved hiking in Utah. So, how about Lugano?

What’s one piece of advice you have for others?

Don’t chase idols. Compete against and for yourself. 

What do you want your legacy to be?

Let’s be humble here. Legacies are for world changers and heroes. I am neither. But I would be honored if people remembered me positively. And, yes, I would be thrilled if one of my children takes over the law firm!

What’s something you would tell yourself 20 years ago?

Stop planning. Have an overall vision of what you would like to accomplish and who you want to be, but don’t try to spell out the whole story in advance. Focus on little chapters, all under a common umbrella of goals. I’ll give you an example. It would have been quite delusional for me to “plan” having the former CIA Director, Secretary of State, and former Congressional Chairmen be a part of my law firm. Today, they are. 

One wish for the world?

We all need to make our contributions to make the world a better place.