Meet Dr. Nick Oberheiden — A Dallas-based attorney who focuses on national security law, white-collar defense, and federal litigation

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

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

Despite his long list of international honors and his cinematic international espionage work, Dr. Oberheiden is as authentic as they come. Here, he explains how he got there, how he stays involved, and the advice he gives 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 there?

I practice national security law and federal litigation. Most of my cases involve the FBI and other federal agencies. Having grown up in Europe, I naturally cannot say that I planned to handle international espionage cases in Washington DC or Dallas. However, I always wanted to be a lawyer. I graduated from law schools in Germany and the United States, helped prosecute war crimes for the United Nations, and then earned a Ph.D. place. After practicing in New York, I began to build my Dallas-based law firmOberheiden PC, which has since grown from one person to more than 60 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 it on one condition: anonymity.

What motivates you, professionally and personally?

Mother nature gave me a phenomenal gift: personal motivation. I am naturally motivated. I love my work. There is not a single day of regret. I literally wake up every morning as excited as if it was my first day on the job. With this, I am lucky that my career gives me great independence. I’m not working towards a new car or a house on the lake.

What is something people might not know about you?

Well, I wish I could share some of my professional secrets. Maybe one day I’ll write a book in acronyms about the things or people I meet. Personally, people who know me well will tell you that I am sometimes quite funny. I love witty comebacks. My repertoire – carefully researched and created by myself for both inside and outside of the courtroom – takes me through seemingly spontaneous life situations. Oh, maybe one more thing: I like Dallas Summers. July and August are my favorite months. Seriously. Heat? Bring it on!

What do you do in your free time?

I travel quite a bit. As a compromise, I rarely work after 6 p.m. to be with my wife and three daughters. I go to swimming lessons, soccer games, and gymnastics classes, and I can probably say I know most of the princesses by now. Other than that, I read to relax and exercise to stay fit.

What is your favorite vacation destination?

There is no easy answer. I have visited all 50 states, as well as every continent. I really find something intriguing, enriching and new everywhere. No exception. I am happy wherever I am. I enjoyed Buenos Aires, I have fond memories of many visits to Brazil, I ventured to Japan and South Korea, I had fun in Iceland, I took my parents to Namibia, I learned a lot in the Middle East and also loved hiking in Utah. And Lugano?

What advice would you give to others?

Do not pursue idols. Compete against and for yourself.

What do you want your legacy to be?

Let’s be humble here. Heirlooms are for world changers and heroes. I am neither. But I would be honored if people remembered me in a positive way. And yes, I would be delighted if one of my children took over the law firm!

What would you say to yourself 20 years ago?

Stop planning. Have a big picture vision of what you’d like to accomplish and who you want to be, but don’t try to tell the whole story up front. Focus on small chapters, all under one goal. I am going to give you an example. It would have been completely illusory for me to “plan” for the former CIA Director, Secretary of State, and former Congressional Speakers to be part of my law firm. Today they are.

A wish for the world?

We must all do our part to make the world a better place.