The ankle monitor is off, he’s finalizing his divorce and his first trial isn’t scheduled until February. You don’t expect hyperactive Henry Nicholas to sit still, do you? “Nick will be active in business matters in the months ahead,” says James Brosnahan, Nicholas’ new high-powered defense lawyer. Nicholas, cofounder and former CEO of Irvine chipmaker Broadcom, presumably still will be worth the better part of a billion dollars or more after his divorce settlement. He is expected to continue making big charitable contri-butions. And now, Brosnahan says, Nicholas also ex-pects to capitalize on recession-created business opportunities. While another star litigator, Brendan Sullivan of Washington, D.C.-based Williams & Connolly, continues to handle Nicholas’ options-dating defense, Brosnahan has taken over Nicholas’ defense against federal drug charges. A senior partner in the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster, Brosnahan previously represented former Hewlett-Packard chairwoman Patricia Dunn (charges dismissed) and “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh (charges reduced), among many others. In his government days, Brosnahan prosecuted former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. Brosnahan contends the drug charges against Nicholas represent “a series of exaggerations by people who have axes to grind against Nick” and federal prosecutors “have taken lifestyle issues and tried to make them into a criminal case. It won’t work.” To counter Nicholas’ image as a reckless high-roller, Brosnahan and L.A. crisis consultant Michael Sitrick stress his charitable activities and engineering doctorate. Says Brosnahan, “Some people have not been given an opportunity to understand how much Dr. Nicholas has contributed to the community, not just in business at Broadcom but in many organizations at all levels of society. We are all entitled to the benefit of the doubt and Dr. Nicholas is such a person” …
UCI Merage ranks 25th in graduates’ earning power on the recent BusinessWeek
B-schools list. The magazine estimates the median UCI grad makes $2.3 million over a 20-year career. Harvard is highest at $3.9 million …
Matthew Morrison, Tony Award nominee and 1997 OC High School of the Arts grad, stars in Fox TV’s “Glee,” a musical comedy series that debuts May 19 after “American Idol.” Heartthrob Morrison also starred in OCSHA’s gala at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. He lauded the high school (“I was over-prepared” for New York University’s theater program), performed with current students and auctioned off two days with him on the Paramount set for $15,000 each (winning bidders Susan Samueli and Mark and Jaclyn Marinovich). The event grossed $874,000, down from last year’s record $1.1 million, but given the times, “We’re relieved,” said OCHSA’s Jeanette Harvey …
Stan Oftelie is back home and down to one tube …
Bill Lobel, bankruptcy lawyer to the fallen real estate stars, has left Irell & Manella with Mike Neue to set up his own shop in Newport Center, the Lobel Firm …
Elias Miller has a new sister and EE RR has a granddaughter: Anna Grace Miller (by Jennie Reiff and hubbie OC Fire Capt. Steven Miller), arriving early and quickly at Saddleback Memorial.
