Nathanel Ghinghis is an associate in Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek’s Litigation Department.

Education

Mr. Ghinghis received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego in 2010 where he majored in International Relations and minored in Art History. He also received his master’s from the University of St. Andrews, in Scotland where he majored in Middle East and Central Asian Security Studies. Mr. Ghinghis then obtained his law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, completing the evening program in 2023.

While in law school, Mr. Ghinghis served as Production Editor of the International & Comparative Law Journal and as President of the Art Law Society at Loyola Law School. He also received his concentration in Civil Litigation.
 

Employment Background

Before joining the firm, Mr. Ghinghis practiced at a civil litigation firm in San Diego, representing clients in a wide range of complex matters, including commercial disputes, labor and employment issues, and product regulatory compliance.

During law school, he clerked for Burris & Schoenberg, LLP, a boutique civil litigation firm renowned for recovering artworks and assets looted by Nazi authorities during World War II. The firm’s work included the infamous case Altmann v. Republic of Austria, 541 U.S. 677 (2004), which resulted in the return of priceless Gustav Klimt paintings to the firm’s client, a Holocaust survivor, and inspired the film Woman in Gold. He also clerked for additional civil litigation firms, assisting in the representation of both employees and employers in matters involving Labor Code and FEHA violations, as well as Proposition 65 compliance issues for national manufacturers.

Before pursuing his career in law, Mr. Ghinghis held diverse roles in technology, global risk consulting, and international security. He served in the Israel Defense Forces, acting as a liaison to foreign military dignitaries and leading initiatives to strengthen international relations, particularly in Latin America and Africa. In the private sector, he worked at Hola Networks, where he led client outreach for a video-streaming technology, and as a threat intelligence analyst at Control Risks Group, where he served as a threat intelligence analyst supporting global security operations for a Fortune 50 company.
 

Professional Affiliations & Admissions

  • All Courts of the State of California
  • All United States Districts Courts for California
     

Community Affiliations

  • Jewish Bar Association of San Diego, Member

Publications & Speaking Engagements

  • “Restitution of Nazi-looted Art in America,” co-author, Art Law: Cases and Controversies (coming soon)

Languages

  • Hebrew (Fluent)
  • Farsi (Proficient)
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