Nicholas Bustamante is a skilled and passionate criminal defense attorney based in Phoenix, Arizona with a focus on appeals.

A proud Phoenix native, he is a Brophy College Preparatory Alumnus, and received an Undergraduate Degree in Political Science and a Masters in Justice Studies from Arizona State University before pursuing his legal education at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

During law school, Nicholas demonstrated his commitment to justice and advocacy by serving as an associate editor of the Law Journal for Social Justice. He also honed his appellate skills, earning first and second-place honors at the prestigious Hispanic National Bar Association Moot Court Competition.

Nicholas’s dedication to defending individual rights led him to intern at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Florence Immigrant Rights and Refugees Project, and clerk for the Capital Habeas Unit at the Arizona Federal Public Defenders. These experiences solidified his passion for protecting the rights of the marginalized.

After earning his law degree, Nicholas began his career as a public defender with Maricopa County, where he represented hundreds of clients facing criminal charges. His time in this role provided invaluable experience, advocating for individuals in the courtroom and ensuring their constitutional rights were upheld.

He later joined Ballcer & Segal, LLP, where he continued to build on his criminal defense practice. Nicholas worked on major felony cases, consulted with capital penalty defense teams, and helped develop crucial legal strategies for clients facing the most serious charges. There, he also began working on appeals and post conviction relief which brought him to appear in Arizona’s Appellate Courts.

He is also a member of the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice (AACJ), Nicholas serves on the Amicus Committee, further demonstrating his commitment to advancing justice and protecting the rights of the accused in Arizona. His relentless passion for defending the rights of others continues to drive his work and contributions to the legal profession.

With a firm belief in the importance of justice, fairness, and due process, Nicholas Bustamante is dedicated to ensuring that every client receives the highest level of legal representation and is relentless in looking into every aspect of his client’s defense.