icholas Bustamante is a Phoenix native and a dedicated criminal defense and appellate attorney at Litwak Law Group. He attended Brophy College Preparatory before earning both his undergraduate degree and Juris Doctor from Arizona State University.

While at ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Nicholas distinguished himself academically and professionally. He served as an Associate Editor of the Law Journal for Social Justice and earned national recognition for his appellate advocacy, winning competitions through the Hispanic National Bar Association. During law school, he gained extensive hands-on experience through internships with the ACLU, the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, and the Capital Habeas Unit of the Federal Public Defender. He also clerked with the Capital and Appellate Units of the Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender, where he developed a strong foundation in complex criminal litigation.

Following law school, Nicholas continued his commitment to public service as a deputy public defender with the Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender. He later joined Ballecer & Segal, LLP, where his practice focused on major felony cases, appeals, and post-conviction relief. Nicholas subsequently brought that experience to Ybarra Maldonado Law Group, where he combined high-level criminal defense and appellate work with a dedication to serving the Spanish-speaking community.

Nicholas is admitted to practice in Arizona State Courts, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In  addition to municipal, state and federal trial experience, he has successfully litigated appeals before the Arizona Appellate Courts, the Ninth Circuit, and the Board of Immigration Appeals.