professional bio
Athena Nilssen has dedicated her entire professional career to the representation and defense of employers, insurance carriers, and third-party administrators. Her practice focuses on litigating complex issues utilizing cutting-edge legal theories. Her background also includes several years of civil litigation experience, specifically defending healthcare providers against elder abuse claims.
Ms. Nilssen graduated from UCLA with honors in 2007, earning a B.A. in English. She then attended the prestigious Iowa Writers’ Workshop, earning a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing in 2009. Returning to Los Angeles to pursue her poetry and fiction, she took a position as a legal secretary at a prominent workers’ compensation defense firm in 2010.
What began as a way to support her creative pursuits quickly evolved into a lifelong career. Ms. Nilssen enrolled at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 2015, spending her summers working as a hearing representative and traveling throughout the state to various WCAB district offices. She graduated from law school in May 2018.
Outside of work, Ms. Nilssen is an avid reader and a licensed amateur (ham) radio operator.
Education & Memberships
2018 Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Juris Doctor
2009 University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
M.F.A., Creative Writing (Poetry)
2007 University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Bachelor of Arts (English Literature)
2018 State Bar of California
