Nanthakoun (Nan) Santivong is a dynamic litigation paralegal on the trial team at Colman Perkins Law Group at the Glendale, California headquarters.

Career snapshot
Nan has spent more than 18 years in the legal or corporate cross-functional setting. He brings extensive knowledge and expertise to helping manage cases to settlement or trial with a focus on defense verdicts for Colman Perkins clients.

Through his professional experience, Nan honed a multitude of skill sets—from managing offices, departments and people (3 to 1,500) to projects, trials and clients.

His subject matter proficiency began in trusts and estates, then moved on to landslide cases, trademark and business model infringement, corporate litigation and toxic tort cases (now called mass tort). He worked closely with national corporate counsel and was an in-house paralegal/compliance manager. Nan most recently acted as C-suite VP of risk management, compliance and legal departments.

One percent better every day
Nan is a student of life and shares a ‘beginner’s mind,’ (shoshin in Japanese philosophy) through his actions. To quote Shunryu Suzuki, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” This approach helps Nan live by his maxim of becoming “one percent better every day” in his professional and personal life.

Working on better version of himself
Nan enjoys athletics and when his long-awaited growth spurt never arrived, he pivoted to being an athletic supporter and focused on a career in law. Although he means business in his career, Nan doesn't take himself too seriously. In fact, he finds humor everywhere. When not working on a better version of himself, he likes to take long walks on short piers. Nan never has FOMO because he’s enjoying living today.