Nicholas Walter Hornberger

January 20, 1946 – September 1, 2026

Nicholas Walter Hornberger, 80, passed away peacefully in the early morning of September 1, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona, with his family at his bedside in his final days. A brilliant trial attorney, a proud Marine, a devoted father, and the ultimate storyteller, Nick lived a life defined by intellect, warmth, and an extraordinary ability to make every person he met feel like the most important one in the room.

Early Life & Education

Nick was born on January 20, 1946, in Berkeley, California, to William and Ella Hornberger, a fifth-generation Californian on his father’s side. He had a happy childhood in the Oakland Hills, surrounded by extended family, his two sisters Heidi and Lori, and a tribe of close friends. He graduated from Skyline High School in 1963.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1968. But Nick quickly realized that a life spent in a lab would bore him, and he needed a stage, an audience, a challenge. He began his working life as a technician at a San Francisco chemical lab while attending law school at night at the University of San Francisco. In June 1972, he graduated with a Juris Doctor; he passed the California State Bar the following December. His scientific training would serve him well, and he brought a rigor and precision to the courtroom that few could match.

Military Service

Nick proudly served in the United States Marine Corps. The discipline, courage, and sense of duty he developed as a Marine stayed with him for the rest of his life, and in the courtroom, in his community, and in the way he showed up for the people he loved.

A Legendary Legal Career

In 1973, Nick moved to Southern California, joining the firm Shield & Smith where he began his career as a civil defense attorney. In 1992, he founded his own firm, Hornberger and Brewer LLP, with his longtime legal partner Michael Brewer. Their practice focused on civil plaintiff’s law, fraud, torts, contract, malpractice, eminent domain, and personal injury.

The law was not just Nick’s profession...it was his passion. He was absolutely brilliant in the courtroom. The inflection of his voice, the power of his pauses, and his masterful command of a narrative could hold a jury spellbound. He thrived on the excitement of presenting a case to a judge and jury, and after winning more than a dozen multi-million-dollar verdicts for his clients, Super Lawyers ranked him among the Top Attorneys in Southern California. But those who knew him understood that no accolade could capture what it was like to watch Nick Hornberger try a case.

During his career, he was an active member of the Jonathan Club, the Federation of Insurance Counsel, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. An avid reader and a lifelong student, Nick was constantly preparing, constantly getting smarter. No matter how many years he practiced, he approached every trial with the energy of someone who still had something to prove. By the time he retired in 2016, he had practiced law, primarily in downtown Los Angeles, for four and a half decades.

Family

In 1976, Nick met Meri Angela, whom he married in 1978 in a beautiful ceremony aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach Harbor. They built a life together in Rolling Hills, California, raising two daughters, Aimee and Melissa, and a son, Jonny. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he served as President of the Rolling Hills Community Association Board.

Above all, Nick adored his children. No matter how busy he was preparing for the next big trial, he showed up to every game, every dance recital, every moment that mattered. He was that rare father who could carry the weight of a high-stakes legal career and still never miss what counted most.

After retiring, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he was cared for by his daughter Aimee and her husband Elliott. In his final years, he took pleasure in family dinners, sports events, baseball games, and watching his first grandson, Adam Nicholas, play Little League. He also treasured trips to Palm Springs to visit his daughter Melissa and son Jonny and to play with his grandchildren.

The Man Everyone Loved

Nick’s personality could fill up a room. He was the life of every party, armed with a dry sense of humor that could make anyone laugh and a warmth that made everyone feel welcome. He was the ultimate storyteller—whether recounting a courtroom victory, a Marine Corps memory, or a story from Alpha Falfa, the made-up fraternity he and his closest buddies created. Those friendships lasted a lifetime.

He loved to dance. He loved tennis and golf, and he served as head of the Rolling Hills Tennis Club. But perhaps what people loved most about Nick was the way he made you feel. It didn’t matter who you were, if you were the court stenographer or the judge, a lifelong friend or someone he had just met - Nick treated you as though you were the most important person in the world. That was his gift, and it is what those who knew him will carry with them always.

Survived By

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ella and William Hornberger, and his sister Lori Hall. He is survived by his sister Heidi Hornberger; his daughters Aimee Aguirre and Melissa Swenson; his son Jonathan Hornberger; his sons-in-law Elliott Aguirre and Joel Swenson; his daughter-in-law Rebecca (McCall) Hornberger; and his five grandchildren, Adam, Callan, Shane, Hailey, and Brandt.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

- Maya Angelou

Memorial Service

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. 

Green Hills Memorial Park & Cemetery
27501 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

RSVP is not required, but appreciated:
Aimee: 310.896.6041 | Melissa: 503.621.8510

Celebration of Life

After the Funeral service, please join our family for a Celebration of Nick's Life: brunch, cocktails, music, friends, flowers, cake, and family!

Location: The Yellow Vase @ 51 Malaga Cove Plaza in Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Date & Time: 10/24/26 from 1 pm to 4 pm  

To Send Flowers:

Please send flowers to Green Hills to be delivered the morning of 10/24/26 (otherwise they have no place to store them). You can have them delivered to:

Nick Hornberger's Memorial
27501 S. Western Ave. 
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

You can, also, order flowers from Green Hills directly by calling (310) 547-0841 or through their website.

For Loved Ones Far Away

If you can't attend in person, you may join us remotely via livestream!
Nick Hornberger's Memorial Livestream