He was a special attorney for the Lands Division of the United States Department of Justice from 1938 to 1941.
[1] Nichols was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on June 16, 1964, to a seat on the United States Customs Court vacated by Judge Irvin C. Mollison.
[1] Nichols was nominated by President Johnson on October 6, 1966, to the United States Court of Claims, to a new seat authorized by 80 Stat.
He was reassigned by operation of law to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on October 1, 1982, to a new seat authorized by 96 Stat.
His service terminated on Friday, January 26, 1990, due to his death from heart attack at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.[1][2]