The truth about employment? Next to family, it is the most important aspect of a person’s life, their livelihood. As a partner and litigator with Johnson Heeder LLP, Nicole advocates for workers whose rights are jeopardized by race/ethnicity, age, disability, pregnancy, religious, sexual orientation, and gender discrimination, as well as sexual harassment in the workplace. Nicole also protects workers against other employment right infringements such as wage theft, medical leave law violations, and contract disputes. In addition to litigating, Nicole has extensive experience with the transactional side of employment law including contract review and negotiation for severance and other compensation agreements, as well as representation of employees in the reasonable accommodation process.  

Nicole answered her calling for employment law early on in her career. While earning her degree, Nicole worked toward enhancing employee rights. In her final year of law school, Nicole transitioned from advocating for employee benefits to anti-discrimination practice, taking an internship with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It was here that she was inspired to open a plaintiff’s employment law boutique. Upon graduation, Nicole took a position with a solo employment law practitioner before hoisting the sails of her own practice dedicated to vindicating employee rights.

With over a decade of focused labor and employment law experience, Nicole represents workers in both the public and private sectors, and served as in-house counsel for the state’s largest public sector labor union for the last four years. Where Nicole’s public sector labor experience includes administrative hearings, unfair practice charges, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, due process challenges, and other constitutional litigation, it also mirrors her private sector employment experience focusing on remedying all matters of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage theft by public entities in the civil arena. Nicole also skillfully represents state government workers in administrative hearings before the State Personnel Board, CalHR, and the Public Employment Relations Board, as well as federal government employees before the MSPB and EEOC. Nicole similarly represents local government agency employees, including county, city and special district workers, and has successfully argued before the California Court of Appeal.

Continuously recognized for her skill, advocacy and commitment, Nicole was most recently recognized in the 30th edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for her work in employment law. She was also designated as a San Diego Super Lawyer in 2023, for the third year in a row following six years of recognition as a Rising Star. Endeavoring to raise the bar and cultivate other strong lawyers in the community who provide access to justice, Nicole mentors law students and new lawyers through several law organizations and volunteers as a supervising attorney for employment law clinics.

Beyond lawyering, Nicole is an active member of the community, In leadership at several state and local level bar associations, she serves on diversity committees focused on providing opportunities to underrepresented groups in the profession, and the community at large. Nicole also dedicates much of her time to the advancement of women in law and society.

Outside of the courtroom, Nicole, an avid lover of animals, adopted a Thoroughbred mare rescued from slaughter. When not tending to her affable yet high maintenance pal, Nicole and her husband spend time traveling, enjoying food, kayaking, and taking in the sun.

Bar Admissions

• State Courts of California
• Federal District Courts: Southern District of California, Eastern District of California

Volunteer Activities

• Legal Aid at Work - Supervisory Attorney and Presenter
• California Free Legal Answers
• Cal Western SABA SALSA Mentor
• California Lawyers Association Mentor
• Lawyers Club of San Diego Law Student Mentor
• California Employment Lawyers Association Mentor
• SDCBA Diversity Fellowship Program Scorer and Mentor

Publications

• Co-Editor CLA Public Sector Employment Law Guide: Political Activities 2019-2022

Leadership

• San Diego County Bar Association:
• Board of Directors 2023-2025 
  • Leadership Academy Chair, 2022-23
  • Leadership Academy Sub-Committee 2021-2023
  • Leadership Academy Outreach Sub-Committee 2021
  • Diversity Equity and Inclusion Divsion 2012-present
  • Affinity Bar Outreach Chair 2023 
  • Strategic Planning Committee 2023 
    • Dialogue on Diversity Sub-Committee 2021-22
  • Bench-Bar Committee 2020
  • Section and Committee Council 2016-17
  • Leadership Outreach Committee 2016
  • Ambassador Liaison 2016
  • New Lawyer Division Board of Directors 2012-15
  • Chair of the Forum for Emerging Lawyers 2015
  • Board of Directors 2015
  • Membership Committee 2015
  • Council for the Integration of Emerging Lawyers 2015

• Lawyers Club of San Diego:
• Professional Advancement Committee Co-Chair 2021-2022 
  • Awards and SDCBA Endorsements Committee Co-Chair 2020-21
  • Community Services Committee Co-Chair 2016-17
    • Community Services Committee Member 2010-present
  • Diverse Women of Color Committee 2018-present
  • Gender Equity Committee 2020-present
  • Human Trafficking Collaborative 2015-16

• California Employment Lawyers Association:
  • Labor and Employment Law Section Ex Comm 2019-present
  • Diversity Committee Chair (active 2020-present)
  • Awards Committee Chair 2022-present

• Chair of the Public Sector Conference 2021
•  

Organizations

• California Employment Lawyers Association:
  • Fair Employment and Housing Commission Committee 2021
  • Barrister’s Committee 2016-2017
  • CELA Voice Guest Writer

• San Diego County Bar Association:
  • Labor and Employment Section
  • Civil Litigation Section

• California Lawyers Association:
  • Labor and Employment Law Section

Honors and Awards

• Recognized in the 30th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for Employment Law (2024)
• San Diego Super Lawyers 2021-2023
• San Diego Super Lawyers Rising Star 2015-20
• 2016 ASLA Top 40 Under 40 Labor & Employment Lawyer
• 2015 Best of the Bar – San Diego Business Journal
• 2015 Semi-Finalist San Diego Daily Transcript Top Attorney
• 2014 Finalist San Diego Daily Transcript’s Top Young Attorney
• 2014 Best of the Bar – San Diego Business Journal
• 2014 40 Under 40 – San Diego Metro Magazine
• 2014 Semi-Finalist for San Diego Daily Transcript’s Top Attorney Award – Labor/Employment
• 2013 Nominee for San Diego Daily Transcript’s Top Attorney Award – Labor/Employment
• 2013 Nominee for San Diego Daily Transcript’s Top Young Attorney Award – Labor/Employment