Intro
Nicole focuses on government and public agency law. She assists the firm's public agency clients with various legal issues such as public contracts and procurements, legislation, revenue measures, governance laws, and ethics issues, including conflict of interest analyses. She regularly attends client board meetings and advises on the preparation of board agendas, staff reports, resolutions, ordinances, and meeting minutes.
Nicole has particular expertise in public contracting, including assisting transit clients in developing contract templates for federally funded procurements and providing guidance and advice in responding to FTA audits. She also assists clients with complex procurements and infrastructure projects, including complex design-build agreements. Nicole helps clients, both public and private, navigate unique project delivery challenges in the public contracting arena. She drafts and advises clients on contracts in areas including public works, the purchase of goods and services, funding agreements, and real property.
Nicole also provides client trainings on government ethics laws, Brown Act, and Public Records Act compliance.
Areas of Focus
Education
Academic Distinction
CALI Award, Legal Writing and Research, Constitutional Law II
Witkin Award, Constitutional Law II
Moot Court Class, Best Oral Advocate
Tony Patiño Fellow
Admissions and Courts
Role
Pro Bono Committee, Member
MMANC Women’s Leadership Summit, 2016 & 2017 Planning Committee Member
"Special Districts and Drones: What Public Officials Need to Know About Unmanned Aerial Vehicles," author, California Special District Magazine (March-April 2020)
"Chapter 7: Public Contracting," reviewer, Municipal Law Handbook (2016)
"The Wild West of Commercial Drones–Why 2015 Could Be a Pivotal Year in California," co-author, Public Law Journal (May 2015)
"Where the Rubber Hits the Road: Procurement Strategies and Critical Terms and Conditions in Transit Acquisitions," panelist, APTA's Legal Affairs Seminar (March 2025)
"The Do's and Don'ts of Hydrogen Deployment," co-presenter, California Transit Association Fall Conference (November 2024)
"Progressive Design-Build and Design-Build on Public Infrastructure Projects: New Legislation and Case Studies
"Trends in FTA Compliance: Vehicle Procurements and Triennial Reviews," APTA 2024 Legal Affairs Seminar (February 2024)
"Understanding Public Service Ethics Laws and Principles (AB 1234) - CSAC" Institute for Local Government (November 2020)
"Special Districts and Drones: What Public Officials Need to Know about Unmanned Aerial Vehicles," California Special Districts Association (September 2019)
"Guns on Transit," APTA 2019 Legal Affairs Seminar (February 2024)
AB 1234 Training, New Mayors and Councilmember Academy (January 2019)
AB 1234 Training, Planning Commissioners Academy (March 2018)
"Cities and Drones: What City Leaders Need to Know about Unmanned Aerial Vehicles," National League of Cities City Summit (November 2016)
"Federal and State Law: Use and Regulation of Drones by Counties," Rural Counties Representatives of California Annual Meeting (September 2016)