Profile
As an associate in Murphy Pearson’s San Francisco office, Nicole uses her two decades background in business and executive coaching to help make complex litigation concepts easy to understand. Engaging a vast array of communication styles, she offers a compassionate, client-centered approach, ensuring clients fully understand the litigation process and experience.
Nicole has represented attorneys in various professional liability matters. Combining her experience in HR with her current legal practice, she has represented employers, including a large manufacturer, in claims related to wage and hour, PAGA, and general employment practices under FEHA and federal statutes. She has represented contractors and subcontractors in cases including claims of breach of contract, as well as complex construction defect.
While in law school, Nicole worked in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office (Felony Preliminary Hearing Department) and the US Attorney’s Office, Northern District (Major Crimes – Misdemeanors). She frequently handled the criminal calendar, including appearances at many hearings and wrote more than thirty motions and briefs focusing on various specialties. She also acted as counsel in over twenty felony preliminary hearings.
As a co-founder of Technology4Life, a 510(c)(3) fiscal project specializing in teaching older adults how to effectively use technology, she brings extensive technical knowledge of various software platforms.
Prior to practicing law, Nicole was a Vice President, Senior HR Consultant, for Wells Fargo Bank, Inc. In that role, she provided nationwide personnel support for the Private Investment Group (nearly 2,000 team members) in areas such as employee relations, labor law, succession planning, management learning and development, executive coaching, benefits, compensation design, and organizational development.
Experience
Litigation
- Represented insured attorneys in various malpractice litigation matters related to real estate, family law, and trust and estate matters.
- Represented large manufacturing employer in wage and hour claims, as well as PAGA claims, and employment practices claims under FEHA and federal statutes.
- Represented major contractor in multiple cases involving breach of contract related to several large projects in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, resulting in successful settlement.
- Represented building subcontractor in complex construction defect matter.
Affiliations
- Technology4Life, a 501(c)(3) fiscal project specializing in teaching older adults how to use technology
- Co-founder
- Instructor – designed and delivered more than 200 technology courses in locations throughout Marin County
- Girl Scouts of America
- Volunteer
Presentations
Nicole has extensive experience presenting for such organizations as the Rotary Clubs throughout Marin, Marin County Senior Fair, Well Connected (online education platform), and she has conducted several employee trainings on topics such as communications, performance evaluations, and diversity. In addition, she has been a technology instructor designing and developing hundreds of training courses through the College of Marin and the nonprofit Technology4Life.
Education
J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law
B.A., English Literature, Middlebury College, Summa Cum Laude
Continuing Education, Religious Studies, Stanford University