Nicole joined Reed Smith's Virginia Government Relations Team after several years working for the Virginia legislature. She enjoys helping clients have positive and productive interactions with state government. Nicole focuses on administrative practice before all state agencies and legislative and lobbying practice before the Virginia General Assembly, the Governor’s Office, and the Office of the Attorney General. Her work for clients regularly includes drafting legislation, creating and implementing legislative strategies, testifying before legislative committees, lobbying legislators and other government officials, and developing creative solutions to help solve problems within state and local government.
Nicole often assists clients with questions regarding model and uniform laws, frequently analyzing the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or variations in model laws across states and how they may impact client business. Nicole also represents clients seeking licensure or certification from various executive branch agencies and has assisted firm clients in interactions with the Department of Education, the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, the Department of Taxation, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy.
Prior to joining Reed Smith, Nicole was an attorney with the Virginia Division of Legislative Service where for five years she drafted legislation for all members of the General Assembly and served as Counsel to the Senate Finance Committee and the House and Senate Committees on Transportation of the General Assembly and their respective chairpersons. During that time she drafted hundreds of pieces of legislation including drafting and managing the revision and recodification of a Title of the Code of Virginia. Prior to her work for the Virginia legislature, Nicole worked for the Florida Senate and the Virginia Office of the Attorney General.
Nicole participates in Reed Smith’s Women’s Initiative Network and is the Richmond office’s ReturnRS Liaision, supporting and assisting attorneys preparing for, taking, and returning from parental leave.
Nicole has been a volunteer with the Junior League of Richmond for 8 years and previously served on the Board as the Vice President of Fund Development, overseeing all volunteer fundraising efforts. She is a member of St. Bridget Catholic Church where she serves as a lector and is a member of the adult sacrament preparation team, welcoming new parishioners to the Church. She lives in the City with her husband and daughter.
