Biography
Nicole is a solicitor in the commercial disputes team, advising individuals and businesses on a broad range of complex disputes.
Nicole's experience lies in contractual and shareholder disputes, injunctions and other urgent applications, as well as matters involving intellectual property and brand protection. She has a particular interest in sports law and regulation, with a focus on the regulatory, disciplinary and governance issues affecting athletes, sporting organisations, clubs and other participants across the sector.
Before joining Ashfords, Nicole trained at an independent UK law firm through the solicitor apprenticeship route, combining academic study with hands-on legal experience from an early stage in her career. This provided her with a strong grounding in commercial dispute resolution and a practical understanding of clients' legal and commercial objectives.
Alongside her legal practice, Nicole has an extensive sporting background. She is a former England and Great Britain junior international hockey player, having represented England at age-group level and within the Senior Elite GB Development Squad. She currently competes in the England Hockey National League.
Nicole's sporting background brings first-hand insight into the sporting environment and the challenges faced by athletes and sporting bodies alike. Nicole is also a former participant of the Global Law in Sport mentoring programme.
Relevant experience
Advising on breach of contract claims arising from the supply of goods and services, working across all stages of the litigation process including pre-action correspondence, issuing proceedings, disclosure, expert evidence and mediation, with a number of cases successfully resolved through settlement.
Acting for corporate clients in a range of commercial disputes, including shareholder disputes, breaches of directors’ duties and allegations of company mismanagement.
Acted for a charity and a non-departmental public body in issuing letters before action relating to the misapplication of trust funds, resulting in full recovery of the misappropriated sums within the specified timeframe and without the need for further proceedings.
Acting for a leading running shoe brand in a claim for trade mark infringement and passing off.
Acted for a quasi-government body in a damages inquiry for breach of contract and copyright and database right infringement.
Working on multi-jurisdictional civil recovery matters concerning portfolios of assets worth hundreds of millions of pounds, including advising on dual criminality, asset tracing across jurisdictions and issues of mutual legal assistance.
Acting for a Claimant in successfully obtaining a form of injunctive relief and in doing so setting legal history by relying on previously untested law in England & Wales.
Completed in-house secondments, working alongside the clients' litigation teams.
