Nicola is an England and Wales qualified Barrister and Special Legal Consultant in the Washington, DC office, where she has a broad practice in international dispute resolution. She has appeared as counsel in international commercial and investment treaty disputes, as well as in proceedings before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the International Court of Justice.
Her experience includes:
- Representing Elliott Associates LP in its successful claim against the Republic of Korea under the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement
- Representing Elliott Associates in set aside proceedings before the English Commercial Court
- Representing a subsidiary of a global asset manager in an LCIA arbitration arising out of an English law governed shareholder agreement
- Representing one of the world’s largest companies in a WIPO arbitration governed by English law concerning the use and registration of intellectual property
- Representing a glass manufacturing company in ICC proceedings concerning breach of a cross license agreement governed by New York law
- Representing an American lifestyle company in an LCIA arbitration governed by English law and parallel expert determinations relating to the buy-out of an Indian joint venture
- Representing a renewable energy company in a $200 million concession dispute governed by Rwandan law
- Representing the Republic of Vanuatu before the International Court of Justice in proceedings concerning the Legal Consequences of the Separation of the Chagos Islands from Mauritius in 1965
- Advising the UN Environment Programme in proceedings before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in proceedings concerning the Request for an Advisory Opinion submitted by the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law
- Representing the ICC International Court of Arbitration in the widely reported Halliburton Company v Chubb Bermuda Insurance Ltd case before the UK Supreme Court
Nicola is recommended for International Arbitration in The Legal 500 US 2022-2024 and in Who’s Who Legal: Future Leaders 2022-2023, highlighting her “reputation for excellence”, noting that she is “thorough and well-prepared”, “extremely smart”, and that “her knowledge of climate arbitration is impressive”. Nicola has also been ranked twice as an “Associate to Watch” and as “Up and Coming” by Chambers USA (2022-2024), and praised as “highly effective”, “a fabulous lawyer”, “able to explain technical scientific phenomenon”, and “prepared, unflappable on her feet”.
She is a member of the CPR Y-ADR’s Steering Committee, the ICCA Task Force on Gender Diversity in International Arbitral Appointments and Proceedings, and sits on the Board of ArbitralWomen. Prior to joining Three Crowns, Nicola worked as Assistant Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
Nicola has been the Legal Secretary to the International Tennis Federation Ethics Commission for more than five years and has led numerous investigations into ethical complaints in sport. She also has an active pro bono practice and for over ten years has provided legal support to developing country negotiators and NGOs attending the international climate change treaty negotiations.
Nicola holds degrees from the University of Cambridge, Imperial College, London, and University College, London.