Nicole M. Masnica

Nicole M. Masnica is a partner and leader in the criminal, white-collar and appellate defense team at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Nicole specializes in complex trial level litigation and appeals throughout Wisconsin and in federal court in serious felonies and high-profile cases. In her practice, she has tried numerous cases to successful outcomes and has had a demonstrated, accomplished motion practice from the outset of her career. Nicole has assisted countless individuals to challenge their convictions on both direct appeal and in habeas claims and has advocated for her clients on several occasions in oral argument before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Nicole’s primary focus is on high-profile and serious felonies, including homicide, sensitive crimes and white-collar cases. Known by her clients as a zealous and tenacious advocate, Nicole takes a “no stone unturned” approach to her practice to ensure that each and everyone of her clients has the best representation possible and can be sure that nothing was missed. Her focus and dedication to the law and her clients has resulted in many victories and successful outcomes, including full acquittals and favorable verdicts at trial in sensitive crimes matters, a high-profile homicide case aired on CourtTV, and other serious felony matters, as well as many grants of postconviction relief from both the circuit court and the court of appeals.

Nicole has taught several continuing education courses on topics ranging from the role of technology in criminal prosecutions, the intersection of family and criminal law, developments in criminal procedure, advocacy strategies in self-defense and homicide cases, and criminal appellate practice. Nicole was also recently appointed an adjunct professor in trial advocacy and serves as a litigation discussion group coordinator for the Association of Women Lawyers. Nicole has appeared as a commentator on CourtTV and has been a contributor on legal issues for local publications.

In 2023, Nicole received the honor of the Kuchler-Nicholson-Stilling Sensitive Crimes Award from the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and was named as “Rising Star in the Law” and “Notable Litigator and Trial Attorney” by BizTimes Media in Milwaukee. Nicole was a recipient of the “Up and Coming Lawyer” award by the Wisconsin Law Journal, has been named a “Best Lawyer” in The Best Lawyers in America publication, a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyer magazine, was a finalist for the Wisconsin Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, and was the recipient of the Waukesha Bar Association scholarship while in law school.

Outside of the courtroom, Nicole is an active member of her community, dedicating her time to a number of worthy causes, including the American Cancer Society, Elm Grove Junior Guild and Association of Women Lawyers.