Nicole is the founding partner of Reimann Law Group and has focused her practice on special education and civil rights since 2015. Nicole was a founding partner of Batchis Nestle & Reimann, LLC, where she practiced special education law and civil rights law from 2015. 

Nicole began her legal career at Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis in Philadelphia, where she was a commercial litigator for more than 25 years. As a partner, she represented Fortune 500 companies in a wide range of matters, including insurance coverage, federal anti-trust, contract disputes, economic torts, construction law, and products liability.  She is a highly skilled courtroom lawyer with extensive experience trying cases to verdict before judges and juries in federal and state court.  At Schnader, Nicole also had extensive experience in mediation with great success in resolving matters through alternative dispute resolution and negotiated settlements. 

The Support Center for Child Advocates recognized and honored Nicole for her efforts on behalf of children with its 2010 Distinguished Child Advocate Award.  In 2015, Nicole received the Earl G. Harrison Award for distinguished pro bono service for her representation of a young girl who had been denied the right to use her service dog in school.

Nicole brings her skills to special education and civil rights law.  Since 2015, she has devoted her practice to obtaining appropriate educational programming and placement for hundreds of students through the cooperative process outlined in the IDEA, including the IEP process, informal meetings, and manifestation determinations.  She represents students from early intervention until age 22. 

On those few occasions where the collaborative process falls short, Nicole applies her decades of litigation experience to the dispute resolution process outlined in the IDEA and implemented through Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Dispute Resolution (ODR), including mediation, hearing officer settlement conferences, discipline hearings, and due process hearings, as well as judicial review in federal court.  She has been successful in obtaining compensatory education and tuition reimbursement, has maintained place in student’s then-current (or pendent) placement, and has been successful in obtaining placement in the least restrictive environment (LRE).

Nicole has tried more than 25 special education cases to final decision and has resolved scores more after complaint and before final decision.  She brings her extensive experience in fact and expert witness preparation and cross examination to each case she tries.  Her clients routinely praise Nicole for her preparation and support of them as they navigate the litigation process. 

Nicole also brings the extensive experience from her years as a commercial litigator to her civil rights practice.  In 2017, she tried to a jury a young girl’s right under Section 504 to use her service dog in school and successfully appealed the trial court’s failure to properly instruct the jury.  See Berardelli v. Allied Servs. Inst. of Rehab. Med., 900 F.3d 104 (3d Cir. 2018).  In a matter of first impression, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held that a service dog is a per se reasonable accommodation under Section 504.  The case then settled. 

In another landmark decision, Nicole represented a young man seeking redress of a school district’s denial of his right to effective communication.  The Third Circuit reversed the district court’s judgment for the school district, holding that a denial of FAPE claim under the IDEA can be resolved through an administrative appeal but ADA and Section 504 discrimination claims seeking compensatory damages even if on the same facts, should be resolved through summary judgment and possibly trial.    See Le Pape v. Lower Merion Sch. Dist., 103 F.4th 966 (3d Cir. 2024).  The matter then settled.

Additionally, Nicole has been successful on judicial reviews of hearing officer decisions and on preliminary injunctions in federal court. See e.g., Montgomery Cty. Intermediate Unit No. 23 v. C.M., 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 168709 (E.D. Pa. Oct. 12, 2017); J.M. v. Montgomery Cty. Intermediate Unit, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49096 (E.D. Pa. Mar. 26, 2018) (attorneys’ fees); R.S. v. Lower Merion Sch. Dist., 20232023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30769 (E.D. Pa. Feb. 24, 2023) (injunction granted); T.M. v. Upper Darby School District, 2:24-cv-5418-KNS (Oct. 22, 2024) (granting injunction and ordering the District to pay tuition of $45,850 to parent-selected private school), Z.B. v. Belmont Charter School, 2:25-cv-2026-KNS (May 1, 2025) (denied charter request for injunction; ordered IEP meeting); T.D. v. Chichester School District, 2:25-cv-2520-MRP (Dec. 4, 2025) (attorney’s fees).  

Nicole lives in Wayne with her German Shepard, Lorelai (Rory), her rescue, Hank and her cat, Frankie.  

Education

• J.D., Northeastern University School of Law

• B.S., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Court Admissions

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

• United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

• United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Professional Affiliations

• Council of Parent Attorney and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA)

Publications

• The Deposition Handbook, 5th and 6th edition

nicole@reimann-law-group.com