EDUCATION

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY SCHOOL OF LAW (Boalt Hall)

Berkeley, California

J.D., May, 1988

Recipient of Prosser Award in International Law

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RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, COOK COLLEGE

New Brunswick, New Jersey

B.A.  summa cum laude, May, 1983

Degrees in Archaeology and Anthropology

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EXPERIENCE

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LAW OFFICES OF NICORA AND HESPE, LLP

Carmel, California

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Boutique law firm specializing in civil litigation, business matter, estate planning, probate and trust administration. Specializing in large, complex trust litigation practice. ​

Attorney and Managing Partner- April, 2009 – June, 2018

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LAW OFFICES OF ALBERT J. NICORA

Carmel, California

Of  Counsel- present

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MONTEREY COLLEGE OF LAW                                                           

Monterey, California                                                

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Director of Clinical Studies Program: Supervised students in Externship placements with local Judges, District Attorney’s office, Public Defender’s office, government agencies, non-profit organizations, academic settings and private law offices in order to provide law students a real-world experience to supplement and strengthen their legal education.                                                                                  

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September, 2008 – present

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PANETTA INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY

Seaside, California

 

Law School Fellowship Program Coordinator: Work with law student Fellows to conduct research and draft policy papers on local, national and international public policy issues. Assist in directing and editing Fellow’s written work. Responsible for incorporating skills-training and consensus-building component into Fellowship program.

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October, 2010 – June, 2012

March, 2009 – June, 2009

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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION/ RULE OF LAW INITIATIVE (ABA/ROLI)

Doha, Qatar

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Program Director: Responsible for developing law school curriculum for only law school in this Persian Gulf county. Worked closely with Qatari Dean and faculty from multiple Arab countries to incorporate and reconcile Common, Civil and Sharia law throughout curriculum. Coordinated ABA-level 

accreditation/assessment of law school and organized international educational conference.

 

November, 2008 – February, 2009

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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION/ RULE OF LAW INITIATIVE (ABA/ROLI)

Central Asia

 

Regional Country Director: Responsible for overseeing financial and programmatic aspects of all of         ABA/ROLI’s programs in Central Asia. (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Mentoring Chiefs of Party and assisting local and international staff, as well as liaise with USG and other funders.

 

May, 2008 - June, 2008

 

 

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION/ RULE OF LAW INITIATIVE

(Formally known as ABA/CEELI)

Azerbaijan (June, 2006 – April, 2008) and Turkmenistan (June, 2006 – October, 2007)

 

Country Director (Chief of Party): Responsible for all aspects in two countries for wide-ranging legal reform programs. Overall programmatic, administrative and financial responsibility for U.S. government funded programs (USAID, DOJ, State Dept.). Managed staff of 50 employees (local and expat) and budget of over $2 million annually. Programs included judicial reform, legal advocacy, human rights, gender rights, legal education, criminal law, and anti-corruption.  

 

June, 2006 – April, 2008

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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION/ CENTRAL EUROPEAN AND  EURASIAN LAW INITIATIVE- (ABA/CEELI)

Tajikistan

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Rule of Law Legal Specialist:  Responsible for legal education reform in this post-conflict, post-independent nation. Resided in and managed the field office in Khujand. Developed nation-wide legal programs including clinical education, curriculum reform, teaching methodologies, Jessup international moot court competition, human rights courses, Street Law, young lawyers association and student bar association.

 

July, 2005 – June, 2006

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MONTEREY COLLEGE OF LAW                                                           

Monterey, California                                                

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Dean:  Responsible for overall administration, implementation of law degree program and budget of evening law school. Manage student body of approximately 100, faculty of approximately 30 and administrative staff of 7. Responsible for academic program, administration, board of trustees, fundraising, capital campaign and community relations.  Constructed a new law school campus and created a new Mediation Center at law school.

 

November, 2002 – July, 2005   

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Adjunct Professor-Professional Responsibility: Taught required course in professional responsibilities and legal ethics to all first-year law students.  Incorporated case study method, Socratic Method and interactive teaching methodologies.

 

Summer, 2010

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Adjunct Professor of International Law:  Taught course in pubic international law.  Incorporated interdisciplinary principals though teaching law students and students from other graduate programs pursuing master degrees  in international relations.

 

Summer, 2004

Summer, 2012

 

Director of Clinical Studies Program and Adjunct Professor:  Supervised and directed weekly free Small Claims Clinic staffed by law students; designed and taught class in legal interviewing skills. Supervised student placement in private law offices, courts and government agencies. Recipient of Monterey College of Law’s Special Recognition Award- 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2002.           

 

August, 1992 – December, 2002

 

 

LAW OFFICES OF ALBERT J. NICORA                  

Carmel, California

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Managing Attorney:  Attorney in two-person law office. Specializing in Litigation, Probate, Trusts, Estate   Planning, Conservatorships and Business Law. Additionally, responsible for budgeting, staff supervision and all aspects of office administration.      

 

January 2002 – November, 2002

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LEGAL SERVICES FOR SENIORS        

Seaside, California

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Executive Director: Responsible for overall administration and budget of a 14 employee, $600,000, non-profit legal aid office. Maintained litigation caseload, supervised legal and non-legal staff, fund raising, program development and community relations.

 

June, 1993 – December, 2001

 

Supervising Attorney:  Supervised a legal staff of 7 in two offices.  Agency is the sole provider of legal     services to the elderly for Monterey County.

 

October, 1991 – June, 1993

                       

 

MONTEREY PENINSULA COLLEGE

Monterey, California

 

Adjunct Professor of Real Estate:  Taught Principals of Real Estate. An overview course of the principles,  definitions and problems of real estate.  The course meets the qualification requirement for California State Real Estate License Examination.

 

Fall, 2001

                                   

 

BET TZEDEK LEGAL SERVICES

Los Angeles, California

 

Staff Attorney:  Undertook legal direct services and litigation advocacy of all aspects of poverty law         throughout Los Angeles County. Extensive client assistance and litigation.

 

August, 1988 – September, 1991

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SPECIAL TEACHING/

TRAINING ASSIGNMENTS

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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION/RULE OF LAW INITIATIVE

Dushambe, Tajikistan                                   

 

Taught a two-day course to Tajik law professors on the Socratic Method, interactive teaching methodologies and analytical reasoning to be used in all substantive and skilled-based courses in the law school curriculum.

 

January, 2015

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UNITED STATES NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

(Center for Civil-Military Relations)

Kathmandu, Nepal

 

Subject Matter Expert at Security and Legal Reforms Seminar assisting security sector to develop portions of Nepalese draft Constitution, working closely with representatives from Nepal’s Constitutional Assembly, political parties, Army and Police forces.

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February, 2012

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UNITED STATES NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

(Center for Civil-Military Relations)

Santiago, Chile

 

Designed and taught a week-long seminar in comparative legal studies and teaching methodology to Chilean military officers and law professors. 

 

August, 2004

 

 

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION/ RULE OF LAW INITIATIVE

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Dushanbe, Tajikistan  —  June, 2008

 

Taught religious professors at Islamic University the use of modern teaching techniques in order to increase analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills of student body.  Additionally, taught seminar to law professors at state-run university on interactive teaching methodologies to be used in law school trial advocacy courses.                 

 

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Kiev, Ukraine  —  September, 2007

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Co-taught a thee-day course to Ukrainian law professors on interactive teaching methodologies and analytical reasoning to be used in all substantive and skilled-based courses in the law school curriculum.

 

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Amman, Jordan  —  March, 2006

 

Co-taught a three-day seminar to 35 Jordanian law professors on analytical reasoning and interactive     teaching methodologies, incorporating Sharia law concepts and comparative legal studies.       

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Tbilisi and Batumi, Georgia  —  February, 2006

 

Designed and organized a number of legal clinics for two law schools in Georgia and assisted universities to incorporate practical skills training in their legal education curriculums.

 

 

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan  —  January, 2006  

 

Taught seminar to Turkmen law professors, government officials and private attorneys on international legal clinical educational models and the mechanism necessary to develop modern legal clinics.

 

 

MONTEREY COLLEGE OF LAW

Monterey, California

 

Co-taught a two-week course to law professors from Madrid, Spain on the American legal system, Socratic Method, Case Study methodology and other legal education teaching techniques.

 

May, 2005

 

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE

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YMCA OF THE CENTRAL COAST

Member Board of Directors- August, 2018-Present

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MEALS ON WHEELS OF THE MONTEREY PENINSULA

Drive of meals for elderly and home-bound- July, 2018-Present

 

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH EMISSARIES

Legal Counsel and Honorary Board Member  —  December, 2012 – Present

 

NAVY POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL FOUNDATION

Legal Counsel  —  August, 2012- September, 2017

 

MONTEREY COUNTY BAR FOUNDATION

Vice-President of Board and Board Member  —  April, 2015 – September, 2017

 

ACTION COUNCIL OF MONTEREY COUNTY

Member Board of Directors  —  April, 2009 – June, 2012

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LEADERSHIP MONTEREY PENINSULA

Member Board of Directors  —  July, 2009 – June, 2012

 

JUDGE PRO TEM

Monterey Superior Court – Small Claims and Traffic Court  —  1993 – 2005

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MONTEREY COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION

                                   

President  —  January, 2002 – December, 2002

                                   

Executive Committee  —  January, 2000 – December 2003   |   January, 1993 – January, 1996

                                   

Treasurer  —  January, 2000 – December, 2001

                                   

Chair of Legal Services Subcommittee  —  January, 1993 – January, 1997

 

Recipient of the Chief Justice Gibson Award for Outstanding Community Service  —  2010

                                               

 

MONTEREY COLLEGE OF LAW

Academic Senate Vice-President  —  September, 1999 – October, 2002

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UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION – Monterey Bay Chapter

Member   —  2004 – 2006

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UNITED WAY OF THE SALINAS VALLEY

Co-Chair Agency Division  —  1999/2000 Campaign

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CHARITABLE COUNCIL OF MONTEREY COUNTY

Member of the Board of Directors  —  January, 1999 – 2005

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President- Board of Directors  —  July, 2000 – September, 2002

     

 

CITY OF PACIFIC GROVE-SENIOR HOUSING COMMITTEE

Member of the Committee  —  October, 1998 – December, 2001

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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY

Planned Giving Advisory Council  —  December, 1999 – 2006

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ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION

Monterey County Chapter

Member of the Board of Directors  —  December, 1992 – January, 1995

 

Member of the Advisory Board  —  November, 1995 – 2006

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BERKELEY COMMUNITY LAW CENTER​

Member of the Board of Directors and

Founding Member of U.C. Berkeley,

School of Law’s free legal clinic.  —  May, 1986 – 1989