Munck Wilson Mandala has added partner Connie D. Powell Nichols to the firm’s intellectual property and sports law practice groups in the newly established Waco office. A trailblazer in every sense of the word, Nichols helped Baylor Law School develop its intellectual property program essentially from the ground up, created a Diversity Equity and Inclusion training program while pursuing her J.D., and she is the founding director of Baylor’s Intellectual Property Law Clinic, which was established in 2016.
Nichols brings more than 20 years of unique legal experience that includes working as an attorney in private practice representing Fortune 500 clients in intellectual property and advising state and local municipalities in the areas of Ecommerce and privacy. Nichols diverse legal background also includes working as inhouse counsel for Blockbuster, Inc. and Global Hyatt Corporation where she managed the global IP portfolio and still counsels them as a legal consultant in matters related technology, global privacy, advertising, and marketing. Prior to joining MWM, Nichols worked as of counsel at Gray Reed & McGraw.
“Connie is a force of nature and will no doubt fortify the firm’s already distinguished IP practice,” said managing partner William A. Munck. “In a competitive legal market, it is a coup to add someone like Connie to our team. Her experience and leadership will add new perspectives and legal services to our team and she and David Henry will be the foundation of Munck Wilson Mandala’s new Waco office.”
Nichols will work in MWM’s IP and sports law practices, but she will also provide legal services to clients regarding the Freedom of Information Act, privacy, and social media, and she will counsel athletes, colleges and universities on NIL issues. Additionally, she drafts and reviews E-commerce documents, terms of service, privacy policies, etc. This area of her expertise will lead to MWM developing a more robust E-commerce and privacy practice in the future for clients.
While in law school, Nichols began her lifelong advocacy for DEI efforts by completing a three-year fellowship, conducting research and building a finely tuned DEI program for organizations to build their own DEI policies and procedures. Her work resulted in a consultancy that is still prevalent in her services today as she conducts training for state and local municipalities as well as school districts on DEI initiatives.
Nichols also conducts board training for local and state government organizations on ethics, privacy, compliance with the Freedom of Information Act and she helps them develop social media guidelines and reviews their E-commerce documents, including terms of service, privacy policies and compliance with various privacy protection
In 2008, Nichols decided to alter her career path in law and took a position at Baylor Law School with a goal to give back to the legal community by teaching young law students. Today she is one of two fully tenured African American professors at Baylor Law School and students will comment that her classes are some of the most impactful and memorable experiences they have had.
Over the course of her career, Nichol’s has seen the inner workings of corporate America, guided state and local organizations through the labyrinth of DEI and privacy policies, and she is embedded in the world of academia at Baylor Law School – all of which have shaped her into a one-of-a-kind legal professional who provides solid counsel in the matters that are relevant in today’s business world.
Nichols received her J.D. from Indiana University School of Law where she graduated with cum laude honors. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As a legal professional on the forefront of the field of intellectual property, Nichols has authored several scholarly articles that continue to be cited in intellectual property academia. She is licensed to practice in Texas, the District of Columbia, Illinois, and Minnesota.
Munck Wilson Mandala is a full-service, technology-focused law firm known for its powerful litigation teams that represent clients in patent, trade secret, trademark, and other intellectual property disputes as well as high stakes and complex commercial litigation. Named a Texas Regional Powerhouse by Law360 in 2021 and a Litigation Department of the Year by Texas Lawyer in 2020, the firm has offices in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Marshall, Texas, Los Angeles, California, and is currently opening offices in Waco, Texas and Boca Raton, Florida. Munck Wilson Mandala represents clients from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies. Learn more about the firm at https://www.munckwilson.com.