When you think of a judge in the courtroom, you may imagine a stern, unapproachable figure. But, in fact, many of our Collier County judges are moms like us. Soon, there will be a new one, Tamara Nicola, who has been elected to join the bench in March 2019, and bringing the number of female judges to five out of 14.
Raised in Naples since she was five years old, Tamara returned to Naples to after law school to open her own practice specializing in criminal law. Due to the high demand for divorce representation, she changed her focus to family law and stayed in that specialty until her campaign for circuit court judge.
How did your background lead you down the path to become a judge? Early on, starting in law school, I worked toward a goal of being in upper levels of leadership. I was the elected president of the Student Bar Association in law school; elected to the board of the Collier County Bar Association, rising to the top as president in 2014; and now elected to become a judge.
My dad always said “there’s always room at the top”; my mom was right there with me to support and encourage me to pursue my goals. Running for judge was just a natural progression for me after having the support and encouragement from my parents. As an adult, I also had the amazing support from my husband and my daughter when I decided to run. Although I believe that leadership comes from within, and from what you know you can do, it also comes from the people who believe in you. I have been very blessed.
Tell us about your family. My husband John Nicola is the vice president of production at Grandbridge Real Estate Capital. Our daughter, Gabriella, is 12 and is in the 7th grade at North Naples Middle School, and we have a rescue hound dog, Bailee.
What is something that would surprise us about your profession/becoming a judge? People ask me, all the time, about specific legal problems outside my specialty because they assume that, being a lawyer, I would know the answer
As far as becoming a judge, I expected everyone to think that becoming a judge would be amazing, but I seem to get a lot of “Why would you want to do that?” My question is, “Why wouldn’t I?”
What type of law practice did you open when you passed the bar, and did you always do that type of law? My initial law practice was dedicated to criminal law. When I went to Stetson, I majored in psychology and minored in sociology. In college, I wanted to become a criminal psychologist; my senior thesis was on Ted Bundy. I changed my path when a prominent psychologist in Naples was killed doing a jail interview. In law school, and after, I truly thought my calling was criminal law.
In my second year of law school, I received the American Jurisprudence Book Award for Family Law. That award is given to the student who receives the highest grade in the class; it honestly shocked me because I had no idea I was even in the running. Once I began practicing criminal law, I would literally have two clients come in seeking a divorce consult for every one client seeking criminal advice. My fate was sealed and I did not even know it. Still, I love criminal law; I am excited to go back to it as a judge.
After years of representing clients before a judge, what are you most looking forward to being on the other side? I most look forward to the challenges of being a judge – learning new law, making decisions, and hearing cases versus trying cases. Being on the other side and getting to make judgment calls truly excites me. Because I have done it for so long, I truly know how hard it is to try a case. It requires immense preparation and a big emotional commitment.
How do you “train” to become a judge? Judges in Florida are required to be lawyers first (for five years), and there is no training to become a judge other than being elected by the public or appointed by the governor. Once an election is won or an appointment is made, judges have required education, as do lawyers. If I had one bit of advice to give someone who is planning to run for office, it would be to work hard, develop a good reputation, and become a leader in the community. That’s probably good advice regardless of what office you decide to run for.
Are you involved in any other community service? I am passionate about Collier Child Care Resources (CCCR) and I am the vice chair of the board.
What does your family like to do on the weekends when you are together? My daughter and I like to sleep in late although, as I get older, “late” seems to be around 7 a.m.! I usually sneak off to the gym if I can (Sunday spin with Ryan!) and then we regroup around lunchtime to make plans. Our plans usually include hanging out with our friends and their kids. We also like to travel; we are probably gone somewhere at least one weekend a month.
Best parenting advice you ever received and from whom?
Trust your instincts. Do what you think is best, not what someone else or even a book tells you to do. In all honesty, this is what I said to myself when everyone else was giving me, with a brand new baby at almost 41 years old, advice that did not work. Just keep telling yourself “I’ve got this” and you will.
Tell us more about what it was like becoming a mother at 41.
I have always wanted children but wasn’t ready in my 20s or even my 30s. It was not a question of being ready but of being in the wrong relationship. As a family law attorney, I have seen so many people with regrets – never regrets about having children but regrets that they were in a bad, or dysfunctional, relationship when they did. I was lucky enough to meet my husband when I was 35 and to adopt our daughter, Gabby, on the eve of my 41st birthday. Being older, being in a great relationship, and having a stable career were all bonuses. Looking back, I would not have it any other way.