Women in the Law 2026 – Nicole Masnica, Gimbel Reilly Guerin Brown

Nicole Masnica, a partner at Gimbel Reilly Guerin Brown, leads the firm’s criminal, white-collar, and appellate defense team. She provides representation to clients in cases involving homicides, sensitive crimes, white-collar offenses and other serious felonies. Masnica has an impressive record of successfully challenging her clients’ convictions and having cases dismissed entirely. 

Masnica’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, she takes a “no stone unturned” approach to her practice to ensure that each one of her clients has the best representation possible and can be sure that nothing was missed.

Masnica 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. She was also recently appointed an adjunct professor in trial advocacy and serves as a litigation discussion group coordinator for the Association of Women Lawyers. Masnica appeared as a commentator on CourtTV and has been a contributor on legal issues for local publications.

In 2023, Masnica received the honor of the Kuchler-Nicholson-Stilling Sensitive Crimes Award from the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.