Nicola graduated from Aston University with Bsc Hons in Applied and Human Biology in 1995. She obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Law at Nottingham Law School whilst working as a medical rep for Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceuticals, and was called to The Bar in 2001. She then went on to defend and prosecute across the Midlands Circuit for 3 years, having been diagnosed with scleroderma (a rare disease) in 1997. Her practice also included family and civil litigation. In 2005, due to her diagnosis, Nicola was forced to cease practice and relocate to Southport.

Nicola is an adviser to NHS England, European Rare Diseases Organisation (EURORDIS), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR). She is a global advocate for scleroderma and rare disease patients as a whole, having presented at the European Parliament on World Scleroderma Day 2015 and attending a RareDiseaseUK reception at the Houses of Parliament in March 2016. She is an author with SclerodermaNews.com, RareDiseaseUK, as well as runs the Raynauds and Scleroderma Awareness Global Patients social media hub.

Interests include equality, disability, miscarriages of justice, medical-legal and best practice.