Nicole Paton

Experience

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  Malcolm J. McPherson, Jr., Esq., PC

  Aug 2010 - Apr 2016

  Legal Secretary

  • Drafted and prepared correspondence, pleadings, and legal documents• Oversaw supervising attorney’s appointment calendar• Managed telephone communication between attorneys, clients, and third-parties • Organized and maintained client materials both digitally and in hardcopy files• Facilitated attorneys’ and third-parties’ information requests in addition to general office work

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  Dawn R. SanFilippo, Esq., PC

  Jan 2013 - Apr 2013

  Paralegal Intern

  • Shadowed supervising attorney at a bankruptcy court hearing and a bankruptcy trustee meeting• Prepared and drafted small claims complaints for final review by supervising attorney• Conducted legal research on bankruptcy law relating to student loan debt• Conducted legal research on child custody matters of deployed military personnel

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  Legal Aid Society

  Jan 2015 - Apr 2015

  Legal Intern, Criminal Defense Practice

  • Led an initial client interview and observed arraignment proceedings• Observed calendar calls, jury selection, and cross examination of a police officer• Drafted a Clayton motion for dismissal in the interest of justice in possession of gambling slips• Drafted a motion to dismiss on equal protection and due process grounds of breathalyzer test• Conducted research on a variety of criminal procedure and substantive law issues• Reviewed sentencing calculations and communicated with Department of Corrections Show less

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  Passaic County Prosecutor's Office

  May 2015 - Jul 2015

  Legal Intern, Public Integrity Unit

  • Reported directly to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Paul DeGroot• Researched Official Misconduct (N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2) and the accompanying crimes• Drafted State’s response brief to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Indictment • Drafted numerous pleadings including multiple PCR response briefs• Observed court proceedings including sentencing hearings, pre-trial hearings, and jury trials

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  Post-Conviction Innocence Clinic

  Aug 2015 - Dec 2015

  Student Attorney

  • Conducted client and witness interviews in Attica and Wende Correctional Facilities in Buffalo, NY• Analyzed State's Appellate Brief and strategized Reply Brief• Corresponded with Kings County Conviction Review Unit• Observed night-court arraignment proceedings in ManhattanThe Post-Conviction Innocence Project (“PCIP”) provides an opportunity for students to represent clients in post-conviction matters under the direct supervision of a faculty member. The PCIP handles a limited number of cases carefully selected from among the many requests from convicted prisoners asserting their innocence and requesting assistance and the numerous referrals from a variety of outside groups and public defender offices. In addition to engaging in classroom discussions about the myriad of issues which contribute to false convictions, PCIP students engage in fact investigations geared towards filing post-conviction motions by tracking down court records and transcripts, locating and conferring with prior counsel, conducting prison interviews of clients, and locating and interviewing witnesses; they will develop legal arguments and draft affidavits and memoranda of law in support of the motions.From: http://www.nyls.edu/academics/office_of_clinical_and_experiential_learning/clinics/post_conviction_innocence_project/ Show less

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  Passaic County Criminal Division

  Jan 2016 - May 2016

  Law Clerk Intern to the Honorable Marybel Mercado-Ramirez, J.S.C.

  • Created motion summaries including outlining legal and factual arguments• Drafted opinions on post-conviction relief and pre-trial motions for judicial review• Reviewed and assisted in drafting jury instructions and voir dire questions• Researched judicial review standards and numerous criminal law issues • Reviewed motion pleadings, case files, trial transcripts, and judicial decisions• Assisted Judge during courtroom proceedings• Communicated with counsel and court personnel regarding case management • Extensively observed jury selection, calendar calls, sentences, guilty pleas, and arraignments Show less

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  Bergen County Prosecutor's Office

  May 2016 - Aug 2017

  • Collaborated with Assistant Prosecutors on brief writing, argument strategies, and ethical lessons• Successfully argued State’s motion to admit victim’s statements under state-of-mind hearsay exception• Conducted evidentiary hearing on appeal from denial of FPIC card• Successfully argued against defendant’s motion for release of victim’s DCP&P records• Argued DWI municipal appeals and ineffective assistance of counsel post-conviction relief motions before Judges of the Superior Court, Law Division• Drafted Appellate and Law Division pleadings on behalf of the State, including: jury instructions, State’s motion to admit 404(b) evidence, State’s motion to admit fresh complaint testimony, response briefs in municipal appeals, opposition briefs to motions to suppress, and reply briefs in post-conviction petitions Show less

  • Legal Intern

    Dec 2016 - Aug 2017

  • Law School Extern

    Aug 2016 - Dec 2016

  • New York Law School Law Chair

    May 2016 - Aug 2016
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  New Jersey Courts

  Aug 2017 - Aug 2018

  Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Marybel Mercado-Ramirez, J.S.C.

  • Drafted full judicial opinions on pretrial motions, including motions to suppress evidence, Miranda motions, 404(b) motions, motions to dismiss an indictment, motions to relieve counsel, and motions to sever co-defendants or counts of an indictment, and 803(c)(27) motions• Prepared for jury selection, including drafting preliminary jury instructions, voir dire, and trial calendar and drafted final jury charges• Assisted Judge during Megan’s Law tier hearings, reviewed tier orders, and completed State DCI forms and termination orders• Managed motion calendar in coordination with Judge’s Team and assisted with adjournment requests Show less

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  Bergen County Prosecutor's Office (BCPONJ)

  Sept 2018 - now

  Assistant Prosecutor