Congratulations to our partner Nikki Nesbitt, who was honored at The Daily Record’s Managing Partner Awards on June 9, 2026.
The Managing Partners Awards honor managing partners and equivalent senior firm leaders in both the legal and financial sectors who demonstrate vision, integrity, and measurable impact on their organizations and communities. These leaders are recognized for their professional achievements, commitment to developing the next generation of talent, and their meaningful contributions to their firms and the broader community.
Nikki has dedicated her entire career to Goodell DeVries. She started here as a summer associate 25 years ago and steadily advanced through the ranks of firm leadership. She joined the firm’s Executive Committee in 2017 and became Managing Partner in 2021. She also chairs several internal firm committees and mentors younger lawyers and other professionals within and outside of the firm.
She is an energetic and forward-thinking leader who brings out the best in the people around her, inspiring colleagues to think bigger and embrace new opportunities with confidence. Nikki has been especially intentional about lifting up the women at Goodell DeVries. Women now make up 45% of the partnership, and under her leadership, the firm earned The Daily Record’s 2024 Empowering Women Honor — a reflection of the firm’s commitment to professional growth for women at every level.
Her leadership extends well beyond the firm. She has served as Chair and Executive Board Member of The Trial Network and is active in its WIN (Women in Networking) Society, which connects women litigators and clients for business development and mentoring. She’s a past president of the Maryland Defense Counsel and has served on the board of the Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (now known as Breakthrough T1D).
Nikki’s law practice focuses on medical malpractice defense and complex commercial litigation in Maryland and D.C. She is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a past recipient of The Daily Record’s Leading Women Under 40 Award. She is recognized as a top litigator by both Benchmark Litigation and Chambers.
