Nicole J. Record earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Maine School of Law and is a licensed Maine attorney. She also holds a Master of Policy from the Muskie School at USM, an MBA from the University of Maine, Orono, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from Thomas College. She has completed multiple foreign study programs and seminars and remains dedicated to and passionate about lifelong learning.
Her career path has centered around the fields of education, business and law. Nicole’s most recent cross-disciplinary experience involved administrative responsibility for a Department of Justice opioid-related grant for the State of Maine. She authored a related Fulbright project proposal, for which she was honored with the 2025-26 Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Arctic Scholar Award. Sponsored by the University of Iceland in Reykjavik and including travel to the Nordic countries of Denmark and Sweden, her research and lecture in the area of comparative drug policy and prevention culminated in a webinar with Planet Youth of Iceland for Governor Mills Opioid Response seminar series in February of 2026. In the private sector, Nicole practiced transactional law as in-house counsel and coordinated international registrations for a German-owned biologics company. As part of her duties, she negotiated, drafted and reviewed legal documents in support of global operations, audited national and international agreements for federal (USDA) regulatory compliance, and maintained accuracy of a vast international registration portfolio of products. Early in her career, she held managerial positions with increasing responsibility to include leading a comprehensive healthcare services unit where she was responsible for the operations of multiple divisions providing medical billing, A/R management, medical coding, compliance audits & practice design for healthcare professionals. Nicole taught for 7 years at the college level, including courses such as Business Law, Finance, Business Ethics and Leadership. She has always been eager to share her passion for learning with students.
Nicole is a lifelong fitness enthusiast with a particular fondness for weight training. She is also a retired adrenaline junkie. From bungee jumps in Switzerland to flying trapeze classes in NYC, from ziplining in Italy to skydiving in Maine, Nicole she has participated in a wide variety of extreme sports. She now sticks (mostly!) to more ordinary activities. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, Latin dance, cooking/baking and extensive travel. She resides in Portland with her partner Christopher, where they take advantage of the beauty of the Maine coast, tremendous dining options and vibrant arts and live music scene.
Degrees
- Juris Doctor, University of Maine School of Law. Portland, Maine
- Master of Policy, Planning and Management, Non-Profit Concentration, Muskie School of Public Service. Portland, Maine
- Master of Business Administration, University of Maine School of Business. Orono, Maine
- Bachelor of Science, Business Education, Thomas College. Waterville, Maine
Dissertation
- Doctoral Writing Project in Comparative International Legal Systems, Judicial Review in the Austrian Legal System: Pioneering the Concept of the Constitutional Court, University of Maine School of Law, 2004
Areas of Expertise
- Business law; international law; policy; negotiation; cross-disciplinary studies
Professional Affiliations
- Fulbright Alumni Association
- Attorney, Maine Bar, 2008
- Attorney and Counselor at Law, United States Court of International Trade, 2010
- American Bar Association, International Law Section
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section
- Maine Bar Association
- International Society for the Study of Drug Policy (ISSDP)
- International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP)
- Maine Department of Education Teaching Certification, 640 Endorsement
Presentations / Conferences
- Primary Prevention with Planet Youth of Iceland. Governor Mills Opioid Response Summit & Seminars – 2026
- From Contraband to Corner Store: Maine’s experience in marijuana legalization. Sakfræðifélagi Íslands, lagadeilda (Icelandic Criminal Law Association, Faculty of Law). Háskóli Íslands (University of Iceland). 2025
- Arctic Circle Assembly, Polar/Arctic Research, Reykjavik, Iceland. 2025 & 2026
- A Comparative Evaluation of Drug Policy and Law in Maine and Iceland. Embætti landlæknis (Icelandic Directorate of Health), Lögreglan (Reykjavik Police). 2025
- NIDA International Forum/International Society for Substance Use Professionals. Montreal, Canada. 2024
- RAND/International Society for the Study of Drug Policy. KE Leuven Université, Leuven, Belgium. 2023
- Contributing member, Decision Sciences Journal, Supply Chain Management Covid-19 presentation team (virtual) 2021
- USM Digital Commons – Thinking Matters Symposium: The role of digital technology adoption in coping with SC disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic (maine.edu). 2021
- ABA Business Law Section Meeting. Washington, D.C. 2019
- A Regulated Society: Topics in Intellectual Property. USM. 2019
- Putting Scissors to Red Tape: Deliberations on CFR Title 21. USM. 2019
- ABA Business Law Section Meeting. Montreal, Canada. 2015
- ABA International Law Section, International Legal Education Summit. London, England. 2013
- ABA International Law Section, Human Trafficking/International Law & Policy. New York City, NY. 2012
- International Criminal Court Summer Program. Irish Centre for Human Rights, Galway, Ireland. 2005
- International Exchange Program, University of Maine-Universite Le Mans. France. 2004
- European Law Seminar, Charles University. Prague, Czech Republic. 2003
- Comparative Law Summer Program through Loyola University, University of Vienna School of Law. Vienna, Austria. 2003
- International Law Program, National University of Ireland. Galway, Ireland. 2002
- French Immersion Summer Program, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France. 2000
Honors / Awards
- Fulbright Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Arctic Scholar, University of Iceland, Reykjavik. Maine & Iceland in Partnership: A Collaborative Approach to Substance Use Disorder Data Analysis & Community Engagement. 2025 – 2026
- MPPM Outstanding Student of the Year Award, Muskie School; 4.0 GPA. 2026
- Data Innovation Fellow, Data Innovation Project. Catherine E. Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service. 2021
- Summer Intern, Irish Centre for Human Rights. Galway, Ireland. 2015
- Phi Kappa Phi Inductee
- Muskie School Scholarship Recipient; Peter Feeney Scholarship Recipient
- Research Chair, USM Graduate Student Board
- University of Maine School of Law Book Award, Commercial Paper
- University of Maine School of Law International Exchange Scholarship
- Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude
- Beta Gamma Sigma Business School Society Inductee
- Maine School of Business Nauman Scholarship Award Recipient
- Thomas College Business Education Scholarship
Community Involvement
Through her teaching, Nicole has consistently organized student-led fundraising events for local animal shelters, and she is a regular donor to related causes. Her personal volunteer efforts include serving for over 7 years in the Portland Police Department’s anti human-trafficking initiative, grant writing for the first trafficking survivor safe house in Maine and providing pro bono assistance to Southern Maine artists in need of a variety of contracts.
Other
I am very excited to be back in the place that marks the start of my academic journey! I believe that education offers far more than knowledge and instead view it as a catalyst for life-changing experiences. I remain extremely grateful for the unexpected and diverse opportunities afforded to me through education, from exciting prospects around the globe to enduring relationships with remarkable individuals. Education truly has been the light that illuminated the path to my dreams. I return to Thomas College to offer students a substantive, impactful learning experience and to inspire them in pursuit of their own goals and dreams. Valuable skillsets are emphasized in all of my teaching, to include critical thinking, logic and reasoning, clear communication ability, public speaking skills and ethical decision-making. Featuring prominently in my educational philosophy is the importance of fostering community engagement. I look forward to supporting students in every way, and I welcome the chance to do so through my teaching at Thomas College.
“Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach,” – Aristotle
