Spence, Nicole

Nicole A. Spence is an IBM Brand Counsel for the Data, AI and Automation business unit. As a Brand Counsel, Nicole supports various IBM software and hardware products in the Data, AI and Automation portfolio, including IP, M&A, data privacy, marketing, AI and data governance, transactions and litigation. In addition, Nicole is one of IBM’s AI and IP Policy attorneys for North America.

Prior to her current IBM role, she was an IBM patent attorney for more than two years and IP Counsel for more than three years. She is also a certified information privacy professional in the US and the EU. Nicole was recognized as one of Diversity Journal’s 2021 Black Leaders Worth Watching, and she is a 2022 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellow. 

Prior to IBM, Nicole practiced as a litigator for more than seven years, and she had her own practice for more than two years, where she advised start-ups in FinTech, music, fashion and software on IP and corporate matters. She earned her BA in Molecular Biology and History at Smith College, and her JD from New York Law School. She currently lives in Long Island, NY with her husband and three little ones.