She has a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the School of Criminal Justice at The University at Albany ( SUNY) and a J.D. from Temple University (Beasley School of Law). After teaching full-time in the department between 1978 and 1981, Nicolette decided to go to law school at Temple. After graduation, Nicolette was a law clerk to Judge Edmund Spaeth, then President Judge of Pennsylvania Superior Court. Later, Nicolette was an Associate with the law firm of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis in Philadelphia and Harrisburg. In 1989, Nicolette was counsel to the Governor's Commission that investigated the Camp Hill, Pennsylvania prison riot. She supervised the expedited investigation and prepared a draft report for the commission.