About Nicole
Nicole Hankins earned her J.D. from Seattle University School of Law in 2010 after completing legal training that included courtroom work during law school. She began practical legal work as a Rule 9/DPA in 2009 at the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office while finishing her degree. Her early roles bridged public service and private practice and gave her exposure to trial procedure and client counseling.
After graduating, Hankins served as in-house counsel for Washington Harvest Inc. in 2010, an early-career post that involved day-to-day corporate legal responsibilities. She joined Durflinger Oliver & Associates as a senior associate in 2011, where she expanded her experience in litigation and case management. In 2013 she opened her own practice under the name Hankins Law, taking on clients directly and shaping a small-firm practice model.
Hankins returned to public prosecutorial work in 2015 when she served as a deputy prosecutor for the Chelan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. That role placed her in court handling criminal matters on behalf of the state and gave her a perspective that later informed her defense work. Between 2015 and 2019 she participated in the Chelan/Douglas Multi-Disciplinary Team, collaborating with professionals across fields to address complex client needs.
She resumed private practice leadership in 2019 as owner and principal of Hankins Law Office, then formed a partnership in 2021 leading to her current position at Hankins Tibbits Law Office PLLC. Over time she has alternated between roles in prosecution, private defense, and corporate counsel, an arc that has exposed her to multiple sides of the legal system and to both bench and jury practice.
Hankins holds memberships in several professional organizations. She has been part of the National Order of the Barristers since 2010, and she maintained membership in the National College of DUI Defense from 2011 to 2015. Locally she has been involved with the Chelan Douglas County Bar Association since 2014 and previously belonged to the Pierce County Bar Association from 2010 to 2014. Those affiliations reflect training in trial advocacy and engagement with regional legal communities.
Her practice combines courtroom experience from her time as a prosecutor and trial advocate with years running a small firm. She represents clients in criminal matters, including DUI cases, and handles related litigation and counseling work at Hankins Tibbits Law Office PLLC.
