Colodny Fass Partner Nicole “Nikki” Fried announced this week she will be launching her own practice, Igniting Florida LLC, through which she will focus her efforts on government consulting and lobbying. Fried will continue to work with clients throughout the state of Florida and Broward County, where she resides.

During the 2016 Legislative Session, Fried was part of the main lobbying team in the passage of HB 307, relating to the usage of medical marijuana for those who are terminally ill. She has become one of most visible faces and key lobbyists in Florida’s burgeoning medical cannabis industry and will continue her work in this niche industry. Additionally, she was recently an integral part of the team that successfully pushed for Florida foster children to receive tuition exemptions for college and graduate education.

Fried serves a Chair of the Florida Bar Young Lawyers' Division Board of Governors’ Legislative Affairs Committee and also serves on the Board of Directors of Broward Days and the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida.  Fried, selected as a 2014 Daily Business Review South Florida "Rising Star," was also nominated for the same title by her peers in 2009, 2010 and 2015 in Florida Super Lawyers.

"Nikki has been a tremendous asset to our firm and we look forward to continue to work together on mutual clients.  We wish her nothing but the best as she ventures down this new endeavor, “said Mike Colodny, Managing Partner of Colodny Fass.

A graduate of University of Florida Levin College of Law, Fried also earned her Master of Arts in Political Campaigning and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Florida. After an 18-year span of male presidents, she served as the school’s first female Student Body President and is the only person in UF history to lead all three government branches: Student Body President, Senate President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Fried remains an active alumnae and credits much of her success to the relationships developed at the university; she currently serves on the University’s Governmental Relations Advisory Committee, where she helps guide the UF lobbying agenda. Additionally, Fried is a member of University's Hall of Fame and prestigious Blue Key Society and served the University on its Board of Trustees.

Before joining Colodny Fass in 2011, she worked as an associated at Holland & Knight LLP and served as an Assistant Public Defender in the 8th Circuit. She can be reached at nikki@ignitingflorida.com.