Ann Nichols, Local Director, is a Town Justice in the Town of Amherst as well as an attorney, of counsel to the firm Dolce Panepinto. Ann has been practicing in various courts throughout the Eighth Judicial District as a criminal defense attorney and a family court attorney since 2010. She has dedicated many years to representing the indigent through the Erie County Assigned Counsel Program and representing children in family court as a member of the Attorneys for Children Program. Ann has also served as the Amherst Town Prosecutor and Court Administrator before being elected to the bench in 2023.

Ann received her Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo Law School, Class of 2008 and is a 2004 graduate of SUNY College at Buffalo. Ann is a member of the NYS Magistrate’s Association, Erie County Bar Association, Niagara County Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, New York State Defender’s Association, Minority Bar Association, UB Law Alumni Association and Sweet Home Alumni Association.

Ann is also very active in the Town of Amherst, where she was born and raised. She serves as an ex officio member of the Town of Amherst Senior Services Advisory Committee and Amherst Youth & Community Coalition. Ann was the first Chairwoman of the Town of Amherst Zoning Board of Appeals from 2022-2023 and is a former Town of Amherst Youth Board member. Ann continues to reside in the Town of Amherst with her husband, Andrew Schalberg, a Customer Success Manager at UPS, and her sons, Andrew and Rory.