CalChamber Names New Corporate Counsel

Nicole Wasylkiw has joined the California Chamber of Commerce executive team to provide legal advice and guidance on all legal and nonemployment matters affecting the organization.

The Corporate Counsel’s office manages the Amicus and Legal Defense Program and collaborates with outside counsel and other organizations and businesses when participating in litigation affecting California businesses and employers.

Wasylkiw came to the CalChamber after more than a decade at Vision Service Plan (VSP). As Associate General Counsel, the primary business counsel for VSP Retail in 2021–2022, she provided daily business support, guidance and subject matter expertise to manage all legal matters related to the retail arm of the business, e-commerce and post-acquisition merger and acquisition activities.

From 2012–2021, Wasylkiw served as VSP’s corporate counsel, providing integrated legal and commercial counsel to both the insurance line of business and the company’s doctor network. During her tenure, she became a dispute resolution subject matter expert while overseeing the company’s special investigations unit, which focused on the detection and deterrence of health care fraud. She represented the company at termination hearings, arbitrations and mediations and ultimately settled hundreds of disputes between VSP and its doctors.

In 2018, Wasylkiw led an effort to modify provisions of California law, ultimately leading to the passage of a bill that would clarify and support the auditing functions of corporate investigation units.

Before practicing law, she worked as a paralegal for VSP as well as two Sacramento area law firms with a strong focus on litigation.

Outside of her career as an attorney, Wasylkiw has been a personal coach and mentor, offering a full suite of personal and career coaching, life skills coaching and mentorship services. Most recently she became a Nationally Certified Professional in Mediation.

She holds a B.S. in criminal justice from Sacramento State University, trained in paralegal studies at MTI College, and later earned her J.D. from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento.