Natalie focuses her practice on products liability litigation, and professional and medical malpractice matters. She has extensive experience defending clients in complex litigation involving automotive, trucking, construction, premises liability, and catastrophic personal injury claims. Natalie litigates cases in state and federal courts nationwide, and has tried multiple cases to verdict. She also handles Seventh Circuit appeals and Illinois State Court appeals.
Natalie’s clients have included nonprofit organizations, physicians, construction companies, security companies, manufacturers and sellers of products involving industrial machinery, power tools, firearms, automotive products and juvenile products. She also provides risk management services to her clients, advising them on issues related to product liability law, government regulations, product safety, premises liability and other related matters.
In addition to her law practice, Natalie is an adjunct professor at the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and is a moot court coach for one of Loyola’s national competition teams. She regularly presents at products liability conferences, and has lectured at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Professional Engineering Continuing Education Program. Natalie has taught courses on topics such as risk management, and the use of warnings and instructions to increase safety and reduce liability in products liability matters.
While attending Loyola University Chicago School, Natalie was involved in the Corporate Law Moot Court Team, the American Bar Association Moot Court team, the Moot Court Appellate Advocacy Honors Program, the London Comparative Advocacy Program, Women’s Law Society as president and social chair, the Student Bar Association and the Legal Writing Program as research assistant.
Practices
Representative Matters
- Williams v. Circle K, No. 2021SC272
- Tried successfully to verdict in Macon County, IL (August 2021)
- Alvarez v. West Suburban Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, LLC, Court No. 2017 L 004457
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a healthcare management company client in a medical professional liability case in Illinois Cook County Law Division
- Wright v. Anna Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, LLC, Court No. 16 L 3
- Achieved summary judgment on behalf of the administrator and management company of a nursing home in a medical professional liability case in the Illinois First Judicial Circuit Court of Union County
- Noboa v. Barcelo Corporacion Empresarial SA, 812 F.3d 571 (7th Cir. 2016)
- Pace v. Timmermann’s Ranch and Saddle, 795 F.3d 748 (7th Cir. 2015)
Representative Experience
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of defendant healthcare management company in nursing home neglect case involving fall/hip fracture and choking/death
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of nursing home administrator and management company against claims that a fractured jaw and subsequent surgery contributed to the patient’s death and abundant medical expenses; successfully argued that plaintiff failed to support purported claims
Education
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, JD, 2009
- Moot Court Appellate Advocacy Honors Program
- Corporate Law Moot Court Team
- Student Bar Association
- Women’s Law Society, President and Social Chair
- London Comparative Advocacy, Study Abroad Program
- Legal Writing Program, Research Assistant
- Suffolk University, BS, 2004, cum laude
- Boston University, Paralegal Certificate, 2004
Admissions
- Illinois
- Nebraska
- Wisconsin
- United States District Court: Northern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois, Northern District of Indiana
- United States Court of Appeals: Seventh Circuit
- Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois
Affiliations
- Appellate Lawyers Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- Tort Committee, Vice Chair
- Tort Committee, Legislative Liaison (former member)
- American Bar Association (former member)
- Moot Court Team (former student member)
Professional Memberships
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
- Defense Research Institute (DRI)
- Automotive Committee, Vice Chair
- 2024 Strictly Automotive Seminar, Program Chair
- 2023 Strictly Automotive Seminar, Program Vice Chair
- Product Liability Committee, Member
- Automotive Committee, Marketing Chair (former)
- Automotive Committee, Vice Chair
- Chicago Healthcare Risk Management Society
Languages
- English
Related News
Presentations/Publications
- Panelist, “Electrified or Electri-fried?,” 2023 CLM Annual Conference, Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (March 2023)
- Presenter, “Strategically Using Dispositive Motions in Civil Cases,” Chicago Bar Association’s Tort Litigation Committee (November 2021)
- Presenter, “Expert Discovery in Product Liability Cases,” Chicago Bar Association’s Tort Litigation Committee, webcast (January 2021)
Honors & Awards
- Trial team member in defense verdict case named by the Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter as one of the Top 3 Defense Cases of 2017
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law
- Trial Advocacy Certificate, 2009
- Pro Bono Service Award, 2009
Recognition
- Named to the Super Lawyers Illinois Rising Stars list for five consecutive years in the area of Products Liability