Natalie has over 18 years experience in court appearance work focussing predominantly on prosecuting complex litigation involving State and Commonwealth criminal offending and regulatory compliance, child protection and family law.
Natallie has particular expertise in regulatory compliance in a range of areas including: environmental offences at State and Commonwealth levels; fraud; tax/excise; civil aviation; local council; and animal welfare offences.
Over this period Natalie has practiced substantively in multiple jurisdictions including: New South Wales; North Queensland; Victoria and the ACT and Northern Territory. This includes regular circuit work and travel to regional/rural areas and previously, to remote indigenous areas in the Northern Territory.
Having worked directly with accused and complainants for many years, Natalie is able to immediately form a strong rapport with clients and is able to assist them to navigate complex and stressful decisions in the court setting. Having also worked in remote and regional areas, and with people from many different backgrounds, Natalie has a sound understanding of cultural and social disadvantage issues that relate directly to the criminal and social justice experiences of clients.
Natalie also has substantial experience in mentoring students and junior members of the profession and was previously a mentor/instructor at the Leo Cussen Institute in the GDLP for several years.
Natalie has been a member of the Australian Defence Force for many years, initially as a Signalman/Linesman in the Army and subsequently as a Specialist Legal Officer in the Air Force Legal Reserve.
She is also a non-executive director of a rural public hospital and is extending her skillset in this direction. She has recently successfully completed the AICD Company Directors Course in 2020.
Natalie accepts briefs:
- in all areas and jurisdictions of criminal law including County Court trials, appeals, bail applications and Magistrates' Court committals, contested hearings and complex proceedings;
- in all areas and jurisdictions involving child protection issues;
- regulatory compliance including breaches of state and commonwealth laws;
- Crimes Mental Impairment matters;
- criminal forfeiture proceedings; and
- family law, especially issues involving parenting orders and disputes.
