Following extensive paralegal experience in prosecutions offices in Sydney and Townsville, upon admission in 2002 Natalie was employed as a solicitor advocate with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions beginning in North Queensland and progressing rapidly within two years to Senior Legal Officer in the Darwin office. Natalie obtained extensive advocacy experience from the time of her admission in the prosecution of contested Commonwealth summary and indictable offences.Natalie was then seconded to the NTDPP Summary Prosecutions Unit undertaking circuit work as a prosecutor in various indigenous communities throughout the Northern Territory.

In 2006 Natalie moved to Melbourne and was employed as a Senior Associate with a city-based specialist criminal law firm. She appeared daily as a solicitor advocate in contested hearings, committals, bail applications and pleas in the Magistrates' and County Courts.

On the basis of her extensive prosecution experience, Natalie then established and managed the Prosecutions Unit within the Department of Sustainability and Environment. Predominantly Natalie provided policy and legal advice to government and appeared to prosecute environmental regulatory crime including: * offences relating to exotic and native wildlife; * fire offences; * land clearing; * civil disturbances; and * civil enforcement proceedings in relation to crown land.Natalie is also a Specialist Legal Officer with the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve providing advice to defence members and superior officers and representing defence members in relation to criminal and disciplinary proceedings, administrative law, international humanitarian law, drafting of wills etc.During 2011 Natalie commenced a part-time mentoring, teaching and assessment role in relation to law graduates completing the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the Leo Cussen Institute.PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION/AWARDS:2010 - Nominated for 4th Women Lawyers Achievement Awards (Victoria) – nominated for Mentoring2009-2010 - Participant in the Victorian Bar Duty Barrister Scheme2000 - Director’s Excellence Awards (ODPP (NSW)) for contribution and dedication to the Guideline Judgments Team which involved researching and preparing statistics, schedules and submissions for presentation to the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal to establish a structured sentencing regime.2000 - Director’s Excellence Awards (ODPP(NSW)) for contribution and dedication as a member of the Research Unit who established a new legal research database for the organisation.

MENTIONABLE/PROMINENT CASES:2010 - Successfully conducted a pre-trial voir dire concerning unreliable admissions by an accused under the new Uniform Evidence Act. Prosecution consequently withdrew all charges including armed robbery.2009 - Appeared before the Municipal Electoral Tribunal to successfully establish impropriety on the part of a local council and candidate in the local council election in 2008 which ultimately resulted in legislative changes to introduce penalties for such impropriety and subsequent prosecution of the council member. 2007 - Appeared for a Japanese student, Takuya Muto, in one of the first and widely reported 'up-skirting' incidents at a Melbourne back-packers hostel and the Australian Open.2005 - Successfully represented the fourth traditional law wife of Galurrway Yunupingu in contested intervention order proceedings in Nhulunbuy (Gove) in the Northern Territory2003 - Prosecuted an American tourist for breaching the confines of the Yongala Wreck off Townsville (QLD) contrary to the Historic Shipwrecks Act which was of particular interest to the international SCUBA diving industry