Natasha is a dedicated advocate with over a decade of civil litigation experience. She focuses her practice on Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) litigation and U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) investigations involving employee stock ownership plans (“ESOPs”), 401(k) plans, and health benefit plans. She has litigated cases against DOL and private plaintiffs in federal and state courts across the country. At the administrative level, Natasha has guided clients through DOL investigations run out of numerous regional offices.

‍
Specifically, Natasha has represented:‍

• Targets of DOL investigations, including plan sponsors, trustees, and recordkeepers.
• Third-party document and deposition subpoena recipients.  
• Selling shareholders and trustees in ESOP litigation arising out of stock purchase transactions.
• Plan sponsors in class actions challenging fees associated with plan investment options and service providers.  
• Directed and discretionary institutional trustees in 401(k) plan “stock drop” litigation.  
• Investment manager in litigation alleging breach of ERISA’s duty to diversify.  
• Plan sponsor in litigation seeking benefits under “top hat” plan.
• Health insurance companies in litigation disputing out-of-network reimbursement levels.

‍

‍Affiliations and Recognitions  ‍

Natasha is a member of the National Center for Employee Ownership and The ESOP Association.

Super Lawyers awarded Natasha the Rising Stars distinction for 2019 – 2023, designating her a Top Rated Employee Benefits Attorney.

‍

Presentations

• Panelist, “Building a Board that is Right for You: A View from Different Angles” at the National Center for Employee Ownership's Fall ESOP Forum (September 2022)
• Co-Presenter, "Navigating DOL Investigations and IRS Audits" at The ESOP Association's National Conference (May 2022)
• Co-Presenter, "Valuation Issues: Non-controlling and Controlling Interests" at the National Center for Employee Ownership's Employee Ownership Conference (April 2022)

• Co-Presenter, “Preparing for Regulator Investigations and Audits” at The ESOP Association’s Employee Owned 2021 Conference (November 2021)
• Panelist, “ERISA Health Plans Litigation Update” at Practising Law Institute’s Applying ERISA Fiduciary Rules to Health Plans, Services and Products (November 2020)  
• Co-Presenter, “Legal & Regulatory Update” at 9th Annual Western ESOP Summit (October 2020)

Articles

• Author, “But they didn’t say anything about those fees!” ERISA Litigation Reporter (November 2020)
• Author, “ERISA Preemption in Healthcare Litigation and the ‘Right to Payment’ Versus ‘Rate of Payment’ Distinction,” Practising Law Institute (2020)  
• Contributor, “Fiduciary Litigation Under ERISA,” Practising Law Institute (2020)‍