Natalie A. Napierala

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT NATALIE A. NAPIERALA

Represents investment advisers, broker-dealers, executives, and public companies in formal orders of investigations, Wells Notices, and enforcement actions brought in federal court by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). She also defends clients in Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigations, enforcement actions, and appeals to the SEC. She also handles state regulatory inquiries and investigations including matters before the New York State Department of Financial Services and the Texas State Securities Board. Natalie also advises broker-dealers and associated persons on compliance and disclosure issues, including Form U4 and U5 matters, BrokerCheck disputes, and regulators’ investigations into the use of off-channel communications.A trusted resource to clients and colleagues, Natalie frequently advises on complex issues involving the attorney-client privilege, the work product doctrine, and privilege issues arising under Kovel agreements. She has extensive experience responding to requests under 17 C.F.R. § 200.83 and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, including matters concerning the potential release of deposition transcripts and exhibits.Her practice also extends to representing financial institutions in complex cross-border disputes. She has particular experience under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), including questions of immunity in federal litigation and turnover proceedings. Clients value Natalie’s clarity of advice, strategic insight, and ability to chart a practical course from investigation to resolution. A shareholder in the firm’s New York office — which she founded in 2012 — she earned her MBA from Columbia Business School and her LL.M. from Georgetown Law. In 2017, she was selected to the prestigious Fulbright Specialist Roster for a four-year term, later extended through 2022.Natalie has been recognized by Crain’s New York Business list of \"Notable Women in Law,\" Lawyers of Distinction, the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, and New York Metro Super Lawyers, including its list of “Top Women Attorneys in the New York Metro.”Committed to pro bono service and criminal justice reform, Natalie co-chairs the firm’s Pro Bono Committee. A classically trained pianist, she finds inspiration in New York’s many cultural institutions, as well as international travel — most recently to the Black Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Strait of Malacca.