Natalia Mercado Violand is an associate in the litigation and enforcement practice group, where she represents clients in an array of government enforcement matters and complex commercial disputes. Natalia’s practice includes domestic and international governmental and internal investigations, white-collar criminal defense, anti-corruption anti-money laundering, and sanctions due diligence and risk analyses. Natalia works with a diverse group of clients, including private equity firms, health care companies, public companies, and investment management firms. As a native Spanish speaker, Natalia often advises these companies regarding operations in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula.
Natalia served as a special assistant district attorney in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts from November 2021 through June 2022. While in that position, Natalia tried numerous cases to both juries and judges, argued dozens of motions, managed approximately 200 cases, and negotiated pleas on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Natalia maintains a robust pro bono practice representing unaccompanied immigrant minors, separated families, and indigent criminal defendants in federal court.
During law school, Natalia represented indigent defendants with the Criminal Law Clinic. Natalia interned in the Non-Profit Organizations and Public Charities Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office where she worked on various enforcement and litigation matters including excessive executive compensation and solicitation fraud. Among her many leadership positions, Natalia was co-president of the Latin American Law Student Association.
In 2019, Natalia was selected as one of El Mundo Boston’s “Latino 30 under 30.”
Experience
- Works with several clients to identify and address contractual disputes and corruption and bribery risks arising from COVID-19.
- Representing a major South American airline in an internal investigation concerning potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
- Conducts internal investigations for a U.S.‐based multinational medical device company involving anti-corruption issues in several Latin American countries. Advises client on implementation of compliance policies in response to investigative findings.
- Participated in legal team advising a U.S.-based multinational medical device company regarding its government-appointed compliance monitorship.
- Conducted an internal investigation for a Chilean salmon farming company following accusations it had reported false data and caused environmental damage. No criminal action taken against company.
- Advising a multinational pharmaceutical company regarding allegations involving a clinical study site in Latin America.
- Regularly conducts pre-acquisition and post-acquisition anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and sanctions due diligence for large private equity firms and public companies.
- Represented and prepared defense for individual facing potential indictment by DOJ regarding potential FCPA violations in connection with international investigations into bribery and corruption by aerospace company.
- Defended independent directors of public company in state and federal shareholder derivative actions alleging breaches of fiduciary duties.