Natalie L. Zagari Partner

Natalie is a solutions-oriented civil litigator who has spent the past decade managing complex litigation for a variety of clients, including a major logistics company. Critical to her success is her understanding of her clients’ business models and goals, key regulatory and industry knowledge, and strategies to mitigate the unique threats they face in litigation.

As national coordinating counsel, Natalie oversees litigation portfolios and provides strategic insight at all stages in the litigation process. At her clients’ request, she has stepped in to defend depositions and direct trial strategy in bet-the-company matters, including those with significant media attention.

Her practice centers on the defense of logistics, transportation, and consumer product companies, including Fortune 50 companies, in personal injury, product liability, and other high-profile matters. Natalie has extensive experience with trials and mock jury exercises in high-stakes cases, enabling her to provide clients with invaluable strategic guidance as they conduct their risk assessment. Natalie’s jury insight helps her clients navigate avoid common pitfalls as they navigate this ever-challenging pre-trial environment in which nuclear verdicts have drastically increased.

In addition to providing comprehensive strategic direction, Natalie has created customized portfolio-wide protocols for her clients and their outside counsel. Her tailor-made process weighs the client’s goals, business model, and risk tolerance. Ultimately, her clients have realized reduction in legal spend, case cycle time, and—perhaps most importantly—surprise. In terms of matter handling and resolution, she values efficiency and consistency in matter handling and resolution across her clients’ dockets.

Otherwise, Natalie represents other clients from a broad range of industries in federal and state courts in complex civil litigation. She has successfully resolved matters for clients through dispositive motions, appeals, alternative dispute resolution, and preliminary injunctions.

Natalie devotes a considerable amount of her time to pro bono work. She has achieved favorable results for individuals seeking redress for constitutional violations. She routinely assists clients through the name change process.

At McGuireWoods, Natalie is a member of the Pittsburgh office’s recruiting committee and serves as the chair of the office’s Women Lawyers Network.

Immediately prior to joining McGuireWoods, Natalie was a term clerk to the Honorable Nora Barry Fischer in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Before her clerkship, she was in private practice in Pittsburgh where she handled a variety of civil and criminal matters. Natalie is certified as a collaborative attorney by the Collaborative Law Association of Southwestern Pennsylvania and has experience serving as an arbitrator in Allegheny County.

During law school, Natalie interned for the Honorable David S. Cercone of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and served as executive editor for the University of Pittsburgh Law Review.

Natalie was a long-term mentor and board member with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh. She is actively involved in the local bar association and women’s bar groups.