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Meet Natalie
Natalie Lyons focuses on complex and class action matters. Over her career, she has represented consumer and civil rights plaintiffs in federal and state class actions around the country—including two federal civil rights trials that resulted in merits wins for plaintiffs. She has litigated against the federal Departments of Homeland Security and Education, state correctional agencies, and an array of commercial defendants. She is presently litigating complicated class actions in state and federal courts under consumer protection laws, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and state contract and fraud laws.
Prior to joining Cohen & Malad, LLP, Natalie advocated on behalf of marginalized communities in litigation, direct representation and policy advocacy at the Southern Poverty Law Center (Montgomery, AL), Housing & Economic Rights Advocates (Oakland, CA) and Equal Rights Advocates (San Francisco, CA). In her role as an advocate for racial and social justice, she has appeared on panels; authored reports, op-eds and white papers; and testified on behalf of proposed reform legislation. Here in Indiana, she served on the 2017 Spirit & Place Festival panel: Liberty & Justice for All?
She is a former opera singer and an active member of the Marion County Re-entry Coalition.
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Practice Areas
- Class Action
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Education and Awards
EDUCATION
J.D., Golden Gate University School of Law, 2013
- Executive Articles Editor, Golden Gate University Law Review
- Dean’s Scholarship
M.M., Northwestern University, Vocal Performance, 2003
B.A., Indiana University, 1998
- Member of the Singing Hoosiers
- Performing Arts Director, Indiana Memorial Union Board
AWARDS
Indiana Super Lawyers Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2023
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Professional Memberships
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Indiana State Bar
California State Bar
Georgia State Bar (inactive)
Alabama State Bar (inactive)
Eleventh Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (pro hac vice)
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (pro hac vice)
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky (pro hac vice)
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (pro hac vice)
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Featured Cases
- Litigating state and national class actions challenging deceptive marketing of Gerber Life Grow Up and College Plans as mechanisms for parents and grandparents to save for a child’s future. E.g., Loguidice v. Gerber Life, Case No. 7:20-cv-03254-KMK (S.D.N.Y.).
- Litigating TCPA class action challenging Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate’s marketing of affiliate vehicle dealerships through harassing calls and texts. E.g., Goodell v. Van Tyul Group, Case No. 2:20-cv-01657-JJT (D. Ariz.).
- Litigating class action challenge on behalf of former residents of senior living community for unlawful “marketing upgrade” charges after resident move-out. MacLeod v. Jenner’s Pond, Case No. 2:20-cv-03485-ER (E.D. Pa.).
- Litigating class actions on behalf of consumers challenging unlawful and oppressive bank and credit union fee schemes. E.g., Howell v. Eastman Credit Union, Case No. C42517 (Circuit Ct. of Sullivan Cnty., Tenn.).
- Litigated national class actions against Secretary DeVos and the U.S. Department of Education challenging policies and inaction regarding applications for relief from student loan debt from for-profit school fraud. E.g., Calvillo Manriquez, et al. v. DeVos, et al., 3:17-cv-07210-SK (N.D. Cal.).
- Litigated statewide class action to predatory debt collection practices under federal debt collection and consumer protection laws. Norton v. LVNV Funding, LLC, et al., 4:18-cv-05051-DMR (N.D. Cal.). Spearheaded class certification, which was granted in ate 2020.
- Litigated class action, including a federal trial on the merits, challenging the Alabama Department of Corrections’ failure to provide constitutional mental healthcare and accommodate prisoners with disabilities. Braggs, et al. v. Dunn, et al., No. 2:14cv601-MHT (M.D. Ala.). Judge ruled in Plaintiff’s favor on the merits.
- Litigated constitutional challenge to lack of access to counsel for immigrants detained in three detention facilities in the South. SPLC v. Dep’t of Homeland Security, et al., 1:18-cv-00760-CKK (D.D.C.).
- Litigated class action, including a federal trial on the merits, in Fourth Amendment challenge to Birmingham Police Department’s policies and practices to pepper spray school children. W., et al. v. Birmingham Board of Educ., et al., No. 2:10-cv-03314-AKK (N.D. Ala.). Court ruled in favor of plaintiffs on the merits; decision overturned on jurisdictional grounds.