Former Chief Deputy D.C. Attorney General Natalie Ludaway Expands Crowell & Moring's AG Practice

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Crowell & Moring expands its State Attorneys General Enforcement and Investigations practice and Advertising & Media Group with the addition of partner Natalie Ludaway, the former Chief Deputy Attorney General for the District of Columbia.

During her five years as chief deputy, Ludaway held the second highest ranking position in the District of Columbia's Attorney General Office and participated in setting the strategic direction of the office, transforming it into an independently elected attorney general office to be on par with the nation's leading attorney general offices. Ludaway oversaw an array of matters, including multistate and single jurisdiction investigations, and enforcement and litigation matters, such as consumer protection, antitrust, civil rights, privacy and cybersecurity, environmental, false claims, nonprofits, utilities, and wage misclassification claims. In addition, Ludaway served as liaison to the executive, legislative, and local federal judicial branches of the District of Columbia.

Ludaway collaborated with attorneys general and their senior staff throughout the United States, including the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), a bipartisan organization. Ludaway served on several of the organization's committees, participated in setting its strategic direction, and presented at NAAG conferences. She received NAAG's 2019 Senior Staff Member of the Year Award for her contributions to the association and attorneys general.

"The Office of Attorney General for the District of Columbia's (OAG) loss is Crowell & Moring's gain. Natalie is an exceptional lawyer and a selfless leader," Attorney General Karl Racine said. "Indeed, Natalie is the rare lawyer who takes the time necessary to develop a deep understanding of the needs of her clients, creatively crafts the winning strategy, and identifies the mix of talent necessary to achieve the clients' objective. Few lawyers have such skills and winning personality to deliver for their clients. It is for these reasons that Natalie's leadership elevated OAG's status from a dormant agency, to one that has earned the respect of District residents and experts who regularly practice in the State AG space."

Prior to her government service, Ludaway was the managing member of a D.C.-based litigation boutique. During her tenure in private practice, Ludaway handled complex civil litigation and employment and regulatory counseling.

Ludaway's arrival comes on the heels of partners Clayton S. Friedman and Michael Yaghi who joined the firm in January. Friedman leads the firm's State Attorneys General Enforcement and Investigations practice. In addition, Joselle Albracht recently joined the practice as senior counsel in the Orange County office. Albracht is an experienced regulatory lawyer and advises clients on complying with state and federal consumer protection regulations that impact day-to-day operations. Her practice focuses on advertising and marketing regulations across all platforms, including broadcast, print, direct, telemarketing, online, social, and behavioral media. Previously, Albracht held the position of assistant attorney general for the Consumer Protection Division in the state of Texas, where she later served as chief of insurance practices.

Ludaway's move comes at a pivotal time for the firm. "We are seeing a growing number of investigations and enforcement actions from state attorneys general," said Philip T. Inglima, chair of Crowell & Moring. "Clients need strategic guidance from experienced counsel who understand the dynamics of this specialized area and can advise on the enforcement, litigation, and regulatory aspects of AG matters. Natalie's background and experience, combined with her exceptional judgment and trusted profile in the attorney general community, make her uniquely positioned to counsel and defend clients across the full spectrum of issues."

"The arrival of Natalie and Joselle continues our strategic growth trajectory for the practice," Friedman said. "We have substantial relationships with AGs, chief deputies, and heads of important divisions like Consumer Protection, Antitrust, and Environmental that will benefit our clients."

The influence of state attorneys general has been growing steadily for years. The state attorney generals' role in consumer protection and other regulatory issues has increased while the federal government's oversight has receded with deregulation. 

"So many serious consumer protection investigations now start in the states," said Chris Cole, co-chair of the firm's Advertising & Media Group. "Natalie and Joselle strengthen our in-depth state attorneys general capabilities and ability to guide clients across the expanding landscape of federal and state regulatory enforcement, litigation, and compliance matters."

"I'm excited to join this growing practice and to leverage my experience to help clients as they navigate the impact of the growing state regulatory and enforcement jurisdiction over the corporate sector," Ludaway said. "I was drawn to Crowell & Moring because of its expanding State Attorneys General team and deep bench in white collar and regulatory investigations, including an extensive roster of former prosecutors and other senior enforcement officials. The firm is well-equipped to help clients with enforcement, investigations, litigation, and compliance matters. I look forward to collaborating with my new colleagues to provide strategic guidance to clients."

Ludaway earned her law degree from The George Washington University School of Law and her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Hunter College in New York.

About Crowell & Moring LLP
Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with approximately 550 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, London, and Brussels.

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