Partner

Michele Cerezo-Natal

Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Global Investigations & White Collar Defense, Internal Investigations

Overview

With nearly 20 years of investigations and regulatory enforcement experience in the financial services sector, clients rely on Michele Natal to solve complicated business issues. Corporate clients value her wealth of business and legal knowledge gleaned from practical experience as in-house counsel at one of the world’s largest global financial institutions.

Michele’s practice focuses on global internal investigations and enforcement matters, responding to federal and state regulators and enforcement authorities and providing proactive compliance counseling. In addition, Michele is experienced in conducting workplace investigations.

Prior to joining Mayer Brown, Michele spent over a decade at The Bank of New York Mellon, conducting global internal investigations, managing enforcement matters and advising senior management. She conducted more than 100 internal investigations (from fraud to complex regulatory compliance matters) and was responsible for the company’s most significant investigations and counseling business executives on regulatory, reputational, and legal risks. Additionally, Michele was the senior legal advisor on overlapping employment regulatory issues, including whistleblower matters and investigating allegations involving sensitive employee issues. As such, clients now leverage Michele’s experience managing and leading legal strategy for remediation plans and global enforcement matters regarding investment services, investment management, broker-dealer and wealth management businesses arising from securities law, FINRA regulation, and other financial crime legal issues.

Clients served by Michele include The Bank of New York Mellon, Citibank, SMBC, and Frontier Communications.

Experience

Represented two asset management firms of a global financial institution in connection with a multi-state attorney general investigation relating to ESG matters.
Defended the capital markets firm of a global financial institution in connection with an SEC enforcement action relating to alleged violations of securities laws and fraud, and successfully resolved the matter pursuant to an SEC consent decree involving non-fraud charges.
Conducted an independent internal investigation concerning allegations of sexual misconduct and abusive behavior against an esteemed professor of Columbia College Chicago (the “College”) following public disclosure of allegations on social media posts.
Represented an executive officer and a senior manager of a public digital advertising firm in connection with parallel investigations by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Southern District of New York, and the SEC involving potential accounting fraud.
Led the internal investigation of alleged insider trading for a private equity client and reported investigative findings and recommendations to the Board.
Represented a technology company in connection with a New York Attorney General investigation relating to allegations of fraud and local labor law violations.
Led internal investigations for a foreign bank arising from potential whistleblower reports of fraud.
Represented a global financial institution in connection with a DOJ subpoena relating to the Archegos Capital scandal.
Led an internal investigation for a public telecommunications company arising from allegations of misconduct by its CEO and reported investigative findings and recommendations to the Board.
Led an internal investigation for a securities rating firm arising from allegations of certain violations of the securities laws.

Michele Cerezo-Natal

Overview

Experience

Related Services & Industries

Services

Publications & Presentations

Publications

US regulators crack down on retention of electronic communications

Cyber attack victims face one-two punch as SEC ramps up enforcement actions

News

How I Made Partner: 'Don’t Wait to Make Partner to Start Acting Like a Partner,' Says Michele Cerezo-Natal of Mayer Brown

Mayer Brown promotes 65 lawyers to partner and counsel effective January 1

Events

Sender Impersonation and Other Types of Business Email Compromise

Understanding and Minimizing COVID-19 Fraud Risks

Education

Admissions