Camacho Mendoza Coulter Law Group is a Latina, African –American and Veteran owned law firm located in Eagle, Idaho providing quality and efficient legal counsel to insurers, businesses, organizations, employers or employees, Native American Tribes, artists and individual multi-cultural clients located statewide, in Indian Country and beyond the State of Idaho. Camacho Mendoza Coulter Law Group also has a strong commitment to the protection of civil rights and is willing to review cases pertaining to violations. Camacho Mendoza Coulter Law Group prides itself on being attuned to our clients' objectives, stresses the importance of preventative law and structuring effective solutions to provide results our clients value while avoiding costly litigation wherever possible.
Biography of Natalie Camacho Mendoza
Background and Education: Natalie Camacho Mendoza was born in Pocatello, Idaho. She graduated from Highland High School, Pocatello in 1981. Natalie attended Idaho State University, Pocatello, where she initially studied radiology technology which included classes in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, nursing, physics and a practicum conducted at Portneuf Medical Center (formerly Bannock Regional Medical Center) radiology department. Natalie graduated in 1985 with a BA in Political Science which included studies in constitutional law, international relations, state and local governments, politics and lobbying.
After graduating from Idaho State University, Natalie volunteered and then performed contract work for the Pocatello office of Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc. as an outreach paralegal helping to set up the Migrant Law Units in Eastern Idaho. During that time she was appointed by Pocatello Mayor Finlayson to serve on the City of Pocatello Human Relations Advisory Committee where she was elected to serve as Vice-Chair.
Natalie attended Washburn University School of Law of Topeka, Kansas in 1986-1989. While attending Washburn, Natalie received the President’s Scholarship, National Hispanic Scholarship; Hispanic American Law Student Association’s Si Se Puede Scholarship and was named in Who’s Who Among American Law Students, 1988 and 1989. She also served as President of the Hispanic American Law Student Association and Co-Chaired Project Due Process. The purpose of the project was to represent Marielito Cubans detained in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary after arriving from Cuba in the 1980s. Natalie was also one of a group of Student Organizers that formed the Hispanic National Bar Association Law Student Division.During her years in Kansas, Natalie served on the Board of Directors of the Kansas Association of Hispanic Organizations and volunteered with the Kansas Commission on Hispanic Affairs, LULAC, GI Forum, Harvest America, MidWest Voter Registration Project and attended the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute on scholarships granted by the Latino Community of Kansas.
Experience:Natalie began her practice with Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc in 1989. She served as staff attorney then managing attorney and director of the Migrant Law Units. In 1992, Natalie attended the Cuernavaca Language School, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Later in 1992, Natalie relocated to San Antonio, Texas where she worked for a private law firm, Plunkett, Gibson & Allen and then Frank Rivas & Associates, in-house South Texas Corporate Litigation Counsel office for State Farm. She returned to Idaho in 1995, and worked for Quane, Smith, Howard & Hull, LLP. In 1998, Natalie began working with Anderson, Julian & Hull, LLP, where she later became a partner before forming Gardner & Camacho Mendoza, LLP and then Camacho Mendoza Law in 2005.
Natalie’s major areas of practice are civil litigation, appellate work, worker’s compensation, business law, Indian law matters in Tribal Court and Appellate level. Her interest in arts and entertainment has also opened her practice to assisting local multi-cultural artists with various legal matters and representation. She is listed as a legal resource by the Idaho Film Bureau and Idaho Media Professionals. She also has experience with lobbying federal, state and local governments, litigating personal injury, immigration and naturalization, products liability, criminal cases, both prosecution and defense, labor law matters as well as practicing in the area of insurance defense including preparation of coverage opinions.
Natalie has practiced worker’s compensation defense for several years. She has practiced before the majority of the Industrial Commission Referees, the full Commission and the Idaho Supreme Court. She has served as lead counsel in numerous worker’s compensation cases, including subrogation cases in District Court, for various sureties and employers throughout Idaho. In immigration matters, Natalie has practiced before the United States Department of Justice, Immigration Court, United States Department of Justice, Board of Immigration Appeals and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She has also appeared in Tribal Court and before the Nevada Intertribal Court of Appeals.
Besides starting her own firm, Natalie’s business experience includes organizational development and human resources matters including but not limited to hiring, recruitment, retention, employee relations, orientation and training.
In addition, Natalie has been committed to community service for over 20 years. She has worked as a volunteer, advocate, leader and community organizer for Latinos, immigrants, and other communities of color in Idaho, Kansas and Texas. She has volunteered, been elected and nominated by organizations, communities and government officials to serve in leadership positions for many non-profit organizations, commissions, committees, task forces and boards. Natalie is also known as a speaker, writer and workplace diversity consultant, she works with organizations and associations that want to increase their bottom line and improve communication through focused knowledge on the dynamics of diversity and individual contributions.
Credentials: Natalie is licensed in State Courts of Idaho, Shoshone – Paiute Tribal Court, Coeurd’ Alene Tribal Court, State Courts of Texas, United States District Court of Idaho and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is a member of the Idaho State Bar (ISB) Worker’s Compensation Section, Indian Law Section At Large Council Member and was one of the founders and current member of the ISB Diversity Law Section. Natalie is a member of the Texas Bar Hispanic Issues Section and Entertainment and Sports Law Section. She is a member of Idaho Media Professionals and a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, Trial Lawyer Honorary Society. She is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA), participating with the ABA Minority Counsel Program. Natalie is also a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) and has been appointed by Governor Otter to the Idaho Criminal Justice Commission (ICJC). She serves as member of the ICJC Gang and Native American Subcommittees. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Northwest Area Foundation, Minneapolis, MN; Mission Committee for St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise and Advisory Committee to Concordia University School of Law, Boise, Idaho.
Publication: Camacho Mendoza, Natalie, William Powers; Bad Faith in Texas, State Bar of Texas, Continuing Legal Education, San Antonio, Texas; Camacho Mendoza, Natalie, Alan K. Hull; Worker’s Compensation in Idaho, Hispanic Issues Training Conference, Boise, Idaho; Camacho Mendoza, Natalie, Alternatives to Incarceration for Tribal and Latino Juveniles, Advocate, Volume 49, February 2006; Camacho Mendoza, Natalie, US Global Competitiveness Depends on English Plus, La Presna, First Issue, 2006.
Recognitions: 2008 Idaho Business Review Women of the Year; 2007 Boise State University Women Making History; 2006 Girl Scouts Women of Today and Tomorrow Award; 2006 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) recognition for her Commitment to Equality; and Washington State University Educated Latinas Leading America recognition award.Biography of Ronaldo A. Coulter
Background: Ronaldo (Ron) A. Coulter was born in San Francisco California on February 12, 1951. Upon graduating from Polytechnic High School, San Francisco, California, in February, 1969, Ron attended Northwestern Prep School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School then located in Bainbridge, Maryland.
After attending the U.S. Naval Academy from 1971 - January 1973, due to family circumstances, Ron returned to San Francisco, California where he graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American History. While at the University of California at Berkeley, Ron was enrolled in the Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) commissioning program for the U.S. Marine Corps. Upon graduation from Berkeley, Ron was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in December of 1975.
Military Career: From December of 1975 until his official retirement date of January 1, 1996, Ron remained on active duty in the United States Marine Corps obtaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During Ron’s military career, he served in various assignments as a Supply Officer and a Judge Advocate.
Ron’s assignments as a Supply Officer are as follows: 1976 - 1979, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division; 1979 - 1982, Marine Barracks, Naval Weapons Station, Concord, California; 1982-1983, Marine Aircraft Group 15, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Iwakuni Japan; 1983 - 1985, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego California where from 1985-1987 he also served as the Executive Officer, Headquarters Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion; and, 1987- 1989, 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Pendleton, California.
Ron’s assignments as a Judge Advocate are as follows: 1989 -1991, Legal Service Support Section, 1st Force Service Support Group, Camp Pendleton, California where he served as both Trial and Defense Counsel, Chief Trial Counsel, Review Officer and Assistant Officer-in Charge, Legal Services Support Section; 1991- 1992, Senior Judge Advocate (SJA) for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Camp Pendleton, California where while deployed for six months he participated in Operations Desert Stay, and Operation Transport of Pakistani Forces; 1992-1993, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), Camp Pendleton California, where he again was deployed and participated in Operation Restore Hope, Somalia; 1993-1994, Deputy Staff Judge, Advocate III MEF and 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan; and, 1994 -1995, Officer-in-Charge, Legal Services Support Team “E” 1st Force Service Support Group, Marine Forces Pacific, Camp Pendleton California.
Civilian Career: On October 30, 1995, Ron began his civilian professional career as the Public Defender of Kootenai County, Idaho where he supervised a staff of seven (7) attorneys and a staff of (six) support staff. On July 1, 1996, Ron began work as a Deputy Attorney General and was assigned to the Idaho Department of Law Enforcement. On June 17, 1998, Ron was appointed by Governor Phil Batt to serve as Idaho’s first State Appellate Public Defender (SAPD). On November 5, 2001, Ron joined Boise Cascade Corporation and served as the Equal Employment Opportunity Manager until June 1, 2004 when he entered private practice. Ron was a founding managing member of the law firm of Mimura, Coulter & Mimura PLLC. Wanting to concentrate on building an Employment Law practice, Ron founded Idaho Employment Law Solutions. Sharing the same vision of creating a dynamic woman, minority, and veteran owned law firm, Ron is a founding member of Camacho Mendoza Coulter Law Group.
Credentials: In addition to his B.A. Degree, Ron holds an Associate of Arts Degree from City College of San Francisco, a Master’s Degree in Education from Chapman College (now Chapman University), Orange California, and Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego. Ron is a member of the Idaho State Bar and is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA). Ron’s military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with two gold stars, and the Navy Achievement Medal.
Biography of Robert Teffeteller
Background and Education: Robert Teffeteller was born in Los Angeles, CA in 1966. He graduated from University High School in Los Angeles in 1984. After high school, Robert attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he pursued a liberal arts education with a major in Economics. During his time at Berkeley, Robert achieved honors on the Dean’s List and admission in the Golden Key National Honor Society before graduating with his A.B. degree in Economics in 1988.
Experience: Robert was admitted to the California bar in December, 1993. Robert worked for the U.S. Small Business Administration for several years as an Attorney Liquidator, and was responsible for the recovery of taxpayer monies provided in disaster loans made by the SBA. Robert worked on the largest disaster loan liquidation in SBA history, and utilized his economic, financial, and legal skills to recover funds from a $23.5 million loan that ended in default. Over the course of working on hundreds of loans, Robert managed the foreclosure, repair, and resale of over 36 parcels of real estate ranging in value from several hundred thousand to several million dollars.
After the SBA, Robert worked in business banking and investments for nearly a decade. Robert has worked as a small business loan portfolio manager, small business relationship manager, and investment consultant with such organizations as Commercial Bank of San Francisco (community bank), Bank of America, Banc of America Investment Services, and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. His primary role was to work with small business owners to help them manage business financial and personal financial decisions so that they could achieve success professionally and personally. During the Internet boom, Robert was also fortunate to work for angel-funded startup, SafeWeb, Inc., as a business development manager. During his tenure with SafeWeb, Robert was responsible for generating new business, and providing general counsel to the company in areas such as real estate, leasing, contract, Internet privacy, and software licensing. While in business, Robert also maintained a solo law practice helping businesses and individuals with contract, real estate, tax, and lending issues. Robert’s focus was on business formation, operating needs, and litigation prevention. Robert has also spent time advising small business owners on financial and investment needs.
In 2004, Robert and his family moved to Sandpoint, Idaho. While in Sandpoint, Robert served on the Board of Trustees of the Sandpoint Waldorf School, a non-profit K-8th grade private school, and was appointed to and eventually elected to serve as a Trustee for the East Bonner County Free Library District. For over two years, Robert helped lead the budgeting, planning, and fundraising for these two non-profit organizations with a combined annual budget of $3 million, and over 50 employees between the two organizations. In 2005, Robert also founded Sandpoint Advisors Inc., an Idaho state registered investment advisory firm. Sandpoint Advisors Inc. serves individuals and small business owners with their investment and financial planning needs.
In 2007, Robert and his family moved to Eagle, Idaho, at which time Robert began work with West, a Thomson Reuters business. While with West, Robert has provided legal research and practice management solutions to lawyers and firms throughout Idaho. In addition to helping Robert learn the legal landscape in Idaho, this work also helped Robert prepare for and pass the Idaho bar exam in 2009. Robert is now admitted to practice in both California and Idaho.
Memberships: Robert is an active member of the American Bar Association (ABA), the ABA Business Law Section, and the ABA Real Property, Trust and Estate Law section. Robert is also a member of the Idaho State Bar Business and Corporate Law, Taxation, Probate and Trust Law, Indian Law, and Diversity sections.
Appearances: Robert periodically appears on “Property Line Today”, a local radio show on 670 KBOI, to provide advice to listeners/callers regarding legal issues in real estate transactions, lending, and leasing.