Camacho Mendoza Coulter Law Group is a Latina, African –American and Veteran owned law firm providing quality and efficient legal counsel to businesses, organizations, insurers, employers/employees, Native American Tribes, artists, Political Candidates and individual multi-cultural clients located in Idaho, Indian Country, the Washington D.C. Metro Area, and Maryland. Camacho Mendoza Coulter Law Group also has a strong commitment to the protection of civil rights and voting rights. Camacho Mendoza Coulter Law Group prides itself on being attuned to our clients' objectives, stresses the importance of prevention 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 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 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) 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 also serves as a Trustee and a Director 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: 2010 Regence Idaho Latino Hero; 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.