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As a self-confessed talkative and opinionated child, Natalie grew up convinced she was destined to be a lawyer. “We had this joke at home that I was going to be another Ally McBeal,” she says, referencing the hit late-1990s legal TV series, which she used to watch with her parents.
But by the time she was 16, Natalie’s dream had turned to dust. Her high school years were unhappy; she attended two Wellington high schools and didn’t feel either were the right fit for her. Disillusioned with the education system and keen to assert her independence, she made two radical decisions. As well as dropping out of school, she also moved out of home.
Without university entrance, Natalie had to let go of her lofty career goals. While her childhood dream of becoming a lawyer had been replaced by a desire to be a journalist, any tertiary study was now beyond her financial reach. To support herself, she had to find work.
Her first job was answering the phone in a pizza shop; within a few years she was one of the managers. From there, she moved into insurance, initially selling policies before moving into customer feedback and complaints management. Along the way, she also worked in hospitality, going back to the pizza store a few times, as well as serving behind bars and at events. And while these years didn’t involve higher learning from an academic perspective, they were particularly formative: an apprenticeship in reading people, handling pressure, and solving problems on the fly.
“Those jobs taught me to stay calm when things got difficult,” she says. “Without realising it, I was creating this rich wealth of experience that would serve me well when I eventually did go into law.”
Four years after quitting school, Natalie felt ready to pursue the goals set by her younger self. While journalism still appealed, and she also contemplated medicine and psychology, it was law she kept returning to. There were hurdles she had to jump: without the required qualifications, gaining a place at university was neither guaranteed nor straightforward. Fortunately, when she turned 20, she was able to apply through the Special Admissions scheme.
Yet, despite acceptance via that channel, Natalie found herself battling the school of hard knocks: judgmental younger classmates (she was called uneducated and her right to attend university questioned) and juggling study with the need to support herself.
There were times, she admits, when she questioned the wisdom of her decision to pursue law. “Law school is challenging at the best of times, but with my background – and nothing qualifying me to be there other than my age – it added another layer of difficulty,” Natalie says. “I had to work very hard. I had no option but to be incredibly focused.”
To a large degree, Natalie’s background shaped the way she practices law. She’s very much a “people before process – but not without process” type of lawyer and says her life experiences have given her a lot of resilience, empathy and perspective.
“I’m a people-focused practitioner and leader due to my experiences leading up to law school.”
The years spent in the hospitality and insurance industries, the customer service roles she undertook, are central to how Natalie has established her legal work life.
“It’s not just about having the right answer; the ability to build trust and connect with people is essential. It’s about handling tough situations without losing your cool, thinking on your feet, adapting quickly and responding with empathy. That’s part of what forms the connection with clients and colleagues – being able to read between the lines and hear what people are asking you for without them actually saying it.”
“People come to me with complex, high-stakes issues, and it’s essential that I’m able to really listen, to understand their pressures and build trust. Connection is a huge part of that. If you’ve got a baseline of connection, it makes interactions a lot easier, especially in high-pressure, high-stakes situations.”
In her role as General Counsel at OSPRI, the national organisation that works with the farming industry to keep New Zealand’s livestock disease-free, Natalie must negotiate the tricky balance of maintaining good relationships with a range of stakeholders with different perspectives while also achieving OSPRI’s operational goals and complying with the law.
Her remit is broad: advising operational staff on legislation, serving as privacy officer, negotiating commercial contracts, liaising with MPIs and industry reps, and working closely with the executive team on governance and compliance.
The agriculture sector’s high stakes add another dimension. “At OSPRI, we have a huge role to play in making sure our farms are kept disease-free if and when outbreaks occur, we must be able to respond quickly and appropriately,” says Natalie. “It’s not just about making sure we are doing what we have to by law – it’s about achieving our goals and minimising disruption for our farmers.”
When Natalie joined OSPRI at the beginning of 2024, the organisation had never had a dedicated in-house legal team. While there were people with legal qualifications working in specific teams, there was no overarching in-house counsel, so she was tasked with creating the function from scratch.
From zero, the legal team now numbers two, and the results are tangible. “People tell me, ‘It’s so good having in-house here.’ Long-standing employees who’ve seen the company through different stages say it’s made a difference for them in navigating what can be a complex legal environment.”
The positive response to Natalie’s appointment as in-house counsel at OSPRI has also ignited her passion for process, which she regards as a great way for legal to support the business. “Creating processes to support business units is something I really enjoy. I love a good puzzle and putting together all the different moving parts.
“I’m currently working with my team member as we build out our legal function policies and procedures. Our discussions include asking ourselves, ‘What would an incredible legal function look like?’ and putting the policies and frameworks in place to make that happen.”
Having the ability to make it happen is very much what Natalie is about. And for those who fear their unconventional background might be a barrier to a legal career, her advice is clear: “Back yourself. Don’t wait until everything feels perfect or like you’ve earned your spot. Just get started. Talk to people who’ve done it. Don’t get stuck on the idea that you had to have done things in a certain way to be successful.”
She sees her own journey, with all its ups and downs, as a positive. “The legal profession needs people with different experiences and perspectives. If you feel drawn to it, give it a go – whether you’ve come straight out of high school or taken 20 years off.”
Fifteen years on from starting university, Natalie has built herself a sterling career.
“I sometimes pinch myself when I’m in strategic conversations with our executive about the organisation’s development. It’s so far outside of what I could have comprehended when I dropped out of school, yet I have a feeling that determined person in me, even back then, knew I’d get there eventually – doing something I love and from which I get a lot of satisfaction.”
Looking back, she credits her experiences working in customer-centric environments with giving her an edge in high-pressure legal settings. “Having to make decisions on the spot while dealing with someone agitated or unwilling to see reason, understanding the other side’s pressures – those skills have served me incredibly well.”
From her daydreams about becoming a real-life Ally McBeal to working as a General Counsel, Natalie’s pathway hasn’t been straightforward. And that, she believes, is her strength: “The best in-house lawyers aren’t just defined by their legal knowledge – they’re shaped by every job, conversation, problem and puzzle they’ve encountered along the way.”
