Mintz is pleased to announce that Natashia Tidwell, a former federal prosecutor and police officer, has joined the firm’s Boston office as a Member of the Litigation Group. Ms. Tidwell’s practice focuses on white collar defense and government investigations with a special emphasis on assisting educational institutions in identifying and managing internal and external challenges. Ms. Tidwell previously practiced at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, LLP.
“Natashia’s background in both law enforcement and the legal industry gives her a unique perspective and advantage in creating strategic solutions,” said Bob Bodian, Managing Member of Mintz. “Her experience as a monitor and the reputation she has established as a trusted advisor to corporations and institutions navigating high-stakes, sensitive matters will be of great benefit to our clients. She is a terrific addition to our growing team of powerhouse litigators, and will add depth to our investigations practice as well as core industry offerings such as education and financial services.”
Ms. Tidwell has extensive experience advising clients on responses to grand jury subpoenas, civil investigative demands, and interview and deposition requests. She also provides guidance on internal investigations of alleged misconduct, assisting with the assessment of potential violations and recommending steps to mitigate risk and reputational damage.
On the education side of her practice, Ms. Tidwell oversees a broad spectrum of internal investigations for colleges, universities, and independent secondary schools in matters involving racial and gender discrimination, sexual misconduct, campus safety and security, and other constitutional matters.
In connection with the nationwide focus on social justice following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Ms. Tidwell led many investigations of alleged discriminatory conduct by schools, local police departments, corporations, and other organizations. As the lead monitor in Ferguson, Missouri, she is providing oversight on the city police department and municipal court reforms stemming from a civil rights investigation by the US Department of Justice. In Newark, New Jersey, Ms. Tidwell is serving as a subject matter consultant for the monitoring team instituting court-ordered reforms within the city’s police force.
Ms. Tidwell’s public service career included serving in the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. During her tenure as a prosecutor, she secured convictions in a bribery and conspiracy trial of two sitting state court judges and a prominent local trial attorney. In a separate matter, Ms. Tidwell secured guilty pleas from a congressional official and high-level staffers to federal conspiracy and honest services fraud charges following a bribery and organized crime investigation.
Before attending law school and while earning her JD, Ms. Tidwell worked as a police officer for the Cambridge Police Department in Massachusetts, where she rose through the ranks to become the department’s first female lieutenant. She also holds certifications as a Level Two Civil Rights Investigator and from the Association of Title IX Administrators, and was recently named a ‘Future Star’ in Massachusetts by Benchmark Litigation.
Mintz’s Litigation practice is witnessing momentum across the board. Ms. Tidwell joins on the heels of the addition of Michelle Lipkowitz in October -who guides clients through complex commercial litigation, white collar defense, and government investigations.
