Natalie Hirt Adams

Natalie Adams is a partner and an experienced trial lawyer who specializes in Government Enforcement Defense & Investigations. Having worked for nearly a decade as a federal prosecutor, she is able to provide informed and practical counsel on complex criminal matters, civil litigation, and internal investigations.

Complex Case and Trial Work

Natalie tries complex federal cases. Most recently, in 2023, Natalie represented a civil defendant in a multi-week federal case in which plaintiffs sought more than $100 million in damages against her client. The jury fully vindicated her client on all counts. Natalie has also tried numerous federal criminal cases. As a federal prosecutor, Natalie received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, the second highest award bestowed by the Department of Justice, following her victory in a three-month multi-defendant racketeering (RICO) trial. Natalie’s substantial trial experience enables her to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of her clients’ cases, identify vulnerabilities in the government’s evidence, and effectively advocate at trial. She also draws from her experience using grand jury subpoenas, search and seizure warrants, wiretaps, and other investigative tools, to identify evidence that can be excluded and to advise clients under investigation. 

Healthcare Fraud

Natalie represents hospitals, healthcare providers, healthcare executives, and insurers targeted by the government and/or whistleblowers for alleged violations of the False Claims Act (FCA), the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), the Stark Law, and healthcare fraud statutes. She has successfully represented healthcare clients in federal criminal investigations, federal criminal trials, federal qui tam suits, and state civil litigation. Most recently, in 2023, Natalie’s work resulted in the full dismissal of FCA claims against a large healthcare institution. 

Seizure, Forfeiture, and Restitution

While at the United States Attorney’s Office, Natalie spent three years in the Asset Forfeiture Division, recovering illicit proceeds through criminal and civil litigation. While serving in that capacity, she advised law enforcement officers and financial institutions on the detection and recovery of criminal proceeds and facilitating property. Her experience on this issue enables her to assist clients in responding to asset seizures, restitution obligations, and forfeiture actions. Her work in private practice has resulted in wiping out hundreds of millions of dollars in forfeiture and restitution penalties levied against her clients.

Sexual Assault and Misconduct Investigations

Natalie also has experience investigating allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, and evaluating institutional compliance in preventing, reporting, and responding to such behavior. She has investigated sexual assault and misconduct allegations that have arisen in government agencies, institutions of higher education, and private settings. Most recently, in 2023, her work resulted in the full dismissal of Title IX allegations on jurisdictional grounds. Previously, she received the John H. Pickering Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service, for her representation before the United States Congress of former Peace Corps volunteers and sexual assault survivors. Their Congressional testimony resulted in the enactment of a law that improved the Peace Corps’ sexual assault prevention and response policies.

Recognition

• John H. Pickering Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service (2011), an annual award given to a single attorney in an international law firm comprising more than 1000 attorneys, for exemplary pro bono legal service in representing Peace Corps volunteers seeking sexual assault policy reform
• Financial Crimes and Inspectors General Council Special Achievement Award for Health Care Fraud Investigation (2015), an award bestowed jointly by the United States Attorney’s Office and the Council of the Inspectors General to recognize outstanding accomplishments in economic crimes prosecutions
• Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award (2016), the second highest award for employee performance bestowed by the United States Department of Justice, given for her role prosecuting a six-defendant racketeering (RICO) case, in which all defendants were convicted following a three-month trial
• Tampa Police Department Chief’s Appreciation Award (2019), bestowed to recognize the exceptional contribution to community safety of a multi-agency, wiretap investigation into large criminal enterprise
• United States Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative (2019), bestowed to recognize the significant number and complexity of prosecutions addressing violent and organized crimes
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Investigation of the Year Award (2022), bestowed to recognize the prosecution of a broad and violent white supremacist racketeering organization

News and Publications

• Quoted in Florida Judge Awards Gilead Sciences $131M Judgment, Daily Business Review, March 9, 2023
• Zero Dollars: Jury Returns Defense Verdict on $36M Patent Claim, Daily Business Review, March 3, 2023
• Fla. Jury Finds No Infringement in Data Patent Suit, Law360, February 28, 2023
• Quoted in Analysis of CMS Data Raises Alarm on Potential Genetic Testing Fraud, 360Dx, December 8, 2022
• The Government Sharpens Its Focus On Corporate Malfeasance: What’s Coming — and How to Be Prepared, ACC Tampa Bay Newsletter, September 22, 2022
• Quoted in The $2 Million Question: What Did the D.C. Trucker Convoy Donations Buy?, The Daily Beast, March 10, 2022
• Quoted in I-TEAM: Federal health agency investigating complaints related to COVID-19 testing company, News4Jax, January 14, 2022

Speaking Engagements

• Plea Bargaining – Thirty-First Annual Seminar on Federal Sentencing presented by The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and The Criminal Law Section of the Federal Bar Association (9/22/2022)
• Working in the World of Whistleblowers: Best Practices for Ethical and Compliant Business Practices – ACC Tampa Bay (8/25/2022)
• In-Depth Perspectives of the Government’s Scrutiny and Focus on COVID-19 Healthcare-Fraud Related Schemes – Representing the Physician 2022 (4/29/2022)
• The Role of Prosecutors, Public Defenders, & Defense Lawyers in Building an Effective Criminal Justice System – Federal Bar Association, Tampa Bay Chapter – Criminal Law Section (3/11/2022)
• Criminal History – 30^th Annual Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar (9/3/2021)

Education

• Duke University (J.D., cum laude, 2008)
• Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (M.A., 2004)
• Northwestern University (B.S., magna cum laude, 2003)

Clerkships

• Hon. Susan H. Black, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• Hon. Susan C. Bucklew, United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida 

Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Florida
• New York
• Texas
• United States District Court, District of Columbia
• United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
• United States District Court, Northern District of Florida
• United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
• United States Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit