Natalia Steele
Practice Areas
Education
- The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, J.D., 2007, cum laude
- Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution, managing editor, 2006-2007
- Cleveland State University, M.A.,Labor Relations and Human Resources, 2001
- John Carroll University, B.A., 2000, cum laude
Bar & Court Admissions
Natalia is a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office and a member of the eControl group. Her practice is focused on counseling businesses on protecting brand value through online sales control solutions that protect brand equity and support long-term brand growth. Natalia’s areas of focus include: identifying and neutralizing issues arising from unauthorized sales, channel conflict, MAP violations, brand equity erosion, product diversion and quality control issues, among others.
Career highlights include:
- Developing and optimizing brands’ go-to-market strategies for alignment with overall business goals.
- Advising leading manufacturers and brands on distribution and eCommerce channel structures and agreements.
- Designing and implementing efficient enforcement plans using advanced data analysis and legal strategies.
- Counseling brands on successful expansion into international online marketplaces.
- Implementing authorized reseller programs – both brick and mortar and ecommerce – for manufacturers and brands to help protect brand value by controlling online sales.
Natalia is also an experienced litigator, and she uses her extensive knowledge in managing a wide variety of complex commercial litigation matters, including M&A shareholder derivative suits, patent infringement, commercial contracts, business torts, and directors’ and officers’ liability disputes to advise clients on best risk management strategies.
Natalia received her J.D., cum laude, from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, a Masters in Human Resources and Labor Relations from Cleveland State University, and a B.A., cum laude, from John Carroll University.
Professional and Community Activities
- The Cuyahoga County Human Rights Commission, Commissioner, 2021-present
- Vocational Guidance Services, Board Member, 2014-2020
- Ladder Down Cleveland, 2020 Class
- American Constitution Society, Executive Board Member, 2015-present
- Cleveland Metropolitan School District Mock Trial Competition, Team Coach, 2008- 2013
- Partner in Justice for Legal Aid Society of Cleveland (LASC), assisting LASC in its fundraising efforts, 2010-present
Honors & Awards
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Appellate Advocacy, 2005
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Pretrial Litigation, 2007
- Clinical Director’s Award for excellence and dedication
- Jessup International Law Moot Court Team, 2006-2007
News
- 10/10/2021Natalia Steele, a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office, was quoted in a Law360 Insurance Authority story about a recent Ohio Supreme Court decision in AKC Inc. v. United Specialty Insurance Co.
- 7/8/2019The rapid growth of Amazon and other online marketplaces has created a new ecosystem in which brands struggle to control their product sales. Brands now find their products sold by anonymous online sellers and face new challenges on an unprecedented scale. The eControl360 Summit is a first-of-its-kind event that will bring together thought leaders in each of the disciplines necessary to tackle these challenges and allow brands to retake control of their online sales.
- 4/20/2017Natalia Steele, a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office, was quoted in a Mortgage Orb story titled “Will That Be Plastic Or Plywood? The New Trend In Blight Control.”
- 6/2/2016Natalia Steele, a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office and a member of the litigation group, was quoted in a Dayton Daily News story regarding a complaint filed against Dole related to a listeria outbreak.
- 1/4/2016Vorys announced that Blake Beachler, Jennifer Dunsizer, Angela Gibson, Rick Grady, Jonathan Ishee, Paul Kerlin, Natalia Steele and Elizabeth Weinewuth have been named partners of the firm.
Events
- 11/6/2019The rapid growth of Amazon and other online marketplaces has created a new ecosystem in which brands struggle to control their product sales. Brands now find their products sold by anonymous online sellers and face new challenges on an unprecedented scale. The eControl360 Summit was a first-of-its-kind event that brought together thought leaders in each of the disciplines necessary to tackle these challenges and allow brands to retake control of their online sales.
- 10/26/2017The Vorys Consumer Financial Services Summit was held on October 26, 2017, in Vorys' Cincinnati office.
- 6/15/2017Several Vorys attorneys were speakers at the 2017 Consumer Financial Services Summit on June 15, 2017.
- 3/8/2017Vorys Partner Natalia Steele was a panelist at the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association International Women's Day: Women Leading Their Way on March 8, 2017.
- 6/22/2016Several Vorys attorneys were speakers at the 2016 Consumer Financial Services Summit on June 22, 2016 in Columbus, Ohio.
- 5/4/2016Vorys and Grant Thornton hosted the 2016 Cleveland Privacy Summit on May 4.
- 4/28/2016Vorys attorneys Heather Enlow-Novitsky and Natalia Steele presented a webinar titled “Big Data and the Internet of Things: Updates for 2016” on April 28, 2016.
- 2/25/2016Several Vorys attorneys were speakers at the Vorys Consumer Financial Services Summit on February 25, 2016 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- 10/28/2015Vorys presented a Consumer Financial Services Summit on October 28, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Insights
- 9/12/2017Some may say that it was only a matter of time. On September 7, 2017 Equifax, one of the country’s three main credit reporting agencies, reported that it has been hacked.
- 7/27/2017On July 21, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed the “Personal Information and Privacy Protection Act.”
- 6/26/2017The Second Circuit Court of Appeals provided a rare glimmer of hope to companies and courts inundated by the avalanche of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) litigation on June 22, in Reyes v. Lincoln Automotive Fin. Serv., No. 16-2104.
- 6/22/2017On June 20, a federal jury sitting in the Northern District of California Ramirez v. TransUnion LLC case awarded a class of 8,185 consumers the largest to date Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) verdict, consisting of $8 million in statutory damages and $52 million in punitive damages.
- 6/12/2017Today, in a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Gorsuch, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that companies that purchase and collect defaulted debts for their own accounts are not “debt collectors” subject to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA or the act).
- 5/2/2017The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that cities have standing under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) to sue banks based on allegations of discriminatory lending practices that purportedly led to economic losses for the cities through lower tax revenues and increased demand for city services.
- 2/13/2017During the 2017 Interactive Advertising Bureau’s (IAB) Annual Leadership Meeting, Marc S. Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer of P&G, one of the world’s largest advertisers, issued a clarion call to P&G’s fellow U.S. marketers to join him in the fight against “crappy” digital advertising.
- 12/15/2016Natalia Steele, a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office, authored an article titled “Home Free ... Or Not So Fast?” for Servicing Management magazine’s November-December 2016 edition.
- 7/11/2016The Ohio Supreme Court has issued a ruling further clarifying the issue of standing that has dogged lenders throughout the recent mortgage foreclosure crisis.
- 5/16/2016In a highly-anticipated opinion, this morning the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins.
- 11/6/2015During Monday’s oral argument in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, No. 13-1339, the Supreme Court appeared sharply divided on the issue of whether a plaintiff has standing to sue for a technical violation of a federal consumer law even when there is no indication that the plaintiff has actually been harmed by the violation.
- 7/30/2015Natalia Steele co-authored a column titled “Technological Advancements Have Led to More Traces of Infectious Disease—Now How to Assign Blame When They Cause Harm?” for Texas Lawyer.
- 9/30/2014Natalia Steele, an associate in the Vorys Cleveland office and a member of the litigation group, authored an article for the American Bar Association Insurance Services: Safe Talk newsletter. The article highlighted the increasing trend of lawsuits being filed against banks and their directors and officers on behalf of shareholders regarding a bank merger or acquisition.