Natalie Rico

Natalie Rico is a Partner with Bryson Harris Suciu DeMay and also serves on the Executive Committee for the firm.

Natalie helped establish the Miami office for Bryson and holds management responsibilities in that office for attorneys and legal staff. She has extensive experience leading litigation teams, and leadership roles with case management, foreign service efforts, and acting as the plaintiff’s liaison counsel in national hearings.

A strong factfinder and witness prep strategist, her experience spans mass tort litigation, class actions, products liability, medical malpractice, catastrophic personal injury, and construction litigation.

Legal History

Prior to joining Bryson, she was with Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman where she handled case administration on a number of mass arbitration and data privacy cases, earning settlements in the tens of millions of dollars for her clients. She also earned Attorney of the Year honors with the firm in her inaugural year with them, joining private practice after working a term in civil service.

In her role as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Miami, Natalie defended the city in many cases ranging from personal injury and auto accidents to real estate contracts and more complex actions. She handled a high-volume caseload and tried a substantial number of cases, and significant trial experience. She chose this role to expand her trial skills.

Natalie’s legal career began at the firm of Colson Hicks Eidson where she focused on product liability, medical malpractice and MDL cases. She handled 300-500 clients as part of her caseload, which included the Chinese drywall and airbag litigations, as well as cases outside of the United States.

State Bar Admissions

• Florida

Federal Court Admissions

• United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
• United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
• United States District Court, Northern District of Florida

Education

• J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law (Washington, D.C.)
• Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from the University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL)

Notable Representation

In Re: Chinese-Manufactured Drywall Defective Products Liability Litigation: Represented over 300 homeowners, associations and developments; handled all aspects of case administration, coordination of foreign service efforts, preparation of pleadings, motions and discovery; acted as plaintiffs’ liaison counsel in Miami-Dade County Chinese Drywall Omnibus calendar hearings.

Super Helechos, et. Al. v. E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co.: Represented Costa Rican fern growers in an action arising from their use of defective Benlate fugicides; coordinated foreign service of process efforts, handled all aspects of case administration and fact finding and preparing clients for mediation and trial in Costa Rica

In Re: Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation: Acted as senior supervising associate for a team of associates and document reviewers; acted as the lead associate for preparation of bellwether cases

Classes & Seminars

• Speaker, Mass Arbitration: Arbitration for the Plaintiff Trial Lawyer, Part 3, Trial School
• Lecturer: Mass Arbitration – Arbitration for the Plaintiff Trial Lawyer, Part 3. Trial School
• Lecturer: Admission-Exclusion of Unique Evidence. National Business Institute
• Panelist: Pro Bono Ethics. DCBA Bench & Bar Conference
• Lecturer: Establishing Authenticity & Satisfying the Best Evidence Rule: The Unsurmountable Challenge. National Business Institute
• Lecturer: Apply Hearsay Exceptions and Overcoming Relevancy Issues. National Business Institute
• Moderator: Legal Spanish. Dade County Bar Association Bench & Bar Conference
• Lecturer: Taking and Defending Depositions. Dade Legal Aid
• Presenter: Superstar vs. Rising Stars Mock Trial. Dade County Bar Association & DBR
• Lecturer: Ethical Questions – The Practical Dos and Don’ts.
• Lecturer: Succeeding at Trial. National Business Institute
• Lecturer: How to Prepare a Witness. National Business Institute

Awards and Recognition

• Attorney of the Year, Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 40 under 40 Award

Appointments and Service

• The Spellman-Hoeveler Inns of Court
• American Bar Association
• Dade County Bar Association
• American Association for Justice
• Cuban American Bar Association
• Florida Association of Women Lawyers
• Miami-Dade County Bar Association: Board Member
• Miami-Dade County Bar Association: Executive Board
• Reclaimed Earth

Personal Notes

Natalie was inspired to pursue the law by her grandfather. He was an attorney in his homeland of Cuba, but he fled the country with his family due to the communist revolution. Her grandfather had a profound respect for the rule of law, which he instilled in his children and grandchildren.

Outside the office, Natalie is a huge supporter of the arts, including ballet, opera, and musical theatre.