Natasha Hausdorff

Arbitration and international

Natasha has a keen interest in international arbitration, recently attending arbitration conferences in Ireland, the UK and Israel. Natasha presented at the Kent Law Society Litigation and Dispute Resolution Annual Conference 2018 on alternative dispute resolution.

Her previous work for international clients includes advising a foreign local authority on a threatened claim in the English Courts, concerning licences of computer software in excess of a million pounds, and advising on education regulation in the UK. She has particular experience addressing conflicts of law and forum non conveniens. As a trainee solicitor Natasha worked on several investment treaty disputes for both governments and investors and several major commercial arbitrations.

Natasha is a member of Arbitration Ireland and the LCIA.

Civil, commercial and chancery

Natasha has conducted numerous multi-track, fast track and small claims trials. She appears in a wide range of complex civil claims, for Claimants and Defendants, which have included a university, a multi-billion pound drinks company, construction companies and international investors. As a trainee solicitor Natasha gained experience in complex and high value litigation in the commercial court.

She has appeared in the high court, in relation to recognition of a foreign insolvency proceeding under Article 15 of the UNCITRAL Model Law, involving the Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations 2006. She often deals with ancillary applications, including for Norwich Pharmaceutical Orders and she has experience dealing with appeals at Tribunal under the Freedom of Information Act.

Natasha is experienced in civil applications in the Magistrates’ Courts, including with respect to rights of way under the Highways Act 1980, statutory nuisance and in Police (Property) Act cases for actions concerning the recovery of property seized during the course of investigations.

Natasha advises on a range of civil matters, in particular where there are links to her other practice areas and those involving an international dimension concerning jurisdictional questions. Wherever appropriate and advantageous, Natasha will seek to negotiate a settlement and avoid the costs and uncertainty of litigation.

Regulatory and competition

Over the last two years Natasha has worked as a junior in a team representing a corporate core participant in connection with the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Her defence work in her own right has recently included representing a leading infrastructure company with respect to Water Regulations, a hospitality company with respect to fire safety and health and safety offences, a housing company with respect to fire safety improvement notices and a construction company with respect to nuisance claims.

Natasha has been instructed to advise the HSE and local authorities on regulatory matters. She has also assisted ‘A list’ regulatory counsel on complex advice including with respect to the Reservoirs Act 1975 and guidance for the Food Standards Agency, involving the navigation of EU regulations. She has advised on the application of food safety guidance, the Human Medicine Regulations and with respect to judicial review in this area.

Natasha has advised on the RIPA powers for local authorities. She also conducted research as a Fellow at Columbia Law School in New York into cyber regulation and national security issues, including examining in detail surveillance regulation both in the UK and the US.

Natasha has been involved in successful complaints to the OECD National Contact Point, with respect to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and to the Charities Commission. As a Government Legal Department junior-junior, Natasha was instructed in an extensive disclosure review for HMRC involving Legal Professional Privilege in a large scale fraud matter.

As a trainee solicitor, Natasha spent six months on secondment in Brussels working exclusively in competition law, gaining significant experience in competition clearance and DG Competition investigations.

Natasha is a member of the Association of Health and Safety Lawyers and has been appointed to the C Panel of Attorney General’s List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates.

Planning and environmental

Natasha has acted for a significant number of local authorities with respect to breaches of planning and environmental regulation, including successfully obtaining Confiscation and Compensation Orders under POCA. She regularly prosecutes offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in the Crown Court and Magistrates’ Court and has had conduct of the ‘prosecution list’ in the Magistrates’ Court.

Natasha was recently instructed in the High Court in defence of investigatory powers under the Environment Act 1995. She has also assisted with advice concerning the Environment Agency’s duty of care and liability as the statutory body with powers under the Water Resources Act 1991.

Natasha is a regular contributor to Chambers’ Weekly Environmental Law News.

Licensing and property

Natasha is frequently instructed with respect to possession hearings in the property tribunal and has experience of claims for rent arears. She has successfully defended claims in matters concerning the non-payment of non-domestic rates for commercial premises and tribunal determinations under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Natasha also has experience in the Regulation of HMOs and with respect to the Rent Repayment Order regime.

Natasha has prosecuted on behalf of local authorities in respect of trading standards, consumer protection and other licencing offences concerning street trading, pedlars’ licences, non-duty paid tobacco and alcohol, and has defended in taxi and private hire licencing appeals.

Natasha has advised on a variety of licensing matters and served as independent legal advisor to the licensing sub-committee in local authority license review hearings.

Employment

Natasha’s employment practice is varied with experience in multi-day contested hearings, representing Claimants and Respondents, in matters involving claims of unfair, wrongful and constructive dismissal, discrimination and breach of contract, and in separate remedy hearings. Natasha is regularly instructed at an early stage in order to settle written submissions and appear at preliminary hearings and is practiced at representing Respondents against an unrepresented Claimant.

Before coming to the bar Natasha was a volunteer at the Free Representation Unit (FRU).

Personal injury

Natasha receives repeat instructions from Claimants and Defendants in a variety of negligence and personal injury claims, including with respect to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Highways Act 1980. She has successfully represented parties in claims arising from accidents at work, in public places and arising from road traffic accidents, and is practiced at navigating expert evidence with respect to these claims. Natasha has undertaken many infant settlement approval hearings and has been instructed on behalf of third parties. Natasha is often instructed to advise on liability and quantum, including with respect to claims in Jersey.

Natasha appeared in a mock-trial for the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (East Anglia Branch) concerned with the recovery of damages for an injury sustained at work, providing training for professionals and experts in personal injury.

Crime

Natasha prosecutes and defends and is instructed alone and as a led junior in a wide variety of cases involving drugs, violence, sexual offences, theft, fraud, public order and domestic abuse. Recent cases have included a three month trial in a conspiracy to supply class A drugs, a county lines matter (Woolwich Crown Court), perverting the course of justice (Woolwich Crown Court), and a series of harassment cases (Canterbury Crown Court) where she successfully advanced a defence based on Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Natasha has often been instructed in appeals, including by way of case stated to the High Court. She also defends in a full range of motoring offences.

Natasha works frequently for the police dealing with DVPOs, SOPOs and SROs. She has also been instructed by the Police and Local Authorities in relation to the Dangerous Dogs Act, CBOs, other anti-social behaviour matters and in relation to POCA proceedings. Natasha has recently also dealt with a number of cases involving complexities of criminal disclosure into the family courts and has developed a detailed understanding of the challenges faced by public authorities, especially with respect to historic cases.

Natasha was recently instructed to draft amicus submissions to the International Criminal Court Pre-Trial Chamber concerning the scope of the Court’s territorial jurisdiction in relation to the Prosecutor’s request, under article 19(3) of the Rome Statute, ICC-01/18-12, permission having been given by the Court in February 2020.

Natasha is a member of the Criminal Bar Association and the South Eastern Circuit.

Appointments

• Appointed to the AG List of Specialist Regulatory Advocates in Health & Safety and Environmental Law (List C)
• CPS Level 1 Advocate Panel 2016-2020 (London and South-Eastern Circuits)
• Called to the Bar 2016
• Admitted to the Roll of Solicitors 2015

Education

• Jurisprudence BA, Hons, University of Oxford (2012)
• Legal Practice Course, BPP (2013)
• LLM, Magna Cum Laude, Tel Aviv University (2016)
• Bar Transfer Test, BPP (2016)

Memberships

• 2020 LCIA
• 2019 Arbitration Ireland
• 2019 Association of Health and Safety Lawyers
• 2016 UK Environmental Law Association
• 2015 Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• 2014 Association of Women Barristers
• 2011 Middle Temple

Latest news

Events

Blog