Get to know NATALIA
Natalia P. Betancourt-Torregrosa is Special Counsel in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group. With more than nine years of experience, she represents local and international employers in litigation and administrative proceedings, and counsels them on employment law compliance, litigation prevention and risk management. Her practice also encompasses insurance coverage and defense, including disputes under Employment Practices Liability (EPL) and Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability policies.
Natalia defends employers against claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, workplace harassment and employee benefits violations under federal and Puerto Rico law, before both the courts and administrative agencies, including the Puerto Rico Department of Labor’s Labor Standards Bureau and Anti-Discrimination Unit, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She has extensive experience litigating claims under Puerto Rico’s summary procedure for employment claims (Act No. 2 of 1961). She also represents employers seeking protective orders under Puerto Rico’s Anti-Stalking Act (Act No. 284 of 1999) to protect their employees and workplaces. Fully bilingual in English and Spanish, Natalia represents clients at all stages of litigation.
In her advisory practice, Natalia counsels employers on wage and hour compliance, employee benefits, disciplinary measures, internal investigations and workplace privacy, and drafts and negotiates employment and professional services agreements, as well as non-competition and other restrictive covenant agreements. She also advises companies establishing or expanding operations in Puerto Rico on the full range of local employment law requirements, from the design of employment policies and handbooks to the structuring of their workforce.
Prior to joining Ferraiuoli, Natalia practiced labor and employment law on behalf of employers at other Puerto Rico law firms, where she also handled insurance coverage, maritime and personal injury matters, and represented unsecured creditors in adversary proceedings before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Before entering the legal profession, she worked as a public relations account executive, leading media strategies and events for renowned consumer brands, an experience that informs the clear, client-focused communication she brings to every matter.
Why Ferraiuoli?
Ferraiuoli gives me the opportunity to serve employers alongside colleagues across virtually every area of the law. Employment issues rarely exist in isolation; they touch corporate, tax, insurance, and regulatory concerns. What sets Ferraiuoli apart is its collaborative, innovative culture. The firm encourages its attorneys to look beyond the traditional approach, and expects us to find creative, efficient solutions to our clients’ challenges. Being part of a full-service firm with a practical, business-oriented culture means my clients get complete answers, not just legal ones.
What is your primary focus?
My primary focus is helping employers resolve workplace disputes efficiently and, just as importantly, avoid them in the first place. Whether I am defending a claim in court or advising human resources on an internal investigation, I aim to understand how the business operates so my advice protects both the company and its day-to-day operations.
What do you find most rewarding?
I find it most rewarding when a client who came to me in the middle of a difficult dispute walks away with a favorable outcome and a clearer understanding of how to prevent the next one. Over time, that experience often becomes a lasting working relationship, and it is just as satisfying to see that same client avoid litigation altogether because of the practices we put in place together.
- Obtained dismissal at trial of a retaliation claim by showing the plaintiff’s termination resulted from an investigation into workplace conduct, affirmed on appeal. Vélez Bezares v. Medtronic de Puerto Rico Co., KLAN202000461.
- Obtained a ruling holding that the sworn statement required to request an extension of time to answer an Act No. 2 complaint may be signed by the employer’s counsel, avoiding entry of default against the client. Villanueva v. Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica, KLCE202100646.
- Obtained summary judgment in favor of the employer in a wrongful termination case under Puerto Rico’s Act No. 2 of 1961. Osvaldo Pagán Pagán v. Ediciones Santillana, Inc. PO2023CV00832.
- Secured the plaintiff’s voluntary dismissal of his claim after confronting him during his deposition with evidence obtained through thorough discovery. José R. Flores Rosa v. APS Health, AR2025CV00961
- Represented a client in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection protest, achieving complete elimination of the tariffs imposed.
Education
- University of Puerto Rico School of Law, J.D., 2016
- University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, B.A. in Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising, Magna Cum Laude, 2012
- Complutense University of Madrid, Exchange Program, 2011
Bar Admissions
- Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
- United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico Notarial Bar
Affiliations
- Puerto Rico Bar Association (Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Puerto Rico)
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Puerto Rico Chapter