Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2026 
Natalia Lopez-Whitaker is a Partner at Nachlis Cohade Lopez-Whitaker LLP in San Francisco, California. She practices exclusively in Family Law and Family Law Mediation, representing individuals and families in a broad range of matters involving divorce, child custody, child support, parentage, premarital agreements, postmarital agreements, cohabitation agreements, and complex family law disputes. Natalia also works extensively in alternative dispute resolution, including mediation, Collaborative Practice, and settlement negotiations.
Over the course of her legal career, Natalia has handled high-conflict custody matters, including international relocation and Hague Convention cases. She is certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a Family Law Specialist and has been selected to Super Lawyers from 2022 through 2026.
Natalia has completed advanced family law and negotiation training through the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), including the Trial Practicum, Associates Institute in Chicago, and programs focused on negotiation strategies developed through the Harvard School of Negotiation. In 2012, she completed mediation training through The Center of Understanding in Conflict (CUC), where she later served as a board member and educator. In 2015, Natalia helped develop a program through CUC addressing race and racism in Family Law using restorative practices and understanding-based conflict resolution models.
She earned her law degree from Golden Gate University School of Law, where she focused on Native Law and Juvenile Justice. During law school, Natalia completed the Family Law Institute and interned with California Indian Legal Services, the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office Juvenile Division, and the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office misdemeanor division. Her mentor was the Honorable Abby Abinanti, Chief Justice of the Yurok Tribe and retired Commissioner of the San Francisco Unified Family Court.
Before attending law school, Natalia graduated from San Francisco State University with dual degrees in Raza Studies and International Relations. Raised in a working-class community in Los Angeles County, she was the first woman in her family to attend a four-year university and the first family member to become an attorney.
Natalia approaches Family Law and Family Law Mediation with a strong commitment to fairness, communication, and practical problem-solving. Drawing from both her professional experience and personal understanding of family transitions, she works with clients to navigate emotionally complex legal matters while focusing on constructive resolutions that support families moving forward.
