For the past 29 years, Christina has partnered with large and small companies to solve their labor and employment issues. She assists clients with the full spectrum of employment matters, including daily management of employment issues as well as litigation.
Capabilities
Biography
Christina has dedicated her career to assisting employers in navigating the complex web of federal and state employment laws. Christina helps companies handle a variety of employment issues including conducting trainings, preparing agreements and policies, counseling regarding complicated employee issues, advising regarding terminations, and defending lawsuits. Christina brings creative approaches to difficult employee issues. Christina previously served as the chair of the firm’s Employment & Labor Law department for 10 years and is the past chair of the Labor & Employment Section of the Utah State Bar. Christina is ranked as a top labor and employment lawyer by Chambers and Partners USA (Tier 1), Utah Business Magazine Legal Elite, Intermountain States Super Lawyers, and Best Lawyers in America. Christina was named the 2023 Employment Lawyer of the Year (Defense Side) by the Utah State Bar Labor & Employment Section.
Christina regularly represents employers in lawsuits and counsels employers in a variety of areas including:
- Sex discrimination and sexual harassment
- Age discrimination
- Religious discrimination
- ADA, disability and employee medical issues
- Wrongful termination
- Employment contracts and compensation
- Non-compete, confidentiality, and non-solicitation agreements
- Handbooks
- Social media in the workplace
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), overtime, exemptions, collective actions and wage and hour issues
- Independent contractor issues
- Drug and alcohol testing
- FMLA and other leave issues
- Terminations and unemployment
- Union issues
- Investigations
- UALD and EEOC charges and audits
- Training for management and employees
Christina has been an adjunct professor of law at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law for over 15 years. She teaches Labor and Employment Law in the Master of Legal Studies program and a litigation skills class in the Juris Doctor program. She is the past president of the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law Board of Trustees.
Prior to joining Parsons Behle & Latimer, Christina served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable David K. Winder, then Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Utah, and the Honorable Stephen H. Anderson at the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. She graduated first in her class from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of law, where she also served on the Utah Law Review and competed for the National Moot Court Team.
Christina is a member of the American Bar Foundation Fellows.
Experience
Wage and Hour Litigation
Christina has represented various companies (including a software company and call center) in wage and hour collective actions.
ERISA Health Care Defense
Christina has represented employer insurance plans in ERISA lawsuits regarding denial of coverage for healthcare claims.
Discrimination Litigation
Christina has represented numerous employers in defending charges of discrimination and lawsuits alleging discrimination including sex discrimination, race discrimination, religious discrimination and sexual harassment.
Accomplishments
Academic
University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law (J.D., 1995)
Graduated 1st in the class
Order of the Coif
Named the Outstanding Woman Law Graduate
William H. Leary Scholar
Winner of Law School Moot Court Competition
Member of National Moot Court Team
Best Brief and Best Oralist at Regional Moot Court Competition
Member of Utah Law Review
University of Utah (B.S., 1992)
Magna Cum Laude
Phi Kappa Phi, Golden Key, and Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Societies
Professional
Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law Management, 2014 - 2025
Intermountain States Super Lawyers: Ranked as one of the “Top 50 Women Lawyers,” 2019 - 2024; also ranked as a top attorney in Employment & Labor: Employer; and Employment Litigation: Defense, Business Litigation 2013-2014, 2016-2024
Chambers and Partners USA, Tier 1, Labor & Employment Law, 2019 – 2024
Utah Business Magazine, “Legal Elite,” Labor & Employment, 2012 - 2023
Defense Research Institute (DRI), Utah Contributor to Fifty State Compendium, 2019 - 2024
Parsons Behle & Latimer
- Chair, Employment & Labor Law Practice Group, 2011 - 2020
- Lateral Hiring Committee
- Web Design Committee
- Wellness Committee
- Opinion Letter Committee
- Recruiting Committee
- DE&I Committee
Associations
Professional
Member, American Bar Foundation
Utah State Bar Labor and Employment Section
- Chair, 2014 - 2015
- Vice-chair, 2013 - 2014
- Treasurer, 2012 -2013
- Secretary, 2011 - 2012
Member, Utah State Bar Character and Fitness Committee, 2001 - 2010
Member, Utah State Bar Association Summer Convention Committee 2015
Member, Utah State Bar Association Spring Convention Committees 2013 - 2015
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Co-President, Utah Center for Legal Inclusion 2023 to present
Pro Bono Attorney for Domestic Violence Victims, 2000 - 2010
Pre-litigation Chairperson, Department of Professional Licensing, 2003 - 2005
Judge Pro Tempore, Third District Court Small Claims Court, 1997 - 2007
Community
University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law
- Past president, Board of Trustees, 2021 - 2022
- President, Board of Trustees, 2019 - 2021
- President-elect, Board of Trustees, 2017 - 2019
- Member, Board of Trustees, 2008 - present
- Chairperson, Alumni Relations Committee, 2015 - 2017
- University of Utah Law School Search Committee for Career Development Director
- University of Utah Law School Search Committee for Dean of Academic Affairs
Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Utah Law S.J. Quinney College of Law, 2007 to present
- Labor and Employment Law in Masters of Legal Studies Program, 2020 to present
- Pre-Trial Practice in JD Program, 2007 - present
- Adjunct Faculty Service Award 2022
University of Utah Alumni Association Board of Directors Member, 2005 - 2008
- Chairperson and Member, Community Service Committee, 2006 - 2008
- Member, Development Committee, 2007 - 2008
- Member, Scholarships and Awards Committee, 2006 - 2007
- Member, Legislative Affairs Committee, 2005 - 2006
- Member, Athletics Advisory Council, 2005
Member, Visit Salt Lake Human Resource & Compensation Committee, 2021 - present
Member, Board of Directors, LiveOn.org, 2022 to present
Member of Board of Trustees, Visit Salt Lake, 2014 - 2018
Member, Board of Directors, Ballet West, 2012 - 2015
Pro Bono Clients
Utah Film Center
Girls on the Run
Megan Blues Studios
Salt Lake City Arts Council
Political
Member Utah Trafficking in Persons Taskforce Legal Subcommittee, 2016 - 2020
Democratic Party Sexual Harassment Committee, 2018 - 2019
Insights
Articles
Practical Law "Drug Testing Laws: Utah"
Independent Contractors: Utah
Employment Law Update, August 29, 2024
Practical Law "Background Check Laws: Utah"
Leave Laws: Utah
Practical Law - Anti-discrimination Laws: Utah
Employment Law Update, February 29, 2024
Practical Law "Hiring Requirements: Utah"
Employment Law Update, October 12, 2023
Practical Law "Independent Contractors: Utah"
Employment Law Update, May 15, 2023
Practical Law "Leave Policy Language: Utah (2023)"
Practical Law "Drug Testing Laws - Utah"
Practical Law "Employment Claims in Release Agreements: Utah"
Practical Law "Anti-Discrimination Laws Utah, 2022"
Unionization Trending
Practical Law "Employee Privacy Laws: Utah"
Practical Law "Wage and Hour Laws: Utah"
SCOTUS Rules States Can be Sued Under USERRA
The Impaired Mobile Employee: What are the Chief Medical Director's Options?
Practical Law "Drug Testing Laws: Utah"
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Rules that Computer Log-in Time for Certain In-Office Workers is Compensable Under Fair Labor Standards Act
Practical Law "Workers' Compensation Laws: Utah"
Practical Law "Leave Policy Language: Utah"
Practical Law "Wage and Hour Laws: Utah"
Ground Rules: Three Major Employment Law Changes That May Impact Your Business
Background Check Law: Utah
Presentations
FMLA in Real Life: a Caselaw Discussion
Parsons Behle & Latimer's 2024 Montana Employment Law Seminar
The Current Status of DEI and What it Means for Your Business
What is Going on With DEI
Salt Lake SHRM’s Annual Chapter Meeting
Navigating the ADA: Case Studies on Reasonable Accommodation
Navigating the ADA: Case Studies on Reasonable Accommodation
Parsons Attorneys to Present at SHRM Annual Employment Update
Hot Employment Law Topics for 2023
Privacy in the Workplace: How Much Snooping is Legal and Proper?
Common Mistakes and Horror Stories
Independent Contractors or Employees
The Impaired Mobile Employee: What are the Chief MedicalDirector’s Options?
ADA and the FMLA: Managing Intermittent Leave
Religion in the Workplace: Walking on Eggshells
To Compete or Not To Compete... That is the Legislation
Pregnancy Discrimination Panel
Employment Law Compliance/Point and Counterpoint
Social Media in the Workplace
Social Media in the Workplace
Effective Use of Paralegals
Women in Law
Trends and Corrections in the Utah Courts of Appeals
Credentials
Licensed
Utah
U.S. Dist. Court, Dist. of Utah
U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
Education
University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law
