Christian is an experienced business litigator, with a particular focus on commercial and construction litigation, as well as employment law and professional liability.
Christian has litigated all aspects of commercial litigation, from economic torts and unfair business practices, to trafficking in counterfeit goods or services and fraud. He has extensive experience in complex contractual litigation, as well as Lanham Act, Copyright Act, and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act actions.
In the field of construction law, Christian has represented owners, design professionals, and contractors in actions for delay, defects, unbalanced bids, contract disputes, and bid protests. He has expertise in the federal and California False Claims Act and public-private-partnerships, and has represented contractors in debarment proceedings by public entities.
As an employment lawyer, Christian has represented employers in lawsuits involving wrongful termination, allegations of discrimination, and civil rights violations.
In the professional liability field, Christian has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in multimillion dollar litigation related to mass tort, employment, and securities litigation.
Christian is conversational in French.
Professional Memberships and Activities
· Los Angeles County Bar Association
· Association of Business Trial Lawyers
· Construction Management Association of America - Member, Legal Advisory Committee
· The Federalist Society
· Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
· UCLA Alumni Association
· Northwestern Alumni Association
Distinctions
· Southern California Super Lawyer Rising Star, 2008, 2009, and 2010 by superlawyers.com and Los Angeles Magazine
· Speeches And Publications
· Your Project is in Trouble - Now What?, CMAA Southern California Chapter, Mar. 2012.
· State justices impose protective duty of care on school districts, Los Angeles Daily Journal, Mar. 2012.
· School District Must Answer for Negligent Hiring and Supervision of Predatory Employee, Mar. 2012.
· California Employment Law: Updates & Changes for 2012, co-presented seminar, San Diego, Feb. 2012.
· California Employment Law: Updates & Changes for 2012, co-presented seminar, San Francisco, Feb. 2012.
· The Supreme Court's Refusal to Hear Cyberbullying Cases Leaves Law Unclear, Feb. 2012.
· Insurance and Indemnification Law for the Construction Professional, CMAA Southern California Chapter, Nov. 2011.
· Meeting Owners' Expectations for Construction Managers to Minimize the Risk of Unanticipated Claims and Litigation, speaker, CMAA 2011 National Conference, Nov. 2011.
· CMAA v. AIA v. ConsensusDOCS: A Comparison of Key Contract Provisions in Construction Management Contracts, panelist, CMAA 2011 National Conference, Nov. 2011.
· Understanding GINA Can Help Employers Avoid Genetic Testing Discrimination Lawsuits; May 2011.
· Court of Appeal Upholds Denial of Class Certification Because Issues Specific to Each Predominate; Mar. 2011.
· Employers Must Provide Time for Both Meals and Rest or Face Dual Penalties for Each Single Day the Meal and Rest Requirements are Violated; Mar. 2011.
· Product Substitutions and Performance Specifications: Avoiding Disputes Over Whether the Owner Got What It Paid For; CMAA Forum, Mar. 2011.
· "No Consequential Damages" Clauses as a Defense; Relevance, AIA, Sept. 2010.
· Setting BIM Standards: AIA Standards v. Consensus Docs; Microdesk BuildingSuccess reception, Jul. 2010.
· Avoiding Peril Abroad: Understanding foreign contract law will help avoid later project difficulties; CMAA Advisor, Jul./Aug. 2010.
· Preventing Third Party Beneficiary Claims; CMAA SC News Summer 2010.
· Limitation of Liability Clauses and Equitable Indemnity Claims; Construction Briefings, Thomson West Sept. 2007. Co-authored with David L. Brandon.
· Preparing for the Architect's Deposition; Construction Checklists (Fred Wilshusen, et al. ed.s, American Bar Association 2008). Co-authored with Theodore D. Levin.
· But For a Motivating Factor: Confusion over the Causation an Employee Must Show in a Wrongful Termination For Public Policy Action; Employment Newsletter by Morris Polich & Purdy Mar. 2007.
· Through the Looking Glass: Kelo, Eminent Domain, and State Power; News In Brief by Bell, Rosenberg & Hughes Oct. 2006.
· Going for the Green: The Coming Wave of Green Construction; News In Brief by Bell, Rosenberg & Hughes Oct. 2005.
· Public/Private Partnerships: Delivering Transportation Systems in the 21st Century; News In Brief by Bell, Rosenberg & Huges Feb. 2005.
Articles
3/12/2012, State Justices Impose Protective Duty of Care on School Districts
On Thursday, the state Supreme Court held that a school district may be held vicariously liable for its administrative personnel who negligently hire, retain, and supervise an employee who sexually harasses and abuses a student. C.A. v. William S. Hart Union High School District, 2012 DJDAR 3131. This decision imposes on school personnel a "protective duty of ordinary care" owed to students, and a breach of that duty, if proven, establishes liability for the school district.
Published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal.
3/8/2012, Email Alert - School District Must Answer for Negligent Hiring and Supervision of Predatory Employee
Today, in a case that seems "ripped from the headlines," the California Supreme Court held that a school district may be vicariously liable for its administrative personnel who negligently hire, retain, and supervise a predatory employee. The unanimous opinion in C.A. v. William S. Hart Union High School District, which reinstates a lawsuit brought by a high school student, breaks new legal ground, green-lighting the pursuit of supervisory or administrative personnel who knew, or should have known, of an employee's predatory propensities.
2/22/2012, The Supreme Court's Refusal to Hear Cyberbullying Cases Leaves Law Unclear
On January 17, 2012, the United States Supreme Court, without comment, denied review to three cases. In doing so, the Supreme Court let stand two rulings that allowed lawsuits to proceed against school districts which had disciplined students for social media-related acts that targeted principals and where there was no evidence that the social media-related acts disrupted the school. But, the Supreme Court also let stand the dismissal of a lawsuit for disciplinary action against a student for social media-related acts that targeted another student and that evidently disrupted the school environment.
5/12/2011, Understanding GINA Can Help Employers Avoid Genetic Testing Discrimination Lawsuits
In 2008, Congress passed, with almost unanimous support, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act ("GINA"). GINA's stated purpose is to encourage workers to get tested for genetic medical conditions, without having to worry about fallout at work. While certainly a worthy goal, the new law is a complicated one, presenting both a potential minefield for employers, as well as opportunities for plaintiffs' lawyers and disgruntled employees.
3/18/2011, Court of Appeal Upholds Denial of Class Certification Because Issues Specific to Each Predominate
Recently, the California Court of Appeal has upheld the denial of class certification for employees because individual issues - not common issues - among those employees would determine the outcome of the lawsuit. In Tien v. Tenet Healthcare Corporation, the Court of Appeal has affirmed the denial of class certification based on the analysis previously put forth by Brinker Restaurant Corporation v. Superior Court and Brinkley v. Public Storage, Inc.
3/18/2011, Employers Must Provide Time for Both Meals and Rest or Face Dual Penalties for Each Single Day the Meal and Rest Requirements are Violated
Recently, the California Court of Appeal issued a decision that plaintiffs will welcome, and of which employers should be aware. In United Parcel Service, Inc. v. Superior Court, the Court of Appeal held that Labor Code § 226.7 provides for two hours of premium pay per day when an employee misses both a meal and a rest period.
9/13/2010, No Consequential Damages Clauses as a Defense
Published in the September 2010 issue of Relevance, AIA California Council e-newsletter.
8/3/2010, Avoiding Peril Abroad: Understanding Foreign Contract Law Will Help Avoid Later Project Difficulties
Published in the July/August 2010 issue of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) CM Advisor.
7/27/2010, Preventing Third Party Beneficiary Claims
Published in the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Southern California Chapter's Summer 2010 Newsletter.
Events
6/21/2012, Social Media: The Promise and Peril for Your Business and Employees
MPP attorneys Scott Freedman and Christian Carrillo will serve as leaders of this seminar for the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) - Southern California Chapter. The seminar will take place a the Grand Conference Center in Long Beach, California, from 8:00 - 10:30AM.
Description: As we rely increasingly on the Internet to gather the latest news, events and to keep in touch, social media is becoming the preferred method to communicate ideas, promote our businesses and stay in touch with our world. Social media presents vast new opportunities to grow your business, to connect with clients, and to enhance your profits. However, social media brings risks. When businesses and their employees use social media, the business may be both responsible for the actions of their employees and at the same time powerless to police the social media their own employees' use. This seminar will talk about how social media can benefit your company while at the same time inform employers of the hidden dangers.
3/22/2012, Your Project is in Trouble - Now What?
MPP attorneys Christian Carrillo and Derek Simpson led a seminar on this topic for the Construction Management Association of America, Southern California Chapter, held in Long Beach, CA.
Discussion topics included:
· Incomplete and uncoordinated construction documents
· Managing change orders and scope creep
· Addressing inadequate construction quality
· Identifying and correcting construction delays
· Inaccurate cost estimations
· Inadequate owner financing
· Lifting stop notices and liens
· Terminating project participants
· Preparing and defending against claims
2/15/2012, California Employment Law: Updates & Changes for 2012
2012 brings new responsibilities and obligations for employers. Several employment-related bills were signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, many of which include new requirements, and it is important for California employers to understand how to comply with them. In order to help protect employers against liability, Morris Polich & Purdy LLP crafted an employment seminar that outlined the new and changing laws of which California employers need to be aware, and provided tips for handling these new requirements.
Our speakers are employment attorneys who specialize in advising employers. Topics covered included:
· The new "Anti-Wage Theft" law
· Additional pregnancy disability leave protections
· Misclassification of employees as independent contractors - new liability and penalties
· Expansion of FEHA protections - gender identity and gender expression
· New background check laws impacting employers
· Many others
Audience:
This seminar provides an insight that is ideal for business owners, senior management and human resources professionals in all types of businesses, as well as attorneys.
2/8/2012, California Employment Law: Updates & Changes for 2012
2012 brings new responsibilities and obligations for employers. Several employment-related bills were signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, many of which include new requirements, and it is important for California employers to understand how to comply with them. In order to help protect employers against liability, Morris Polich & Purdy LLP crafted an employment seminar that outlined the new and changing laws of which California employers need to be aware, and provided tips for handling these new requirements.
Our speakers are employment attorneys who specialize in advising employers. Topics covered included:
· The new "Anti-Wage Theft" law
· Additional pregnancy disability leave protections
· Misclassification of employees as independent contractors - new liability and penalties
· Expansion of FEHA protections - gender identity and gender expression
· New background check laws impacting employers
· Many others
Audience:
This seminar provides an insight that is ideal for business owners, senior management and human resources professionals in all types of businesses, as well as attorneys.
11/8/2011, Meeting Owners' Expectations for Construction Managers to Minimize the Risk of Unanticipated Claims and Litigation
MPP attorneys Christian Carrillo and Derek Simpson presented this topic at the 2011 CMAA National Conference in Washington, DC, at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, November 8.
Description: Construction managers distinguish themselves by guiding a project through completion and avoiding unanticipated claims and protracted litigation. This session's panelists will share their boots-on-the-ground experience in the construction, insurance claims, and litigation fields, to provide tips and strategies for avoiding traps for the unwary and minimizing the risk of unexpected claims and litigation.
3/10/2011, Product Substitutions and Performance Specifications: Avoiding Disputes Over Whether the Owner Got What It Paid For
MPP attorneys Derek Simpson and Christian Carrillo presented this topic on Thursday, March 10, 2011 from 8:00 - 10:30 a.m. at a Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) legal seminar, held at The Grand Conference Center, Long Beach, CA.
Description: This presentation will provide a guide on what can be done by the owner, design professionals, and contractors when specified products are substituted with others. Any time a product is substituted for one called for by the contract documents, the risk arises that the owner will not get what it paid for, that the product is not substantially equivalent to the one specified, that construction problems will arise, and that claims and litigation will result. This seminar explains what can be done to avoid disputes. Performance specifications are another way owners seek to ensure they get what they paid for. This presentation will discuss ways the project participants can specify and comply with clear and appropriate performance specifications.
7/22/2010, "Setting BIM Standards: AIA Standards v. Consensus Docs"
MPP attorneys Derek A. Simpson and Christian A. Carrillo presented this topic at a Microdesk BuildingSuccess reception in Fresno, CA.