Christin primarily defends pharmaceutical companies in products liability cases. She often handles the juncture between science and the law, working with defense experts, translating scientific issues for client understanding and use in strategic objectives, and cross-examining plaintiffs' expert witnesses. In recent years, Christin served as a regional counselor for Wyeth in the diet drug litigation. She deposed plaintiffs, their treating physicians and their expert cardiologists, and she worked with Wyeth's own expert cardiologists in specific cases. Christin serves as a national science counselor for Novartis in its hormone therapy and Zelnorm litigation. She also has defended private CERCLA actions, with a consistent focus on science and expert issues. Christin has defended numerous products liability lawsuits for distributors in the propane and natural gas industries, and for a broad spectrum of medical and consumer product manufacturers. Through these cases, Christin developed a strong base of experience in working with expert witnesses, evaluating scientific claims, and obtaining evidence that is optimally suited to the defendants' strategic objectives. She also has obtained extensive deposition experience, often taking the lead role in deposing plaintiffs and their expert witnesses, even in multi-party cases. In addition to her products liability and environmental experience, Christin has handled cases involving the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act, premises liability, and an alleged conspiracy to misappopriate trade secrets and tortiously interfere with non-compete agreements. Representative accomplishments include: Mahr v. Cenex, et al., Minnesota District Court. Obtained summary judgment for a propane wholesaler in an explosion case involving design defect, failure to warn, inadequate training and related claims. The ruling was based on the extension of the bulk supplier doctrine to Minnesota law, limiting and defining a wholesaler’s obligations to police its retail customers’ warnings and safety programs. Mitchell Bros., Inc. v. Cenex, United States District Court, Southern District of Iowa. Developed facts and strategy, prepared and argued detailed Daubert motion based on inadequacy of plaintiff’s scientific expert work. The case was resolved before a ruling was issued. Plaintiffs v. SuperAmerica , Minnesota District Court. Obtained summary judgment in three different tort cases brought against SuperAmerica, with issues involving various aspects of the liability of a premises owner to its customers. Cooper v. Lakewood Engineering and Manufacturing Company, et al., United States District Court, District of Minnesota, and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Associated extensively with her partners in enforcing a limitation of liability agreement and obtaining summary judgment for the parent company of a dissolved electrical motor manufacturer in a wrongful death case. The case presented issues of contract interpretation, successor products liability and the liability of a parent corporation for the acts of its subsidiary, and was affirmed by the Eighth Circuit at 45 F.3d 243 (8th Cir. 1995). Industry Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Oil, Gas and Propane Companies Wholesale and Retail Consumer Electrical Appliance Manufacturers. |