Robert L. Christie

attorney / principal

Robert L. Christie, who brings 30 years of trial experience and expertise to the firm, leads CLG. AV Rated in Martindale Hubbell and a Washington Law & Politics “Super Lawyer” since 2000, Mr. Christie is a 1977 graduate of the University of Washington and a 1980 graduate (cum laude) of the University of Puget Sound School of Law. He began his career as a law clerk to Honorable Vernon Pearson, Division II Court of Appeals.

Bob has tried scores of cases throughout Washington State and the U.S. District Courts in Washington and Alaska. In his appellate practice, he has argued appeals in all divisions of the Washington Court of Appeals, the Washington State Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, and U.S. Supreme Court (on briefs).  He has defended hundreds of police officers and scores of police departments in civil rights cases, both at trial and on appeal.  Bob has served as co-chair of the Washington Pattern Instruction subcommittee charged with drafting civil rights instructions for use in Washington’s superior courts.

Admitted to membership in the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Bob chairs the substantive law section on Civil Rights and Public Entity Liability, responsible for authoring periodic newsletters to section members and substantive articles for the FDCC Quarterly.  He has served as an instructor at the FDCC’s Litigation Management College. Bob writes and lectures frequently on risk management issues. He also serves as a mediator.

In addition to civil rights and governmental entity liability, Bob represents professionals, individuals, and companies in litigation ranging from malpractice, products liability, premise liability, commercial litigation, employment, construction, and many other categories of civil disputes.  He works extensively in cases involving death and serious injury.