Profile
Kevin M. “Casey” Christensen heads the firm’s employment practice. Casey regularly advises clients on employment related risks of all stripes, including wrongful discharge, harassment, discrimination, overtime issues, wage payments, layoffs and RIFs, protection of trade secrets, employee privacy issues, and virtually any other aspect of employee-employer relations.
Defending Workplace and Commercial Disputes Across California
In addition to his tested experience in employment litigation, Casey regularly provides risk management advice and training to proactive employers.
Casey also regularly represents insurers and other sophisticated businesses in complex litigation, through trial and appeal, in state and federal courts throughout California.
Committed to Legal Excellence and Education
A frequent author and speaker on labor and employment topics, insurance law, and litigation risk management issues, Casey is an active contributor to professional organizations.
He serves on the board of the Labor and Employment section of the Contra Costa County Bar Association, and is a former board member and officer of the Bar Association of San Francisco, the San Francisco Barristers Club, and the Litigation section of the California bar. He is also an adjunct professor at his alma mater, Hastings College of the Law, teaching legal writing and research to first- year law students.
Experience
Casey Christensen's representative litigation matters include:
Employment Litigation:
- After commencement of jury trial, Casey negotiated favorable settlement of pregnancy discrimination and wrongful discharge claims asserted against healthcare industry employer
- Casey achieved complete defense award in binding arbitration for commercial property manager employer sued for racial discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
- Casey obtained dismissal of administrative claims for alleged failure to pay wages due on behalf of high technology industry employer of terminated employee
- Casey concluded favorable settlement for healthcare industry employer of claims for sexual orientation discrimination and wrongful discharge while summary judgment motion pending
- Casey obtained summary judgment in nonprofit agency employer’s favor of harassment, retaliation, and wrongful reference defamation claims
- Casey negotiated a favorable settlement of salesman’s wrongful termination and failure to pay commissions claims on behalf of technology industry employer, after employer’s summary judgment motion filed
- Casey obtained dismissal of administrative claims for disability discrimination and retaliation asserted against healthcare industry employer
- Casey concluded a settlement for minimal payment of claims against technology industry employer sued by consultant for alleged nonpayment of fees
- After filing a summary judgment motion, Casey negotiated favorable settlement of wrongful discharge claim against temporary services industry employer
- Casey negotiated an early and favorable resolution of pregnancy discrimination and wrongful termination claim asserted by temporary employee against pharmaceutical industry employer
Insurance and Commercial Litigation:
- After plaintiffs presented their case, Casey obtained a nonsuit in jury trial for a lender sued for mortgage fraud and slander of title
- Casey successfully prosecuted a cargo damage action against a railroad for damage to cargo in transit, recovering in excess of 100% of the value of the damaged cargo
- Casey tried to favorable judgment a contribution claim seeking recovery of defense expenses incurred defending common insured
- Casey obtained a defense verdict for his client following a multi-phase, ten-week trial of a complex property insurance and bad faith action seeking more than $20 million in damages
- Casey obtained summary judgment for an insurer on fraudulent claim for benefits under a homeowners insurance policy
- Casey filed a successful motion for summary judgment on behalf of his insurer client against an insured seeking indemnity and defense in a suit arising from the insured’s intentional acts
- Casey represented and negotiated a favorable settlement for insurer in extremely complex environmental coverage action involving pollution of Central Valley groundwater supplies by locality and businesses
- Casey represented and negotiated a no-payment settlement for construction company in alleged negligence/construction defect action
- Casey represented an indirect purchaser class in an antitrust class action alleging price fixing by a chemical manufacturer
- Casey represented a life insurer client against class and individual actions alleging consumer fraud and unfair business practices