Doug Christian

PRACTICE AREAS / AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  • Insurance Law
  • Insurance Bad Faith and Coverage Litigation
  • Professional Liability Litigation
  • Personal Injury Litigation

COURT ADMISSIONS

  • State of Arizona, 1975
  • State of Nevada, 1994
  • State of Colorado, 1995
  • United States Supreme Court
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • US District Court, Arizona
  • US District Court, Nevada

EDUCATION / HONORS

    • Arizona State University, B.S., 1972, J.D., 1975
    • Best Lawyers in America 2005-2012; Mr. Christian was selected by his peers for inclusion in this prestigious publication in the Insurance Law and Personal Injury categories.
    • Southwest Super Lawyers; Mr. Christian has been listed in the Insurance Coverage category each year since the inaugural edition in 2007.
    • North Valley Magazine – a Metropolitan Phoenix Top Lawyer in Insurance Law, 2011.
    • Top Lawyers – 2006; Mr. Christian was recognized by Phoenix Magazine as a Top Lawyer in insurance law and personal injury litigation.
    • Best of Bar – 2005; Mr. Christian was  selected by his peers and the Staff of the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the three best insurance lawyers in metropolitan Phoenix.
    • Martindale-Hubbell “AV” Rating.
    • Arizona’s Finest Lawyers.
    • Defense Research Institute Exceptional Performance Citation as President of the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, 1996/1997.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

  • American Law Institute, elected member
  • Fellow of the American Bar Foundation
  • Fellow of the Tort, Trial, and Insurance Section of the American Bar Association.
  • Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, 2009.
  • Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, President, 1995-1997
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Arizona’s Finest Lawyers, Advisory Board
  • Council on Litigation Management
  • American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Council, 1992-95
  • Tort and Insurance Practice Section Liaison to ABA Standing Committee on Professionalism, 1996-97
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Faculty, Litigation Management College, 1997-1998
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Faculty, Law Firm Management Conference, 2001
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Faculty, Corporate Counsel Symposium, 2004
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Chair, Ethics Section, 1999-2000
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Admissions Committee, 1998 – 2002
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Strategic Plan Implementation Committee, 2006
  • Defense Research Institute
  • State Bar of Arizona, Certified Specialist, Injury & Wrongful Death Litigation 1991-2000
  • National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1992-1995
  • State Bar of Nevada
  • State Bar of Arizona, Professionalism Course faculty

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

  • Central Arizona Health Systems Agency, Board of Directors and Executive Committee, 1979-1981 (Certificate of Need review for medical facilities)
  • Valley Big Brothers, Board of Directors 1981-1982
  • Winner, 2005 Arizona Attorney Magazine Writing Competition for his book of poetry, Pocket Change.
  • First Place, Arizona Authors’ Association Writing Competition, Poetry Category, 2005

PUBLISHED ARTICLES / LECTURES

  • Continuing Bad Faith: Theory of Liability or Rule of Evidence? Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Winter, 2001; feature article Insurance Litigation Reporter, November, 2001, feature article, California Insurance Litigation Reporter, December, 2001.
  • Twice Bitten: Violations of Ethical Rules as Evidence of Legal Malpractice; published in The Brief,Volume 29, No. 1; republished in PC SOLO “Best of ABA Sections,” March, 2000.
  • The Law Firm of Tomorrow: 2010 and Beyond, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Winter Meeting, Scottsdale, Arizona, March 1, 2007.
  • Pre-Litigation Advice: Is it still privileged?; Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Winter meeting, Marco Island, Florida, March 2, 2005.
  • Recent Development Affecting an Insurer’s Duty to Defend, Mealey’s Bad Faith Conference, Philadelphia, September 27, 2004.
  • Aggregate Settlement Ethics, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Symposium for Corporate Counsel, Marquette University, September 10, 2004.
  • Settling Without the Insurer’s Consent, Defense Research Institute, Chicago, May 17, 2002.
  • Trials and Tribulations: Professional Liability Arising From Unethical Trial Conduct, Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel, Winter Meeting,Boca Raton, February, 2002.
  • High Stakes Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Cases, Law Education Institute National CLE Conference, Steamboat Springs, CO, January 11, 2002.
  • Defending Against Claims of Continuing Bad Faith, Mealey’s Bad Faith Litigation Conference, Los Angeles, September 13, 2001.
  • Concurrent Causation In First Party Property Claims; American Conference Institute Advanced Insurance Coverage Conference, New York, April 20, 2001.
  • Continuing Bad Faith, American Conference Institute National Bad Faith Conference, San Francisco, March 23, 2001.
  • Ethical Implications of Compliance With Insurer Billing Guidelines and Fee Audits, ABA Center for Professional Responsibility National Conference, New Orleans, June 2, 2000.
  • The Admissibility of Violations of Disciplinary Rules in Legal Malpractice Cases, Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel, Winter Meeting Orlando, Florida, March 2000.
  • Ethical Issues in Handling Bad Faith Cases, Mealey’s Bad Faith Litigation Conference, Boston, May 3, 1999.
  • Managing Bad Faith Exposure; Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel Litigation Management College, Northwestern University, June 24, 1998.
  • Bench and Bar in Conflict? Alternative Dispute Resolution; Arizona State Bar Program, Phoenix, November 20, 1997.
  • Law Office Economics and Professionalism: Money or Morals; American Bar Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, August 4, 1997.
  • Avoiding The Excess Judgment; Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel Litigation Management College, Northwestern University, June 25, 1997.
  • Providing a Defense: Cost Issues Impacting Counsel’s Ability to Represent a Client; American Bar Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, August, 1997.
  • Crossing the Bad Faith Threshold: Evaluation and Analysis, Mealey’s Insurance and Bad Faith Conference, Philadelphia, May 1, 1997.
  • Insurance Coverage Issues Relating to Allocation of Damages and Reimbursement of Health Maintenance Organizations Under Liability Insurance Policies; American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Orlando, August 5, 1996.
  • Breaking Up is Hard to Do, The Ethics of Law Firm Dissolutions; American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Orlando, August 4, 1996.
  • Protecting Your Assets; Arizona Association of Life Underwriters Annual Meeting, Phoenix, April 26, 1996.
  • Professionalism; Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel Mid-Winter Meeting, Naples, Florida, March 9, 1995.
  • Issues Concerning the Tri-Partite Relationship – The Proposed Restatement Approach; ABA Tort & Insurance Practice Section, Insurance Coverage Committee Mid-Winter Meeting, San Diego, California, February 25, 1995.
  • Crossing the Bad Faith Threshold: Evaluation and Analysis; Mealey’s Insurance Fraud and Bad Faith Conference, Phoenix, February 3, 1995.
  • Marketing a Personal Injury Practice; American Bar Association, New Orleans, August 8, 1994.
  • The Tri-Partite Relationship; Arizona Association of Defense Counsel Annual Meeting, Sedona, Arizona, May 14, 1994.
  • Eclectic Insurance Issues: From Auto Accidents to Sex Offenses, Program Moderator; Lorman Business Center, Inc., Phoenix, March 13, 1994.
  • Taking Effective Depositions; Lorman Business Center, Inc., Phoenix, September 30, 1993.
  • Confidentiality, Supreme Court Mandated Professionalism Course, Phoenix and Tucson, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004.
  • The Zlaket Rules: One Year Later, Panel Discussion; State Bar of Arizona Convention, Phoenix, June 25, 1993.
  • Medical Reimbursement Claims and Liens; Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, Spring Program, Phoenix, April 3, 1993.
  • Defending Against Hedonic Damages Claims, videotaped trial skills program; American Bar Association, San Francisco, August 10, 1992.
  • Inadequate Limits of Coverage and Other Conflicts of Interest – Avoiding Ethical Dilemmas; South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association, Trial Advocacy Program, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, April 30, 1992.
  • Inadequate Limits of Coverage and Other Potential Conflicts of Interest – Avoiding Ethical Dilemmas; Defense Research Institute, Eighth Annual Symposium, New York, December 12, 1991.
  • Effective Ideas and Arguments for Holding Down Punitive and Extra Contractual Damage Awards in Bad Faith Cases; Defense Research Institute Seminar, Philadelphia, October 22, 1991.
  • Cross Examining the Medical Witness, videotaped trial techniques program; American Bar Association, Chicago, August 1990.
  • Closing Arguments for the Insurer in Bad Faith Cases; Defense Research Institute Seminar, New York, October 5, 1989.
  • Vehicle Collision Litigation, nationally broadcast satellite program, Program Moderator; American Bar Association, Washington, D.C., March 30, 1989.
  • Current Issues in Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Claims, Program Moderator, American Bar Association, Toronto, Ontario, August 8, 1988.
  • Insurance Issues in Vehicle Crash Litigation; American Bar Association, National Institute, Boston, April 1988.
  • Insurance Bad Faith Litigation in Arizona; Arizona State University Law School Alumni Association, Tempe, Arizona, October 1986.
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