Biography

Christina J. Imre specializes in civil appeals, writs and post-trial motions in business torts, insurance, and other significant institutional matters.  During her 25-year career, she has handled or consulted on more than 1000 appeals and writs (many after lengthy trials), in Arizona, Alaska, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Ohio, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania and Utah. Over 50 of her cases have resulted in published opinions.

Her substantive specialty is major judgments, including punitive damages. In recent years alone, she has reduced  verdicts against her clients by over half a billion dollars. As an expert in the field, she is regularly quoted and interviewed by the national media. She also specializes in consulting with trial counsel in major matters, to assist in strategy, issue selection and preserving the record for appeal.

Representative Appeals

• Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland, writ pending. Selected as appellate counsel for the Northern California Catholic Church in the clergy/abuse cases.
• Anderson v. Allstate. Eliminated entire $18 million punitive judgment against Allstate Insurance Company in the first “toxic mold” case tried to a jury in California.
• Goodrich v. Aetna. Personally selected as lead appellate counsel on appeal from $120 million bad faith judgment — the largest rendered nationwide in an HMO bad faith case.
• Notrica v. State Fund. $20 million punitive damage judgment reduced to $5 million.
• Mosier v. SCPIE. $19 million punitive damages reversed with directions on appeal.
• Unpublished opinion. $25 million punitive damage award reduced to $5 million on appeal for 7 plaintiffs.

Representative Post-Trial Motions

• $18 million punitive verdict reduced to $2.5 million on new trial motion; remaining punitive award eliminated on appeal.
• $69 million punitive damage award reduced $50 million by new trial motion (balance eliminated on appeal).
• $60 million judgment vacated in its entirety and new trial granted.
• Reduced punitive verdict by 75% against auto manufacturer, appeal pending.

Presentations & Publications

• Moderator, "Torts Practice: 23rd Annual Recent Developments," Continuing Education of the Bar, Los Angeles, CA, January 26, 2008; Garden Grove, CA, January 19, 2008.
• Panelist, "Update 2008: Insurance Litigation," The Rutter Group, Los Angeles, CA, November 29, 2007; San Francisco, CA, November 27, 2007.
• Presenter, "Writs: Taking Cuts To The Head Of The Line," Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL) Seminar, Los Angeles, CA, May 16, 2007.
• Co-presenter, "The Litigation Gamble: How to Increase Your Odds," Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West 15th Annual Palm Springs Getaway Seminr, Palm Springs, CA, January 26-27, 2007.
• Panelist, "The Rutter's Group's Update Program: Insurance Litigation," Rutter's Insurance Seminar, San Francisco, CA, November 27, 2006.
• "Taking the Initiative: Unfair Competition After Proposition 64," CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, October 2006.
• "Divination California Style: 2006 Bodes to be Record Year for High Court Employment Decisions," CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, February 2006.
• "When Is My Business None of Your Business?", CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, December 2005.
• "Checkmate In Two? California Supreme Court Issues Major Punitive Damages Opinions", CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, August 2005.
• "Is Seaman's Rising From the Ashes? The Ever-Changing Line Between Contract and Tort Remedies," CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, June 2005.
• "Blurring the Distinction Between Contract and Tort: the Resurrection of Seaman's?", CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, February 2005.
• "With Malice of Afterthought: High Court Expands Malicious Prosecution Tort Against Lawyers," CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, December 2004.
• Co-author, "Lawyers Beware: State High Court Ruling Expands Tort of Malicious Prosecution," Washington Legal Foundation, Vol. 14, No. 14 (July 2004).
• Three chapters for two-volume treatise on California Civil Appellate Practice.
• "Supreme Court Watch," a monthly column for CEB Civil Litigation Reporter.
• Editorial consultant to CEB and Rutter Group on several publications; edited and revised punitive damages chapter for Rutter, Insurance Litigation, May 2004.
•  "Tentative Opinions and the Right to Oral Argument on Appeal," CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, April 2004.
• "Duty is in the Eye of the Beholder: Supreme Court to Wrestle With Thorny Landowner Liability Issues," CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, February 2004.

Recent publications on punitive damages include:

• "Blurring the Distinction Between Contract and Tort: the Resurrection of Seaman's?" CEB Civil Litigation Reporter, April 2005.
• "California Adopts Punitive Damages 'Split-Recovery' Law," Sedgwick's Healthcare Law Newsletter, Fall 2004.
• "Punitive Damages After Campbell," American Conference Institute, March 2005, 2004.
• "A Punitive Damages Primer: Post-State Farm Strategies," 80-page monograph published by Washington Legal Foundation, October, 2004.
• "Respect Campbell Rule," The National Law Journal, May 10, 2004.
• "Punitive Damages in Year One After Campbell: Leveling The Playing Field,” Insurance Brokers & Agents Of The West, May 2004 (ibaw.com).
• "Punitive Damages After Campbell," American Conference Institute, March 2004.
• "An Analysis Of Appellate Court Reactions To Campbell, March 2004, updated May 2004.
• "Before & After: Romo II," The Recorder, Jan. 21, 2004.

Sampling of Recent Seminars:

• Using State Farm v. Campbell at Trial and on Appeal, Bermuda, October, 2004
• Defending And Appealing The Punitive Damages Case, Hartford, CT, September, 2004.
• CEB, Punitive Damages: Maximizing Your Client’s Success or Minimizing Your Client’s Exposure, August 7, 2004.
• Association of California Insurance Companies General Counsel Seminar, Las Vegas, yearly 1997-2005.
• Insurance Brokers & Agents, West, Hawaii Blue Ribbon Conference, May 2004.
• American Conference Institute, San Francisco, 2005, 2004, 2002.

Noteworthy Recent Published Opinions

• Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland, slip opn., April 28, 2005
• Jonathan Neil & Associates, Inc. v. Jones, (2004) Case No. S107855 (04 C.D.O.S. 7090).
• Newell v. State Farm (2004) 2004 Cal.App.Lexis 780.
• Slaney v. Ranger (2004) 115 Cal.App.4th 306.
• State Farm v. Superior Court (2003) 114 Cal.App.4th 434.
• Korea Supply v. Lockheed (2003) 20 Cal. 4th 1134.

Representative appellate briefs (in pdf format):

• Application and Proposed Amicus Brief, Korea Supply Company v. Lockheed Martin Corporation, Lockheed Martin Tactical Systems, Inc., and Linda Kim (filed in the Supreme Court of California on behalf of Washington Legal Foundation and National Association of Independent Insurers);
• Appellant's Opening Brief, Roberts v. Ranger Insurance Company (filed in the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, on behalf of Ranger Insurance Company);
• Combined Appellant's Reply Brief, Roberts v. Ranger Insurance Company (filed in the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, on behalf of Ranger Insurance Company);
• Appellant's Opening Brief, Goodrich v. Aetna Life and Casualty Company, Inc. (filed in the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, on behalf of Aetna U.S. Healthcare of California, Inc.); and 
• Application for Leave to File Amici Curiae Brief and Amici Curiae Brief, Jonathan Neil & Associates Inc. v. Jones (filed in the Supreme Court of California on behalf of Aetna Health of California and Aetna Life Insurance Company).

Memberships & Honors

• Voted by her peers, 2004, 2005 and 2006, as a "Southern California Super Lawyer," Los Angeles Magazine.
• One of the "50 Most Powerful Women in Los Angeles Law," Los Angeles Business Journal.
• Fellow, California Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
• Named in Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who in America, National Registry of Who’s Who.

While attending law school, she was the editor-in-chief of the Loyola International & Comparative Law Journal and a member of the Thomas More Legal Honor Society, and a B.A, Summa cum laude, from Mount St. Mary's College Los Angeles.