Christina serves on the firm’s Board of Partners and is the former managing partner of the McGuireWoods Chicago office. She practices in the area of government investigations and white collar litigation.
An experienced trial lawyer, she focuses her practice on representing companies and individuals with matters involving both criminal and civil investigations by the government as well as federal and state regulators. In that capacity, she handles internal investigations, provides compliance advice, and represents companies in investigations involving a number of government agencies. Christina's practice also includes counseling companies on transaction risk assessment where a party may have the potential for government exposure.
Prior to joining the firm, Christina served 10 years as an assistant U.S. attorney (AUSA) in the Northern District of Illinois - four of which she was a deputy chief. She has tried more than 20 federal criminal cases as an AUSA. She led the prosecution of a broad range of complex investigations, including racketeering, public corruption, mortgage fraud, bankruptcy fraud and narcotics trafficking conspiracies. During her tenure as an AUSA, Christina focused on the investigation and trial of complex corruption cases, including serving as lead counsel in the racketeering investigation and trial of corrupt police officers and, in another case, investigating and prosecuting bribery schemes by corrupt City of Chicago inspectors and building contractors. She has also briefed and argued multiple appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Christina received multiple awards from federal and local law enforcement, and the U.S. Department of Justice for her service as an AUSA.
As a deputy chief AUSA, she supervised a number of AUSAs on the successful investigations and prosecutions of hundreds of defendants in matters including organized criminal street gangs, racketeering conspiracies and various types of fraud schemes. In that role, she counseled prosecutors on investigation, trial strategy, and reviewed and preliminarily approved charging documents and plea agreements.
Christina was a judicial law clerk for the Honorable John F. Grady and a judicial extern for the Honorable Marvin E. Aspen of the U.S. District Court in Chicago. In 2012, she was also appointed to the U.S. Attorney Candidate Screening Committee through a bi-partisan process headed by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk.
She is currently an adjunct professor at Northwestern School of Law, teaching a seminar on federal RICO law since 2012 and previously taught trial advocacy there from 2008 to 2011. She is also a former lecturer at the Federal Bureau of Investigation Undercover School and the National Advocacy Center for the Department of Justice.
Conducted internal investigation for multi-line healthcare company and representation in connection with federal criminal investigation regarding allegations of kickbacks.
Conducted internal investigation for national health insurance company and representation in connection with government investigation regarding allegations of bribes.
Conducted internal investigations for national manufacturing and wholesale company regarding fraud and accounting issues.
Conducted internal investigation for medical services company and representation in federal civil False Claims Act case.
Conducted internal investigation for national managed care organization regarding anti-kickback and other potential healthcare fraud issues.
Conducted internal investigation for medical services company in connection with federal civil and criminal investigation.
Conducted internal investigation for health system regarding billing practice issues.
Served in a matter as an expert witness in a U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Representation of senior executive of natural energy company in connection with government investigation.
Representation of senior executive of large national manufacturing company in connection with federal criminal investigation.
Representation of security company in connection with federal investigation.
Representation of international bank in connection with SEC inquiry.
Representation of hospital in federal criminal case alleging anti-kickback violations.
Representation of physician group in federal False Claims Act case.
Represented private equity fund in investment in urgent care center chain and advised on state regulatory matters.
Revised compliance program for national chain of dental clinics.
Representation of surgery center chain in civil contract litigation.
Board Member, Northwestern University School of Law Clinic Advisory Board, May 2017 to present
Board Member, Executive Committee, Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, June 2016 to present; Board Member, Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, June 2015 to June 2016
Member, Chicago Inn of Court, Fall 2013
Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Woodward/White, Inc., 2022, 2023
Selected for inclusion in America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations, Illinois, Chambers USA, 2019-2023
Named to "2021 Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting & Law," Crain's Chicago Business, 2021
Named to "Salute! Top 50 Women in the Law," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer, 2021
Selected for inclusion in the “Irish Legal 100” list of the United States’ most distinguished Irish-American legal professionals, 2020
Named to "2020 Notable Women in Law", Crain's Chicago Business, 2020
Recipient, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service, May 2015
Recipient, Appreciation of Service Award, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2012
Recipient, Appreciation of Service Award, Drug Enforcement Agency, 2012
Recipient, Appreciation of Service Award, United States Marshal's Service, 2012
Named Top Gang Prosecutor, Chicago Police Department, 2012
Recipient, Outstanding Service Award, Chicago Police Department, 2006
Recipient, Justice Performance Award, U.S. Department of Justice, 2004
Recipient, Outstanding Service Award, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, 2003
Recipient, Inspector in Charge Award, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, 2003
Recipient, Appreciation of Service Award, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2003