Alison R. Christian
Alison Christian is an AV-rated Shareholder at Christian Dichter & Sluga, P.C. She is licensed to practice in Arizona and New Mexico. Her primary practice areas are insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, and she handles civil appeals. Alison listens to her clients in order to learn about their business needs, develop strategies to solve their problems, and provide them with big-firm caliber work without the big-firm price tag.
In 2012, Alison co-founded a business development program to help women lawyers called “Ladder Down" (www.ladderdown.org). The program is unique in both structure and content and runs year-long with monthly sessions dedicated to instruction in three key areas: leadership, business development, and mentoring. The AADC received DRI’s 2013 SLDO Diversity Award for its support of Ladder Down. The DRI award honors the state and local defense organization that displays a significant commitment to diversity. Alison lectures frequently on empowering women lawyers.
After enjoying nine years and over 200 graduates in Phoenix, Arizona, Ladder Down partnered with the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel in 2016 to bring this successful program to other cities across the country, including San Francisco, Seattle, and Cleveland. In March 2022, the FDCC looks forward to a national launch of FDCC Ladder Down that will be open to women lawyers across the country!
Alison is very active in the local and national defense communities. She served as President of the Phi Beta Kappa Phoenix Association from 2008-2009 and served on the board of directors from 2007-2010. She also served as President of the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel Young Lawyers' Division from 2009-2010. She served on the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel Board of Directors as the Advocacy Luncheon Co-Chair for 11 years and was appointed to the Executive Committee in 2016. She served as President of the AADC from 2019-2021. In December 2014 Alison was appointed to serve on the DRI Membership Committee and has proudly served DRI since.
Alison was also admitted the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel in July 2015, as the youngest female attorney admitted to date. She is an active leader in the FDCC, serving as the Co-Chair for Ladder Down, the Vice Chair for the Professional Women's Forum, Co-Chair of Masters in Marketing, Vice Chair of Law Practice Management Section, and Co-Chair for Programming of the 2021 Insurance Industry Institute in New York.
Alison was a Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2012-2015 and joined the Super Lawyers list in the Insurance Coverage category in 2016, where she has been included ever since. She is also included in the Best Lawyers in America list for Arizona in the Insurance Litigation category. Alison was also recognized by Arizona Business Magazine as one of the most influential women in Arizona business, as the youngest of five honorees in the 2014 "Generation Next" category. In 2016, she was included among the Top 10 Most Influential Millennials in Arizona.
Practice Areas
Honors and Awards
• Chambers USA, Band 2 – Insurance, 2021
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating, Spring 2013-current.
• Southwest Super Lawyers list, Insurance Coverage, 2016-present
• Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Star list, 2012-2015
• Best Lawyers in America© list, “Insurance Litigation”, 2019-present
• Arizona’s Top 11 Most Influential Millennials, Arizona Business Magazine, January 2016
• National Bank of Arizona “AmAZing Women” Award, 2015
• Most Influential Women in Arizona Business, “Generation Next” category, Arizona Business Magazine, July 2014
• Arizona “Young Gun” Attorney, Spring 2012
Professional Activities
• Co-founder of the Ladder Down program for women lawyers, November 2012-present
• Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel; Co-Chair for Ladder Down, Vice Chair for the Professional Women's Forum (PWF), Co-Chair of Masters in Marketing, Vice Chair of Law Practice Management Section, and Co-Chair for Programming of the 2021 Insurance Industry Institute in New York
• Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, FDCC Advance Committee, 2015 – 2016
• Defense Research Institute, Membership Committee, 2014 – present
• Arizona Association of Defense Counsel: Immediate Past President (2020-2021); President (2019-2020); Member, Board of Directors Executive Committee (2016-present); Past Treasurer; Past Secretary; Advocacy Luncheon Co-Chair, 2011-present
• Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, Young Lawyers Division, Board of Directors, 2008-2009; President 2009-2010; Immediate Past-President 2010-2011
• National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms, law firm member 2015 – present.
• Phi Beta Kappa, Phoenix Association Board of Directors, 2007-2008; President 2008-2009
• University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law Alumni, 2007-present
• Arizona Women Lawyers Association, member, 2007-present
• Arizona State Bar, member, 2007 – present
• New Mexico State Bar, member, 2015 – present.
• Volunteer Lawyers Program: Domestic Relations Clinic, 2005-2007
• Maricopa County Bar Association, 2008
• American Bar Association: Tort Trial & Insurance Practice, Young Lawyers Division, 2007
Articles and Lectures
FDCC “Living in a Pandemic;” “Parenting” chapter author, 2021.
“Are We Ready for Re-entry: An Informed Perspective on Herd Immunity and Returning to Work: Part I and Part II,” Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, 2021.
“Social Justice and Jurors in the Age of COVID: Part II,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, 2021.
“To Deduct or Not Deduct? The Tax Implications of the PPP Funds,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Law Practice Management section, contributing author, 2021.
“How Law Firms Will Restore and Protect Culture Post-COVID,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Law Practice Management Section Meeting, 2021.
“International Women’s Day: A Celebration of The Federation’s Female Leaders,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, 2021.
“The Status of Women and Diverse Attorneys in Positions of Power and Influence in the Legal Profession,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel; 2021.
“Race, Gender & Diversity Within and Outside the Legal Profession,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel; 2020
“COVID’s Impact on the Practice of Law”, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel; 2020
“Social Justice and Jurors in the Age of COVID: Part 1,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel; 2020
FDCC Public Speaking Manual, contributing author, 2020.
Defense Research Institute Rescission Compendium, Arizona Chapter, April 2019
FDCC Claims Desk Professional Reference, New Mexico Chapter, 2018
FDCC Annual Meeting; Professional Women’s Forum Discussion Facilitator, August 2018
“Ladder Down: Climbing to the Top”, Attorney at Law Magazine, October 2018
Defense Research Institute Annual Meeting, Creating a Women in the Law Committee for Your SLDO, October 2018
Defense Research Institute, “A Conversation With …” podcast presenter; 2018
Defense Research Institute, “Pathways to Partnership” webinar; 2018
“Millennials: We Can’t Live Without Them, So How Do We Work With Them?” Defense Research Institute, For The Defense, January 2018
“Leading Millennials” (chapter author), Leadership for Lawyers, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, December 2017
“Leading Millennials,” Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, Common Defense, May 5, 2017
“45 Marketing Tips in 45 Minutes,” FDCC Masters Present: The Art of Marketing, March 6, 2017
“Effective Meeting Management” (panel member), State Bar of Arizona Annual Convention, June 16, 2016
“Small Firm Practice in the 21st Century” (panel member), Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel Winter Meeting, March 2, 2016
“Subconscious Gender Bias in Mediation,” South Carolina Bar Annual Convention, January 2016
“DRI: It’s Personal,” Defense Research Institute, For the Defense,
November 2015
“5 Tips for Small Firms to Maximize DRI Membership,” Defense Research Institute, DRI Happenings, June 2015
“Partnering with Your SLDO to Make a Positive Difference for Women Lawyers,” Defense Research Institute, May 2015
“Insurance Law Basics for Young Lawyers” (panelist), Arizona State University Alumni Law Group, May 2015
“Business of Law High Tea” (panelist), Arizona State University Business Law Club, April 2015
Corporate Counsel Roundtable (facilitator), Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Corporate Counsel Symposium, September 2014
“Maximizing Your Full Potential: Leverage Opportunities, Overcoming Conflicts,” Defense Research Institute 2014 Diversity Seminar, June 2014
“A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action,” DRI Covered Events: The Newsletter of the Insurance Law Committee, May 2014
“Spring Training for Lawyers: Winning with Diversity and Inclusion” (keynote speaker), State Bar of Arizona, March 2014
“A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action,” AADC Common Defense: A Magazine for Arizona Defense Attorneys, Spring 2014
“Women’s Wine & Cheese” (featured speaker), Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, Winter Meeting, March 2014
“Women Advancing in the Law” (panelist), Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, January 2014
Reservation of Rights Compendium for DRI’s Insurance Law Committee, Arizona Chapter, Defense Research Institute, January 2014
CLM State Claims Resources Guide: Arizona, Claims & Litigation Management Alliance, May 2013
“Ladder Down: Women Lawyers Working Toward Change,” AADC Common Defense: A Magazine for Arizona Defense Attorneys,
Spring 2013
“Practical Tips for Business Development” (panelist), James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona, LWA Luncheon, April 2013
“Ladder Down: Arizona Women Lawyers Changing the Game,” Ms JD
feature blog article, January 2013
“Shareholder’s Class Action Securities Fraud Claims Fail as a Matter of Law,” Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel “Hot Cases,” July 2012
“The Best Laid Plans: A Departure from Flagstaff Affordable Housing
and the Expansion of the Economic Loss Rule in Arizona,” AADC Common Defense: A Magazine for Arizona Defense Attorneys, Spring 2012
“Notice, Tender and Reservation of Rights: Crafting Coverage Correspondence and Evaluating Impact of Insurer’s Defense Under Reservation of Rights,” Strafford Publications National Webinar, January 2012
“Recent Arizona Court of Appeals Case Expands Economic Loss Rule,” Defense Research Institute DRI Today, September 2011
“The Devil Is in the Details: A Practical Overview of Notice, Tender, and Reservation-of-Rights,” American Bar Association Section of Litigation Insurance Coverage Annual Meeting, Tucson, Arizona, March 2011
“Insurers May Satisfy Duty of Good Faith in Arizona Through Interpleader of Funds in Multiple Claimant Cases,” CDS Insurance Practice Group, August 2010
Court Admissions
Arizona, 2007
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 2007
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2008
New Mexico, 2015
U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico, 2016
Education
J.D., James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona, 2007
B.A., magna cum laude, Santa Clara University, 2004: Phi Beta Kappa
Community Involvement
CANTER Arizona