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Cris counsels and represents companies and individuals at all stages of civil and criminal proceedings—including investigations, litigation, and appeals—in state and federal courts. As a former honors trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of the Solicitor, Cris leverages his government experience to help clients achieve optimal outcomes with minimal friction.
During his time at the DOL, Cris prosecuted federal enforcement actions across the western U.S., including California, Hawaii, and Arizona. He appeared in numerous federal district and administrative court hearings, provided legal advice to agency clients, filed complaints, issued and responded to discovery requests, took and defended depositions, conducted settlement negotiations, wrote motions and opposing briefs, and prepared witnesses to testify. His efforts led to several high-profile victories for the department, including a $5.6 million settlement for Arizona delivery drivers and a $3.8 million settlement for Southern California carwash workers. In 2019, he received a Secretary of Labor Honor Award for his role in securing the latter victory.
Cris couples his in-depth understanding of government operations with strong interpersonal skills to chart a smooth path to resolution. Drawing on his ability to manage complex government actions, he navigates procedural and bureaucratic mazes, mediates between the needs of multiple parties, and anticipates responses from the government before they happen. When difficulties arise, he communicates them clearly and compassionately, then works to mitigate their effect on his clients.
Cris' three years of clerkship experience also add significant value for his clients. He first served as a shared law clerk in the Central District of California, with an emphasis on cases assigned to District Judges Virginia A. Phillips, Otis D. Wright II, Fernando M. Olguin, Michael W. Fitzgerald, and André Birotte, Jr., then completed a two-year clerkship with Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym in Riverside, CA. During his clerkships, Cris established strong connections with judges across the Central District. Now on the other side of the bench, he relies on those experiences to advance his clients' interests, tailoring his management and presentation strategies to resonate with the judges assigned to his cases.
A native Spanish speaker born in Guanajuato, Mexico, Cris brings a high degree of cultural competence to his work, which allows him to connect meaningfully with clients from varied backgrounds. In his free time, he mentors local immigrant students—a commitment that builds on his former roles as a Latinx Rights Scholar and a student advocate in the Immigrant Rights clinic at NYU School of Law. He also served as an editor for the NYU Law Review during law school.
Cris is a member of the board of directors for the Federal Bar Association, Inland Empire Chapter.
