Kristin provides effective labor and employment compliance and litigation-prevention counsel to a broad range of private-sector employers and public-sector entities with union and non-union workforces. She advises clients at every step in the employer/employee relationship, from recruitment, hiring and retention of key personnel and executives, through leaves of absence and terminations. Kristin also partners with in-house counsel and executives to serve as a powerful advocate before federal and state regulatory bodies.

To help organizations establish themselves as employers of choice, Kristin advises clients on discrimination and harassment, personnel policies, compensation and benefits programs, organized labor and union issues, and compliance with a broad range of anti-discrimination, anti-harassment and other federal and state laws and regulations. She regularly negotiates employment and separation agreements and helps employers stay current on ever-changing laws relating to employee leaves of absence.

With a strong focus on dispute prevention and risk management, Kristin regularly provides cost-effective training and counsel to employees, managers and executives on wage and hour requirements, unfair labor practices, noncompetition and nondisclosure agreements, disciplinary actions and discharges, disability accommodations and related issues. Over the past several years, she has developed a series of live and recorded, interactive webinar programs designed to help mid-level and front-line supervisors better understand their legal responsibilities within the workplace.

When allegations of misconduct such as workplace harassment and discrimination arise, Kristin conducts detailed personnel and management investigations and handles grievance processing. Kristin works with clients, their employees and unions to identify common ground and negotiate results that resolve issues and, when viable, preserve the investments that employers and employees have made in each other. Among other matters, Kristin has helped a number of employers respond to charges of discrimination filed with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Washington Human Rights Commission.

Kristin is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as a leading lawyer in labor and employment law. She speaks regularly to employer groups and legal and industry associations on a variety of employment-law topics. She also serves currently as the Firm’s CEO.

• Washington State Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
• King County Bar Association

• University of Washington School of Law
  JD
• Santa Clara University
  BA

• Washington

• Pro bono employment law legal services to non-profit children's services agency

• Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® (2018 – 2023) for Employment Law - Management
• University of Washington Law School, Honor Graduate
• Order of the Coif
• Washington Law Review, Member
• Moot Court Honor Board
• Washington Law & Politics, "Rising Star" (2004, 2006–2007)

• “COVID-19 Impacts,” Washington Counties Insurance Risk Pool (WCRP) webinar (October 2020)
• “Recent Developments Affecting PFML and WPSL Benefit Administration,” Summit Law Group client bulletin (June 2020)
• “Highlights of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” Summit Law Group client bulletin (April 2020)
• “COVID-19 Impacts: Navigating Furloughs and Layoffs,” Summit Law Group webinar (April 2020) 
• “Best Practices for Reductions in Force,” Washington Transit Insurance Pool (WSTIP) webinar (April 2020)
• “Key Employment Law Issues for Fire Executives,” Washington Fire Chiefs Association training sponsored by Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA) and Enduris (December 2019)
• “Paid Family Medical Leave: Frequently Asked Questions,” Association of Washington Cities (AWC) webinar (November 2019)
• “It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again: Getting Ready for Another New Leave Law,” Washington State Transit Association (WSTA) HR Roundtable (November 2019)
• “Washington’s New Non-Compete Law,” New Tech Northwest Workshop and CLE, co-presenter with Quinn Oppenheim and Laura Harper (June 2019)
• “Countdown to Full PFML Implementation,” AWC Labor Relations Institute, co-presenter with Rod Younker and Peter Altman (May 2019)
• “Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave: A Work in Progress,” AWC webinars (March 2019 and October 2018)
• “Making Performance Evaluations Work For You, Not Against You,” AWC Member Expo (October 2018)
• “Washington Leave Law Developments,” WAPELRA Fall Training (October 2018)
• “Leave It To Washington: A Crash Course on the New Paid Sick and Family Leave Laws,” AWC Labor Relations Institute (May 2018) 
• “Behind Closed Doors: Romance in the Workplace,” AWC Labor Relations Institute, co-presenter with Shannon Phillips (May 2017)
• “Best Practices for Law Enforcement Command Staff: Employment Basics,” sponsored by WASPC, WCIA, WCRP and AWC-RMSA (March 2017)
• "Are You Ready For The New Paid Sick Leave Law?" webinar in partnership with Association of Washington Cities (November 2017)
• "Employment Law Exposures: Investing in Supervisors to Reduce Risk," Washington Cities Insurance Authority Full Board (January 2017)
• "Preventing Discrimination and Harassment in the Workplace," Enduris Risk Pool Seminar (December 2016)
• "The Attendance Maze: A Legal Refresher and Strategies for Compliance," Washington State Transportation Training Coalition webinar (December 2016)
• "Employment Law for Supervisors," Enduris Risk Pool Seminar (November 2016)
• "Best Practices for Law Enforcement Executives," Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (September 2016)
• "Employment Law for Supervisors," Washington Cities Insurance Authority (July 2016, Arlington; September 2016, Kennewick; and October 2016, Lacey, Tukwila and Camas)
• "Best Practices for Reducing Claims Arising from Discipline and Discharge," Washington Cities Insurance Authority (June 2016, Mount Vernon and Lakewood; and September 2016, Ellensburg)
• "Employment Law Update," Association of Washington Cities Labor Relations Institute, May 2016
• "Best Practices for Reviewing and Updating Employee Handbooks," Washington Cities Insurance Authority (March 2016, Burlington; and April 2016, Battle Ground)
• "Germanwings Tragedy Puts Spotlight On Employee Fit-For-Duty Procedures," quoted in article by Stephanie Goldberg, Business Insurance (April 12, 2015)