Christine L. Mast

Christine L. Mast,
Senior Partner

Biography

Christine is a go-to attorney for legal professionals faced with malpractice claims, lawsuits, disciplinary, licensing, and ethics issues. 30 years’ experience defending lawyer claims gives Christine a unique Jack-of-all-trades knowledge base coupled with deep understanding of legal standards of care and ethical requirements, enabling her to swiftly assess each situation, drawing on her expertise in her clients’ specific practice area, to develop an effective and appropriate defense and resolution strategy. Her wide range of subject matter experience also specially positions Christine to provide skillful defense to insurance agents and brokers, appraisers, surveyors and real estate professionals. Christine creatively counsels and advises clients in diffusing, avoiding or mitigating claims, often persuading the opposition of the lack of a viable claim altogether. When litigation is inevitable, Christine is called upon for her strong advocacy on behalf of her clients, guiding them through trial while minimizing the impact on her clients’ reputations and livelihoods. Her candor and straightforward manner is a proven asset to Christine’s attorney clients in both trial and appellate advocacy and dispute resolution with party opponents.

Christine also devotes significant time to representation of clients in premises and products liability cases, commercial litigation disputes, and insurance coverage.  A testament to her skillful, pragmatic handling of serious and sensitive claims, Christine’s former litigation opponents seek out her advice, counsel, and when necessary, her defense when they find themselves on the wrong end of a claim. A natural complement to her defense of legal and other professionals, Christine defends litigants and their counsel against sanctions and protects professionals in licensing and disciplinary matters.

Her successful representation is evident in a long list of appellate decisions affirming favorable rulings for her clients. Most notably, Christine argued and won a landmark case before the Georgia Supreme Court in Leibel v. Johnson, resulting in a unanimous decision limiting expert testimony in legal malpractice cases and reversing a multi-million-dollar judgment against her lawyer-client.

Christine was included as one of Georgia’s top 100 lawyers in 2019, 2020 and 2021 by Super Lawyers and was selected by Best Lawyers as Lawyer of the Year for Legal Malpractice Defendants in 2015 and 2022 and for Professional Malpractice Law Defendants in 2021. 

Christine also dedicates herself to service within Hawkins Parnell and she has the distinction of being the first woman elected to the compensation committee, the executive committee, and in 2020 to the role as Hawkins Parnell’s managing partner. 

Services

Education

  • University of North Carolina School of Law  (J.D., 1992)
  • University of Illinois  (B.S., with honors, 1989)

Bar Admissions

  • Georgia

Courts

  • Supreme Court of Georgia
  • Georgia Court of Appeals
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia

Professional Affiliations

  • State Bar of Georgia
    • Founding Member of Professional Liability Section
    • Executive Committee (2011-2014)
  • DRI
    • Commercial Litigation Committee, Past Publications Chair
    • Lawyers Professionalism & Ethics Committee, Past Vice-Chair Publications
  • American Bar Association
    • National Legal Malpractice Data Center
  • Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
    • Vice Chair, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
  • ALFA International
    • Chair Emeritus, Professional Liability Practice Group
  • Professional Liability Underwriting Society
  • Atlanta Bar Association
  • Lawyers Club of Atlanta

Honors

  • Best Lawyers® Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants "Lawyer of the Year” in Atlanta (2021)
  • Best Lawyers® Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants "Lawyer of the Year” in Atlanta (2015, 2022)
  • The Best Lawyers in America© (2011-2023)
    • Appellate Practice
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Construction Law
    • Employment Law - Management
    • Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
    • Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
    • Litigation - Insurance
    • Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Georgia Super Lawyers (2007-2023)
  • Top 50 Women Georgia Lawyers, Georgia Super Lawyers (2008-2014, 2017-2023)
  • Top 100 Georgia Lawyers, Georgia Super Lawyers (2008, 2019-2021)
  • AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®
  • Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers™
  • Litigation Counsel of America Trial Lawyer Honorary Society, Fellow

Presentations

Christine lectures regularly on the subjects of malpractice avoidance, ethics, abusive litigation, and trial procedures. She also has published related papers on legal malpractice, abusive litigation, and trial tactics. Christine also has appeared as a guest on Leyes Cotidianas (“Everyday Law”), a Spanish language legal talk show, where she discussed recovery of civil litigation fees and expenses.

  • "Opinions to Third Parties; Defense of Judgment," Professionalism, Ethics and Malpractice, State Bar of Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education (December 2021)
  • "Sustaining Success – Planning for the Second Generation Law Firm," Annual Meeting, Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, Asheville, North Carolina (August 2021)
  • "What Should Keep You Up At Night - And It’s Not COVID," 54th Annual Meeting, Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, Fernandina Beach, Florida (June 2021)
  • "The Eternal Sunshine of the Mediated LPL Resolution," National Legal Malpractice Conference, American Bar Association, Virtual (April 2021)
  • "COVID-19 and Defense Litigation: Why Communication Is As Important As Social Distancing," Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, Webinar (June 2020)
  • "Simple Advice for Complex Times: The Top 5 Pieces of Advice Insurers Can Give to Their Law Firm Insureds," ALFA International, COVID-19 Webinar Series (April 2020)
  • "Professional and Ethical Dilemmas in Litigation," Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Atlanta, Georgia (March 2020)
  • “Awards of Attorney’s Fees and Litigation Expenses Under OCGA 9-15-14: A Primer,” Institute Of Continuing Legal Education In Georgia: Abusive Litigation, Atlanta, Georgia (February 2020)
  • "What Attorneys Should Have In Their Engagement Letters and Other Starting Line Protective Measures,"  Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, Webinar (February 2020)
  • "Best Practices and Tips for Avoiding Malpractice Claims," Atlanta Bar Association, Atlanta, Georgia (May 2019)
  • "Cross Examination of Plaintiff in a Legal Malpractice Case," Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Atlanta, Georgia (March 2019)
  • "Professional and Ethical Dilemmas in Litigation," Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Atlanta, Georgia (March 2019)
  • “Claims For Attorney’s Fees And Expenses Under OCGA §9-15-14,” Abusive Litigation Seminar, Institute Of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (February 2019)
  • "How to Avoid Bar Complaints & Malpractice," Beginning Lawyers Program, State Bar of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (February 2019)
  • "Catching the Signs: How to Preserve the Attorney-Client Privilege When Everyone Around You is Doing Their Best to Waive It," ALFA International - EPL & Professional Liability Practice Group Seminar, New York, New York (June 2018)
  • Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America Professional Liability E&O Program Conference, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Moderator, ""My Client is a Nightmare!" How to Prepare Your Difficult LPL Client for a Deposition," American Bar Association Spring 2018 National Legal Malpractice Conference, Washington D.C. (April 2018)
  • "Professional and Ethical Dilemmas in Litigation," Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (March 2018)
  • "What Every Agent Needs to Know in 60 Minutes," Southeastern Network Agencies Group, McDonough, Georgia (January 2018)
  • Abusive Litigation Seminar, State Bar of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (January 2018)
  • "Abusive Litigation," Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (February 2017)
  • "Professional and Ethical Dilemmas in Litigation," Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (March 2016)
  • “Awards of Attorney’s Fees and Litigation Expenses Under OCGA 9-15-14: A Primer,” Institute Of Continuing Legal Education In Georgia: Abusive Litigation, Atlanta, Georgia (February 2016)
  • "Professional and Ethical Dilemmas in Litigation," Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (March 2015)
  • "Intake Procedures - Unleash Your Inner Detective," Attorney Protective Webinar (October 2012)
  • "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished," Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia Conference (September 2012)
  • "What Do You Mean You Won’t Pay? Navigating Coverage Issues at Mediate and Beyond," ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, Chicago, Illinois (September 2012)
  • “Title Standards and Lawyer Liability,” State Bar of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (2011)
  • “Claims For Attorney’s Fees And Expenses Under OCGA §9-15-14,” Georgia ICLE (1998-2012, 2014)
  • “LPL Market Outlook for 2010:  Claims Trends, New LPL Carriers, and Emerging Products,” American Conference Institute’s Second National Forum on LPL/Legal Malpractice, New York (2009)
  • “Title Standards and Lawyer Liability,” State Bar of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (2009)
  • “Highest-Risk Behavior:  Specific Lawyer Activities Most Likely to Lead to Malpractice Claims,” ABA Lawyers' Professional Liability Conference, Fall 2009 National Legal Malpractice Conference, Chicago, Illinois (2009)
  • “Awards of Attorney’s Fees, Litigation Expenses and Damages for Abusive Litigation Under O.C.G.A. §§ 9-15-14, 51-7-80 and 9-11-68,” Georgia ICLE, Trial and Error:  Advice on Becoming a Good Lawyer and Avoiding Rookie Mistakes Seminar (2008)
  • “Legal Malpractice, Drafting and Litigating Contracts:  Avoiding Common Traps,” Georgia ICLE, Contract Litigation (2007)
  • “Pursuit of Attorney’s Fees and Litigation Expenses in Slip and Fall Case,” Georgia ICLE, Advanced Slip and Fall (2007)
  • “Bad Faith/E&O Coverage Litigation,” Georgia ICLE Residential Real Estate (2007)
  • “Use of Depositions,” Lorman Education Services Seminar (2005)
  • “Hot Topics in Business Bankruptcy” and “Hot Topics in Consumer Bankruptcy,” Panelist, Georgia ICLE (2005)