Overview

Chris Wall is a trial attorney in Stoel Rives’ Seattle office. He has won jury verdicts in state and federal courts and prevailed in arbitration and administrative forums. Chris focuses on wage and hour disputes, especially those involving class action allegations and arbitration issues. He is also well versed in traditional labor issues, trade secret and noncompete litigation, and claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Chris provides strategic advice to companies on a wide range of employment issues. Chris has specific experience with federal pay equity laws and Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. Taking an innovative approach to helping companies implement equal-pay practices, Chris has created practice automation tools and developed legal project management strategies that streamline the pay-equity process for clients.

Chris draws on his experience as a law clerk for the Alaska Supreme Court and as a judicial extern to the Honorable John Coughenour as well as his significant experience in commercial litigation to meet the needs of his clients. Prior to law school, Chris served as a teacher in rural Nepal.

Education

University of Washington School of Law, J.D., 2012; Chief Articles Editor; Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

Santa Clara University, B.A. & B.S.; summa cum laude; Valedictorian

Admissions

Washington

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit Western District of Washington Eastern District of Washington

Languages

  • German
  • Nepali

Experience

  • Obtained favorable jury verdict on Washington Minimum Wage Act and USERRA claims in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
  • First chaired jury trial and obtained favorable verdict on Washington Law Against Discrimination claims in Pierce County Superior Court.
  • Lead counsel in multi-plaintiff litigation against energy-efficiency company alleging wage and hour claims. Compelled the case to private arbitration and settled on favorable terms.
  • First chaired multiple JAMS arbitrations to final arbitration award.
  • Defended putative class action in AAA arbitration alleging misclassification of mortgage brokers.
  • Defended global commercial real estate services company against multiple wage and commission claims by commercial real estate brokers. Removed the cases to federal court and settled on favorable terms.
  • Resolved two putative class actions alleging multi-million dollar rest and meal break claims against regional health care systems in Washington State Courts.
  • Compelled wage and hour claims to individual arbitration in putative class action against national restaurant company.
  • Obtained summary judgment for regional shipping company on employment discrimination claims in King County Superior Court.
  • Obtained denial of class certification in a wage and hour case on behalf of regional health care system in Pierce County Superior Court.
  • Defended regional health care system in Yakima County Superior Court on wage and hour claims of misclassification and joint employer. Plaintiff walked away after summary judgment was filed.
  • Successful representation of many employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Washington State Human Rights Commission assisting in responses to Charges of Discrimination and achieving agency findings of no probable cause.
  • Successful defense of global technology company against National Labor Relations Board subpoena seeking alleged joint employer evidence.
  • Representation of the Superior Court in multi-grievance proceeding.

Insights

Insights & Presentations

  • Contributor to Stoel Rives LLP “World of Employment” blog
  • “Pay Equity Disputes May Be the ‘Sleeping Giant’ of Wage Transparency Laws, Employment Lawyers Predict” (quoted), Law.com, April 2024
  • “Assessing Harm From Pay Transparency Violations Is Tricky” (quoted), Law360, January 2024
  • “Issues in the Modern Workforce,” SHRM/Stoel Rives 21st Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, March 2023
  • “Five Ways a Tight Labor Market Could Affect Equal Pay Claims,” Bloomberg Law, June 2022
  • “Why Big Law Needs More Than New Pay Transparency Laws” (quoted), Bloomberg Law, June 2022
  • “Important Changes to Nondisclosure and Settlement Agreements,” Stoel Rives LLP webinar, June 2022
  • “Leave Laws,” SHRM/Stoel Rives 20th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, March 2022
  • “Navigating the Return to the Office,” CFO Leadership Council, Seattle Chapter, January 2022
  • “The Delta Variant: What Do Employers Do Now?” Stoel Rives LLP webinar, August 2021
  • “Mastering the Fundamentals: The ADA and the Interactive Process,” Stoel Rives LLP webinar, April 2021
  • “Law School for CFOs,” CFO Leadership Council, Seattle Chapter, March 2021
  • “Legislative & Labor Law Update,” SHRM/Stoel Rives 19th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, March 2021
  • “Law School for the CFO,” CFO Leadership Council, Seattle Chapter, May 2020
  • “Taming the COVID-19 Chaos: What Employers Need to Know Part 5” Stoel Rives LLP webinar, April 2020
  • “Paid Leave Developments,” SHRM/Stoel Rives 18th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, February 2020
  • “Washington State New Equal Pay Laws,” Washington Farm Labor Association webinar, November 2019
  • “Debriefing the 2019 Legislative Session and New Employment Laws,” Stoel Rives, September 2019
  • “Washington’s Evolving Leave Laws,” SHRM Seattle, June 2019
  • “Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act,” CFO Leadership Council, April 2019
  • “Traditional Labor Update,” SHRM Portland, March 2017
  • “Hiring to Termination: A Three-Part Series on HR Best Practices,” Stoel Rives, September 2016

Recognition

  • Included in Best Lawyers®: Ones to Watch in America (Commercial Litigation, Labor and Employment Law—Management, Litigation—Labor and Employment), 2021–2024
  • Listed among Rising Stars (Employment & Labor, Civil Litigation, Environmental Litigation), Washington Super Lawyers®, 2017–2023

Affiliations

Professional

  • CFO Leadership Council Steering Committee, 2019–present
  • Pacific Coast Labor and Employment Law Conference, Special Topics Subcommittee Co-Chair, 2019–2021
  • Washington State Bar Association, Member
  • King County Bar Association, Member
  • Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association, Member

Civic

  • Tacoma-Pierce County Courthouse Legal Clinic, Pro Bono Attorney, 2013–present
  • Pro Bono Work:
    • Project Access Northwest
    • Cascade AIDs Project
    • Choose180
    • EarthCorps
    • Chelan-Douglas Land Trust
    • Northwest Outward Bound
    • Green Plate Special
    • Tall Timber
    • Homeward Pet Adoption Center
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