Christopher Yost Email & Phone Number

Established FedEx’s legal office in California in 2006. Ensure office operates at the highest legal and ethical standards by identifying and effectively communicating employment litigation risks; proactively working with in-house trial teams and strategic business partners to prevent litigation; and zealously and cost effectively defending the company when litigation is the best alternative. Develop and implement litigation strategies. Lead and manage first and second chair jury trials, hearings, motions, all phases of litigation, and settlement negotiations in such areas as federal and state: wage and hour class and Private Attorney General Act actions; sex, race, religion, national origin, and disability discrimination; and harassment, retaliation, and employment-related torts. Provide counseling and litigation prevention training. Interact regularly with senior officers. Establish and maintain economically efficient working relationships with vendors and outside counsel. Recruit, hire, and train trial lawyers, paralegals, and staff. Member of team negotiating enterprise-wide wage and hour and employment practices liability insurance. Awarded Five Star for: defeating class certification with zero outside counsel fees; obtaining defense jury verdict and cost award; lowering attorney fees with a 97% year-over-year reduction; and hiring diverse team.

Engaged in employment litigation and served as first and second chair in trials in court and before arbitrators and administrative panels, including in such areas as federal and state: sex, race, religion, national origin, and disability discrimination; and harassment, retaliation, and employment-related torts. Engaged in traditional labor litigation, including first chair responsibility in administrative labor proceedings, labor negotiations, enforcement of labor agreements, grievance arbitrations, and union campaigns and elections. Engaged in workplace health and safety litigation. Provided counsel to clients in the foregoing areas and in FMLA and WARN Act compliance and litigation avoidance.

Presidential Appointment. Researched and prepared decisions and memoranda on mine safety and health issues, including the legal sufficiency of: citations and penalties issued by the Secretary of Labor; orders for mine closures and employee withdrawal; and requests for compensation and claims of discrimination. Provided advice and recommendations to the Commissioner on the legal and policy implications of each proposed Commission decision. Represented the Commissioner in inter-staff and intra-agency matters, and in matters before Congress.

Presidential Appointment. Planned, developed, and coordinated the activities of a highly professional staff of attorneys and labor relations specialists. Researched and prepared decisions and memoranda on private and Federal sector labor and employment law issues, including: unfair labor practices; representation; arbitration; negotiability; and equal employment opportunity. Represented the Authority as a speaker at symposia on various labor-related topics. Provided advice and recommendations to the Member with respect to the legal and policy implications of each proposed Authority decision. Represented the Member in inter-staff and intra-agency matters, in collective bargaining, and in matters before Congress.

Engaged in employment litigation, including such areas as: federal and state age, sex, race, national origin and disability discrimination; wrongful termination; retaliation; and employment-related torts. Engaged in traditional labor litigation, including administrative labor proceedings and enforcement of labor agreements. Provided counsel to clients in the foregoing areas.

Master Of Laws (Ll.M.), Labor And Employment

Juris Doctor

Activities and Societies: Assistant Comment Editor 1989-90; Comment Staff Writer 1988-89; Comment, Belly Up To The Bar: Your Bar Tab Is.

B.S. In Economics And B.A. In English