Christian Nickerson is a trial attorney at Beston International Law Firm with a widely varied practice specializing in employment litigation, business litigation, catastrophic personal injury, and wrongful death cases. He has successfully helped litigate and settle a wide range of cases for the firm. Christian has achieved over $240 million in jury verdicts and negotiated settlements on behalf of his clients.
These include: LA Pacific Center Inc. v. Paul Hastings (Confidential Settlement – Represented real estate developer in transactional legal malpractice lawsuit involving ownership dispute over Las Vegas Hotel Property); Federal Express Orland Bus Crash Cases (Confidential Settlement – Coordinated action representing over 30 injured plaintiffs and family members of 9 deceased passengers in catastrophic bus collision in Orland, CA); Baklayan v. Southern California Edison (Confidential Settlement - Represented family of two decedents who died in the Woolsey fire); Escamilla v. Durham School Services ($36.1 Million jury verdict for 6 year old student hit by vehicle while trying to cross the street to board her school bus); Pedowitz v. Regents of the University of California (Obtained $10 Million for former Chair of Department of Orthopedic Surgery at UCLA in whistleblower retaliation action after two month long jury trial); Alagba v. LAUSD ($9.5 Million for family of middle school student who died at school after negligent emergency response); Segal v. LACMTA ($7.5 Million settlement for plaintiff hit by oncoming LA County Metro Bus that crossed lanes to avoid runaway dump truck); McNair v. NCAA (Confidential Settlement - Represented former USC Coach in defamation case against NCAA); Saraceno v. Hyros Corporation ($4 Million settlement for family of young man ejected from party bus on 101 Freeway); Dina v. Dickstein Shapiro (Confidential Settlement in transactional legal malpractice case involving ownership dispute over highly valued art collection); Broderick v. State of California ($1.2 Million Settlement for family of young man who died as a result of dangerous condition of public property); Chambrone v. Knecht ($1 Million Settlement for automobile v. moped accident); and Bolotin v. Act 4 (Confidential Settlement in intellectual property dispute regarding “American Psycho” Broadway Musical).
Christian also represents the plaintiff in a whistleblower retaliation case that went to the State Supreme Court in a substantial victory for public health and safety protections. Bonni v. St. Joseph Health System, (2021) 11 Cal. 5th 995. Further, in Scheer vs UC Regents, (2022) 76 Cal App. 5th 904, a California State Appeals Court recently reinstated one of Christian's whistleblower retaliation cases which involves a top UCLA pathology doctor's claims that he was fired in retaliation after raising concerns about patient safety.
Christian was recently named to the Top 40 under 40 by the Los Angeles Daily Journal in 2021 (Top 40 Under 40). He is a two-time finalist for CAOC’s Consumer Attorney of The Year Award. He was nominated as a finalist for the award in 2018 for his work on the Escamilla v. Durham School Services verdict and in 2014 for the Pedowitz vs. The Regents of the University of California settlement. Christian was named one of the Top 100 young lawyers in Southern California by Super Lawyers Magazine from 2018-2023. He has also been recognized annually as a Southern California’s “Rising Star” by that same publication (2015-2023). Christian was a member of the trial team led by Partner Mark Quigley who won the 2015 Giant Slayer Award given by the San Francisco Recorder. Christian was also recently named to the Top 40 under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers.
Christian attended Pepperdine University School of Law where he earned his J.D. and Certificate in Entrepreneurship and the Law from The Geoffrey H. Palmer Center. While at Pepperdine Law, Christian received the CALI and WITKIN Awards for exceptional achievement in Legal Research and Writing and Music Law.
Christian graduated Phi Beta Kappa and cum laude from the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in Economics and Business. Prior to joining Greene, Broillet & Wheeler, Christian worked at Nike as a legal department extern at Nike’s World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. He also worked as a Business and Legal Affairs intern with Mandalay Baseball Properties. Before law school, Christian interned with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League, the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, and the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. An avid hockey player, Christian scored the game-winning goal in the 2003 Pennsylvania High School Hockey State Championship. He also received the prestigious Bob Johnson Memorial Award given by the Pittsburgh Penguins to the top academic high-school hockey player in Western Pennsylvania.
Christian proudly serves as a board member for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers ("ABTL"). Additionally, he is a member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles and Consumer Attorneys of California. He is an active participant in the student mentorship programs at Pepperdine University School of Law, Penn State University, and the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University. Additionally, Christian serves as a guest lecturer at Penn State University, and has taught many MCLE programs. Christian has also volunteered for the LA Law Library’s pro bono program, where he gave free legal consultation to unrepresented citizens in need.
Christian is admitted to practice in California state courts as well as federal district courts in the Central District of California.
Bar Admissions
- California
- U.S. District Court Central District of California
Education
- Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu, California
- J.D.
- Honors: CALI and WITKIN Awards- Legal Research and Writing and Music Law
- Honors: Certificate: Intellectual Property, Geoffrey H. Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship and the Law
- Penn State University, Schreyer Honors College, University Park, Pennsylvania
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts
- Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
- Major: English
- Minor: Economics and Business
Published Works
- What?! Business Cases on Contingency?, Association of Business Trial Lawyers, 2024
- "Accepted practices for heart resuscitation", LA's Daily Journal, 2022
- The Party-Bus Industry, The Advocate Magazine, March, 2017
- The actual-injury provision and the statute of limitations, The Advocate Magazine, November, 2014
- Whistleblower Protections May Help to Improve Patient Safety, published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal – Oct. 22, 2014
Professional Associations & Memberships
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers – Board Member
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- Los Angeles Law Library – “Lawyers in the Library” Pro-Bono Program
Honors & Awards
- Daily Journal Top 40 Under 40, 2021
- 2018 - 2023 Super Lawyers Rising Stars; Personal Injury: Plaintiff – Top 100
- Finalist for 2018 Consumer Attorney of the Year Award- The Consumer Attorneys of California
- Finalist for 2014 Consumer Attorney of the Year – The Consumer Attorneys of California
- Southern California Rising Star, 2015 – 2023
- Top 40 Under 40 – National Trial Lawyers
- The Best Lawyers in America©: Ones to Watch, 2021 - 2023
