Now that my focus has shifted towards my role as general counsel for the firm, I appreciate the diversity of issues that arise. I talk to several of our lawyers every day about a multitude of tasks and topics, both internal and external to the firm. When my practice was centered on commercial litigation, I enjoyed working with my clients to find creative solutions to even their trickiest problems, and as a general counsel I continue to help resolve issues in innovative ways. The job keeps me on my toes – and I like that.
Christine Lipsey serves as McGlinchey’s general counsel, implementing policies and procedures to address and ameliorate conflicts and risks in the firm’s nationwide network. Viewing her general counsel position as a way to manage and optimize the relationship between the clients and the law firm, Christine believes that the role helps her to help other attorneys better represent their clients. In this capacity, she handles a range of issues including due diligence, the client intake process, firm contracts, and general liability matters.
Christine collaborates with and advises firm management, provides ethics opinions and counsel for professional liability issues, represents the firm in disputes, and reviews the often stringent outside counsel guidelines that many large institution clients present. Additionally, she trains attorneys and staff to identify, prevent, and monitor risk management issues.
After more than 35 years in commercial litigation, Christine continues to draw on her extensive experience representing small and large businesses, insurance companies, state agencies, lenders, and corporate and limited liability company constituents. She guides clients in resolving their challenges in areas including breach of contract, unfair competition, RICO, antitrust, corporate fiduciary, and class and mass action matters.
Christine spends a great deal of time sharing the substantial depth and breadth of her knowledge with the larger legal community. For many years she has served as an adjunct professor at Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center, teaching a class on business torts that she created, as well as courses on ethics and professionalism. She has published and presented on a number of business litigation topics, including consumer credit and privacy, corporate officer and director liability, borrower/lender litigation and unfair trade practices. Christine served as the first female President of the Baton Rouge Bar Association, and she has been involved for many years with the Louisiana State Bar Association, particularly in the area of professional issues.