Cristina Phipps is an Associate Attorney at Lagomarsino Law. She joined the firm as a Law Clerk during
her second year of law school. She later graduated cum laude with a concentration in workplace law
from the William S. Boyd School of Law, where she earned the highest grade in Professional
Responsibility and Alternative Dispute Resolution in Employment Law; served as Business Editor for
the Nevada Law Journal; and wrote academic papers concerning mandatory arbitration
jurisprudence, alternative legal models for regulating the sex work industry in Nevada, and conflicts
between tribal sovereignty and labor law as part of her workplace law concentration.
In addition to workplace law, Cristina has a particular interest in civil rights litigation. As a Law Clerk,
she was the primary author of briefing that led to the following decisions in favor of our clients:
Stewart v. Aranas, 32 F.4th 1192 (9th Cir. 2022) (published) (affirming the district court’s
denial of qualified immunity for prison officials who were deliberately indifferent to an
inmate’s serious medical need in violation of the Eighth Amendment of the United States
Constitution).
Farmer v. Lopera, 860 Fed. Appx. 469 (9th Cir. 2021) (unpublished) (affirming the district
court’s denial of qualified immunity for a police officer who kills a suspect while acting with a
purpose to harm unrelated to a legitimate law enforcement objective in violation of the
Fourteenth Amendment right to familial association).
Prior to joining Lagomarsino Law, Cristina received the first place and best opening statement awards
for her performance during the Nevada Justice Association’s Mock Trial Competition, earning her an
invitation to join Boyd’s Society of Advocates and compete nationally as a member of Boyd’s mock
trial team. She also participated in a dual externship at the U.S. District Court for the District of
Nevada for the Honorable Jennifer A. Dorsey and Honorable Andrew P. Gordon. During those six
months, she drafted orders on constitutional questions and procedural issues, among others, and
gained invaluable legal writing experience and knowledge about federal litigation.
Before law school, Cristina graduated cum laude from California State University, Los Angeles with a
Bachelor of Science in Business Finance. While completing her undergraduate coursework, she
worked full-time in an operations and client-facing role at an investment and wealth management
firm.
Cristina is currently a member of the Clark County Bar Association, the Nevada Justice Association,
and the National Lawyers Guild of Las Vegas. On her off hours, she enjoys traveling, reading, visiting
local restaurants, and spending time with her family and friends.