Thomas M. "Tom" Christ

Thomas M. "Tom" Christ


Sussman Shank LLP

Recognized since 2001

Portland, Oregon

Practice Areas

Appellate Practice

Insurance Law

Litigation - First Amendment

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Litigation - First Amendment
Send Thomas M. "Tom" Christ an email at tchrist@sussmanshank.com Navigate to map location for Thomas M. "Tom" Christ
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Litigation - First Amendment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Litigation - First Amendment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Insurance Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2011 - Appellate Practice
Spinning circle Big letter B

Tom specializes in civil appeals and insurance coverage, including litigation of coverage disputes. He has argued over four hundred cases in various appellate courts, including the Oregon and Washington supreme courts and courts of appeal, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He has also argued a case in the United States Supreme Court (Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton (1995)).

Tom also practices constitutional and election law. He has successfully challenged laws that infringe on free speech, as well as several voter-approved initiatives that improperly attempted to amend the Oregon Constitution. He has also successfully defended some initiatives against legal challenges.

Tom is perennially listed in Best Lawyers, the peer-review lawyer-rating service, in three different fields: appellate practice, insurance law, and First Amendment litigation. He has been named Oregon's "lawyer of the year" in each field – twice in the first one.

In 1990, the Oregon Supreme Court appointed Tom to be a part-time judge in the Multnomah County Circuit Court, and has re-appointed him every four years since then. He sits as judge once or twice each month, hearing motions.

In 2019, Oregon's two U.S. senators, following the recommendation of a bipartisan commission, included Tom on a list of four finalists for a vacant seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

A native Portlander, Tom has traveled extensively throughout the United States. He is married and has two daughters. His leisure interests include fly fishing, soccer (both playing and watching), and golf.

Location
  • 1000 Southwest Broadway, Suite 1400
    Portland, OR 97205
Education
  • University of Oregon, J.D.
  • University of Oregon, BA, graduated 1979
Bar Admissions
  • Oregon, State Bar
Affiliations
  • American Bar Association - Delegate
  • Multnomah Bar Association - Member, Board of Directors
  • Office of Public Defense Services - Member, Board of Directors
  • Oregon Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability - Member
  • Oregon State Bar House of Delegates - Delegate
  • Oregon State Bar Professional Liability Fund - Member, Chair, Board of Directors
Court Admissions
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court for Oregon

Sussman Shank LLP
Headquarters: Portland, Oregon

7 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

1 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America award

Visit Website View Firm Profile

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Litigation - First Amendment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Litigation - First Amendment Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Insurance Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2011 - Appellate Practice
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Litigation - First Amendment, Portland, OR (2024)
  • Appellate Practice, Portland, OR (2019)
  • Litigation - First Amendment, Portland, OR (2016)
  • Insurance Law, Portland, OR (2013)
  • Appellate Practice, Portland, OR (2011)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for work in:
  • Appellate Practice
  • Insurance Law
  • Litigation - First Amendment
Special Focus:
  • Appellate
  • Bad Faith
  • Casualty
  • Commercial
  • Constitutional
  • Coverage
  • Defense
  • Election
  • Free Speech
  • Liability Insurance
  • Litigation
  • Political Speech
  • Professional Liability
Awards:
  • Fellow, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers
  • Oregon Super Lawyers® Top 50 List 2019, 2020
  • Oregon Super Lawyers® 2006 - 2020
  • Best Lawyers in America® 1999-2021: Appellate Practice; Insurance Law; Litigation - First Amendment
  • Best Lawyers in America® 2011 "Lawyer of the Year" for Appellate Practice, Portland, OR
  • Best Lawyers in America® 2013 "Lawyer of the Year" for Insurance Law, Portland, OR
  • Best Lawyers in America® 2016 "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation - First Amendment, Portland, OR
  • Best Lawyers in America® 2019 "Lawyer of the Year" for Appellate Practice, Portland, OR
  • Highest rating ("A.V.") by Martindale-Hubbell since 4th year of practice
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • First Amendment Law

Publications

Your browser is not fully compatible with our automatic printer friendly formatting.

Please use the print button to print this profile page.

Spinning circle Big letter B