Cristina M. Shea

Cristina is a San Francisco-based partner who represents corporate policyholders in disputes against their insurance companies. Cristina’s practice includes all aspects of insurance disputes – including evaluating, litigating and settling claims. Cristina has represented policyholders in disputes involving a variety of policies, including property, products liability, general liability, cyber-liability, directors & officers, errors & omissions, professional liability and employment practices liability.

Cristina represents clients across numerous industries, including product manufacturers, tech companies, health care, public pension fund trustees, construction and engineering companies, telecommunications firms, financial institutions, and oil and chemical companies. Cristina is also a successful general commercial litigator, and she successfully defended a financial advisor against a $200-million legal claim.

Cristina also counsels clients on non-litigation aspects of their insurance programs, including policy renewals. She advises clients on the impact of corporate restructuring and the purchase and sale of businesses, including an assessment of potential gaps in coverage and an assessment of a client’s right and obligations under indemnification provisions with its business associates and partners. Cristina has also assisted clients with self-insurance programs and advising on alternative coverage options.

Cristina is the lead trial counsel in a cross-border $500-million business interruption and property damage claim arising out of a catastrophic fire in Mexico.

Cristina was the lead trial counsel in successfully defending a financial advising firm in a $200-million claim brought by one of the firm’s former partners.

Cristina was part of the lead trial team representing a Fortune 500 financial institution in multiple cases throughout the country involving mortgage insurance, subprime mortgage claims and mortgage fraud claims. In that highly complex representation, Cristina was trial counsel for matters venued in federal court, state court and multiple arbitrations.

Cristina also successfully represented a major online peer-to-peer transportation company in a dispute against its insurance company for personal injury and wrongful death claims in San Francisco. In addition to litigating matters, Cristina has assisted clients who have been impacted by data and privacy breaches, ransomware attacks and other cyberattacks. Her representation of those clients spans a variety of sectors, including health care, manufacturing, supply chain management, fintech startups and many others.

Cristina sits on Reed Smith’s Executive Committee, the firm’s governing board. She is a head of the firm’s Talent Committee and served between 2018 and 2024 as the global chair of the firm’s Women’s Initiative Network.

Experience

Representative matters

Lead trial counsel representing a jet engine manufacturer in a cross-border, $500M+ business interruption and property damage claim arising out of a catastrophic fire in Mexico, resulting in business income losses in the U.S.

Lead trial counsel representing a financial investment advising firm in successfully defending a $200+ million claim brought by a former partner.

Lead trial team representing a Fortune 500 financial institution in multiple lawsuits and arbitration involving multi-million dollar mortgage insurance claims. The lawsuits were venued in state and federal courts across the country.

Lead trial counsel representing a financial investment advising firm in successfully defending a $200+ million claim brought by a former partner.

Represented a natural gas manufacturer and service provider in a massive property damage and business interruption claim against their insurers.

Represents a wholesale distributor of pharmaceutical products in connection with an insurance coverage claim related to opioid litigation and settlements.

Represented a healthcare company in a dispute with its insurer over a Medicare and Medicaid services.

Represented a healthcare service provider in a dispute with its insurer involving professional its professional liability policies.

Represented a an engineering firm in a professional liability dispute with its insurer relating to alleged construction defects.

Represented a healthcare service provider in connection with a data breach and related third-party cyberliability claims.

Represented large logistic and supply chain company in a ransomware and data breach case.

Represented a food packaging company in a ransomware and data breach case, recovering in excess of $100 million.

Represented major telecommunications company in the positive resolution of its insurance recovery claims against insurers related to investor lawsuits.

Routinely represents businesses in all types of industries to perform audits and reviews of their insurance programs, including assessment of indemnification rights and obligations with business partners.

Pro bono representation of homeowners who lost their homes in various Northern California wildfires.