CHRISTENSEN & JENSEN ATTORNEYS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Board Member of the Entrada Institute
Barry Scholl is the chair of Christensen & Jensen's business section. Prior to joining the firm, he clerked for the Honorable Pamela Greenwood in the Utah Court of Appeals, practiced at a boutique securities law firm, and was a shareholder and business section chair at a full-service Salt Lake City-based law firm.
Barry is currently a board member of the Entrada Institute, TURN Community Services, and Utah Humanities. He is a past board member of Local First Utah and Catalyst Magazine, and served on the executive committee of the Utah State Bar's Dispute Resolution Section from 2006-2010. He is also an active Rotarian and a popular speaker at various community and professional events.
Job Titles:
- Analyst at Workers Compensation Fund
Daryl Collins, a subrogation analyst at Workers Compensation Fund (WCF) has said that Mr. Hansen is professional, proactive and very proficient. He is an exceptional and thorough negotiator that finds creative solutions to complex problems. He is a respected attorney that has vast experience in defense and plaintiff claims. His knowledge is complete and is the foundation of his success in representing his clients.
Dave Richards has been with Christensen & Jensen for 29 years and has been a shareholder and director of the firm since 1998. He is the former president of the firm and a member of the firm's executive management committee. Dave currently chairs the firm's Hiring Committee and has been a litigator during his entire tenure with the firm, having represented both plaintiffs and defendants. His specialty is Vaccine Injury Law. Dave was deployed as a canine handler at the World Trade Center site and to Hurricane Katrina as a member of FEMA's Utah Task Force 1. In 2023, Dave was recognized on the Mountain States Super Lawyers' "State Local and Municipal Law" list.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Since joining Christensen & Jensen in 1995, Geoff's practice has focused on litigation. He has extensive experience in product liability, professional liability, construction, and personal injury defense, and serves as panel counsel for many corporations and liability insurers. As a long-time member and Panel Chair of the Utah State Bar's Ethics and Discipline Committee, Geoff also offers unique insight for attorneys facing potential disciplinary proceedings. Geoff is regularly appointed as a mediator, arbitrator or special master in a wide variety of cases.
Geoff has been recognized as one of Utah's "Legal Elite" by Utah Business Magazine, as a "Superlawyer" by Mountain States Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), and as one of the "Best Lawyers in America." He also has the highest ("AV") rating by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2023, he was ackowledged on the Personal Injury Products: Defense Super Lawyers list for the Mountain States.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
George is an AV-rated trial lawyer who represents individuals and businesses in all aspects of litigation, negotiation and dispute resolution including trials, arbitration, and mediation. He has represented businesses ranging in size from sole proprietors to Fortune 500 companies in litigation involving contract disputes, disputes between owners, non-compete agreements, tortious interference with economic relations, unfair competition, product liability and wrongful termination. He has successfully defended attorneys, accountants, engineers, title companies, title and escrow officers, real estate agents and brokers, appraisers and other professionals who have been sued for malpractice. George has also represented plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of contract, personal injury and wrongful death cases.
George evaluates cases early and implements strategies to meet his clients' objectives. He has resolved many cases through early negotiation or mediation, and has had frequent success getting claims dismissed through motions. George has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts and does not hesitate to take a case to trial when it is in his client's best interests.
Jonathan has been practicing law since 2013 when he started as a solo practitioner in Woods Cross, Utah. He joined the team at Christensen and Jensen in April of 2020. Jonathan's career has focused largely on the handling of complex criminal matters with his particular area of expertise lying in death penalty litigation. Jonathan has been very successful in the defense of people accused of the most serious crimes. In 2018, Jonathan was named Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (UACDL) Attorney of the Year for his work on death penalty cases, including a victory in a capital case in the early stages of litigation which was unprecedented. He was also recognized on the Criminal Defense "Rising Star" Super Lawyers list in 2023. In addition to his criminal practice, Jonathan also excels at family law, including divorce and custody matters, and also represents individuals who have been injured in vehicle and workplace accidents as well as wrongful death cases.
Jonathan believes in treating every client as if they were his only client. A key to his success is the attention to detail and thorough attention given to every matter. Jonathan has extensive trial experience and never hesitates to take a case to trial when it will serve the interests of his clients. The courtroom is his place of business.
Jonathan is licensed to practice in Idaho & Utah.
Job Titles:
- Journalist in Her Home State of Kansas
Karra is once again the President and Managing Director of Christensen & Jensen. She is co-chair of the firm's Commercial Litigation and Crisis Management practice groups, and is one of the most experienced and successful commercial and appellate lawyers in Utah. She has consistently been recognized by Super Lawyers/Thomsen Reuters as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the intermountain west (Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming), and as one of the nation's best attorneys for corporate and commercial matters. Karra has also been consistently named one of Utah's "Legal Elite" by Utah Business Magazine. She has also been acknowledged in the Top 50: 2023 Women Mountain States Super Lawyers Top List.
After working as a journalist in her home state of Kansas, Karra went to law school at the University of Texas at Austin, graduating near the top of her class in 1987. Karra's specialty is complex federal litigation. She has recently handled large cases involving the Federal Trade Commission Act, Lanham Act, Internal Revenue Code, Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, False Claims Act, Small Business Act, National Labor Relations Act, Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and other federal and state statutes.
Karra is regularly hired by other lawyers and law firms to handle complex matters and appeals, and regularly advises or represents clients in media relations and crisis management matters.
Ms. Corporon's practice focuses on criminal defense, domestic, family and juvenile law, and general jury trial. Prior to joining Christensen & Jensen, Ms. Corporon was a shareholder with VanCott, Bagley, Cornwall and McCarthy for four years. Ms. Corporon was co-founder and partner in the law firm of Corporon & Williams, P.C. until 2011. She was an adjunct professor of trial advocacy from 1987 through 2013 at the University Of Utah College Of Law. She has presented numerous CLE seminars and conferences.
Ms. Corporon was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2009, in which members must display civility and integrity, and have completed at least 20 trials to jury verdict. Ms. Corporon is listed in the Best Lawyers in America® publication in the areas of Family Law and Family Law Mediation, and is listed by Utah Business Magazine as a Utah Legal Elite for criminal defense and family law. She has been recognized by Mountain States Super Lawyers in white collar, DUI/DWI and general criminal defense. She has also been recognized by Mountain States Super Lawyers as one of the Top 50 Women Attorneys. Mary has also been named by Utah Business Magazine as one of "Utah's Legal Elite" for 2020 and received the highest possible peer/judge-reviewed 2019 Judicial AV Preeminent ® Rating for legal ability and ethical standards. She has also been acknowledged on the Criminal Defense Super Lawyer list and awarded the AV Preeminent rating for 2023. Mary has been recognized by her peers as the 2024 "Lawyer of the Year" in Family Law Mediation in Salt Lake City, she is the singular top lawyer in this field and jurisdiction this year. Mary is also featured in the 30 th edition of "The Best Lawyers in America" for her exceptional work in Family Law, and Family Law Mediation.
Ms. Corporon has had two cases reported in the nationally syndicated column, "News of the Weird."
Matthew joined Christensen & Jensen as an associate in 2020. Matthew specializes in complex civil litigation, and he has represented individuals, businesses, and government entities in state and federal courts in Utah, California, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The cases Matthew has handled are diverse, including nationwide class actions, whistleblower lawsuits, product liability and personal injury actions, wage and hour cases, and civil rights lawsuits, among other things. Representative matters include:
Negotiated a six-figure settlement on behalf of an employee who was wrongfully denied commissions by his employer.
Negotiated a six-figure settlement on behalf of employees of a hotel and banquet center who were wrongfully denied overtime pay.
Authored the complaint and pre-trial motions in a class action lawsuit against Hyundai Motor America that ended in a multimillion-dollar settlement.
Successfully defended a wrongful arrest lawsuit on behalf of the City of St. George and a police officer (won motion for summary judgment).
Matthew is a native of Maine, and he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maine in 2010. Matthew attended law school at Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated cum laude in 2015, and he was awarded the distinction of Rubin Public Interest Law Honor Society Fellow for his dedication to serving the community. Before moving to Utah in 2018, Matthew worked as an attorney at a law firm in Philadelphia that focuses on consumer protection class actions and mass torts. And before joining Christensen & Jensen, Matthew worked at a boutique law firm in Salt Lake City that practices general complex civil litigation.
Sean joined Christensen & Jensen in 2023 and his practice primarily focuses on business transactions and civil litigation. Originally from Michigan, Sean is an experienced litigator in both state and federal court who represents clients from the inception of a suit through dispositive motions, oral argument, and trial. Sean's transactional experience includes issues related to corporate governance, business disputes, trademark and copyright, nonprofit law, and real estate, with clients ranging from individuals to international corporations. Sean prides himself in working collaboratively with his clients to guide critical decisions and craft effective solutions to the challenges they face.
Outside of the office, Sean enjoys skiing, fly fishing, and hiking with his wife and black lab. Additionally, Sean is actively involved in attempting to restore access to Utah's rivers and streams as a board member of the Utah Stream Access Coalition.
Todd is a business attorney with litigation and transactional experience since 1996.
Todd's practice focuses on business law, domestic and family law, and general litigation. Prior to joining Christensen & Jensen, Todd was Senior V.P. & General Counsel of an international consulting company. He previously practiced law in Salt Lake City with Dorsey & Whitney, Parry Anderson & Gardiner and Scalley & Reading. He is an adjunct professor J. Reuben Clark Law School. He has presented numerous CLE seminars and conferences.
Todd has served in the Utah Senate since 2012, and previously served on the Woods Cross City Council. He has been recognized numerous times by Utah Business Magazine as one of the state's "Legal Elite". In 2016, Governor Gary Herbert appointed Todd to the Utah Indigent Defense Commission. He has served on numerous other boards and commissions including the Davis Chamber of Commerce (Chair), Discovery Gateway Children's Museum, Lakeview Hospital, Open Doors/Family Connection Center, United Way of Salt Lake, and the Utah Republican Party (Vice Chair). Todd is frequently invited to speak on a variety of issues.
People injured by certain vaccines have a legal right to compensation for their injuries. The federal government operates the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program ("VICP"). VICP provides compensation to people that are found to be injured by certain vaccines. The program is funded by the pharmaceutical companies through the sale of vaccines.
Anyone person that has been injured following the administration of a vaccine, that is covered by VICP, is entitled to file a claim with the VICP. Additionally, parents or guardians of children or disabled adults that have been harmed by a vaccine that is covered by VICP may file a claim with VICP on behalf of their injured child or injured disabled adult.
Kevin joined Christensen & Jensen in 2022 with 20 years of insurance defense litigation experience. Kevin began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Pamela Greenwood, Judge, Utah Court of Appeals. Since 2003, Kevin's practice has focused primarily in the areas of insurance defense and personal injury litigation, handling cases form inception through jury trial. Over this time, he has defended hundreds of personal injury cases, represented clients in jury trials throughout the State, and has argued for his clients in dozens of mediations and arbitrations. He has directly represented insurance companies in well over a hundred underinsured and uninsured arbitrations. He is presently a board member of the Utah Defense Lawyers Association.
Job Titles:
- Land Use, and Natural Resources
Dave has represented scores of canal and irrigation companies, water conservancy districts, and public water entities. Such cases include issues such as water rights disputes, water delivery systems, forfeiture claims, interference claims, condemnation proceedings, contracts, and liability cases based on flooding or personal injury. He also handles many cases involving canal safety issues.
Bill Hansen is one of the most creative and successful personal injury attorneys in Utah. He has obtained extraordinary recoveries in difficult cases that other attorneys were unwilling to handle, and has been able to aggressively identify and pursue claims that other attorneys have missed. Bill is willing to take on matters that require extended litigation, especially for clients who do not have the resources to do so. Bill receives great pleasure from helping severely injured individuals restore their lives after devastating accidents. He has established a reputation as a tough, but fair litigator. One of his largest clients is the Workers Compensation Fund (WCF). He has successfully handled hundreds of personal injury claims for WCF.
Job Titles:
- Commercial Compliance and Litigation