Erik Christiansen

Practice Areas

Erik Christiansen is a commercial litigation trial attorney at Parsons Behle & Latimer with 32 years of experience. Mr. Christiansen represents clients in a variety of commercial, financial and securities litigation matters, including, among others:

Commercial and business litigation

Securities and financial fraud litigation

Trade secrets litigation

Commercial contract disputes

Direct selling/multi-level marketing related litigation

Investment related litigation

Partnership disputes

Financial institution litigation

Banking litigation

Insurance coverage litigation

Commercial equipment lease litigation

Regulatory and administrative defense matters

Non-compete litigation

Mr. Christiansen is the Past Chair of the Utah State Securities Commission, which has oversight authority over the Utah Division of Securities, and is the Co-Chair of the firm's Securities Litigation practice group. Mr. Christiansen served on the Securities Commission from June 2009 to October 2017.

Mr. Christiansen has received extensive professional recognition, including for, among others:

President-Elect, Utah State Bar, July 7, 2022-present

Chambers Rated, Litigation, General Commercial, 2020-present

Lawyer of the Year, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Best Lawyers in America, 2020

Alumnus of the Year, S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, 2019

Practitioner of the Year, Utah State Bar, Business Law Section, 2018

Lawyer of the Year in Litigation-Securities, Best Lawyers of America, 2013

Member, American Bar Association House of Delegates, Utah State Bar Representative (November 2017-present)

Member, Utah Supreme Court Professionalism and Civility Counseling Board, September 2022-August 2026

Member, Select Committee, ABA House of Delegates, August 2022-present

Member, ABA Standing Committee on Membership, August 2021-present

Regional Cochair - Utah, ABA Judicial Intern Opportunity Program, August 2021-present

Life Fellow of the American Bar Association Foundation (2015-present)

Adjunct Professor of Law, teaching Business Organizations Law 7050-001, S.J. Quinney College of Law (2015-current) and Procuring and Managing Legal Services Law 6350-001 (2019-2021)

Team Editor, American Bar Association's Litigation News (May 2021-present)

Associate Editor, American Bar Association's Litigation News (October 2019-May 2021)

Contributing Editor, American Bar Association's Litigation News (October 2017-2019)

Recognized in Best Lawyers of America since 2010

Recognized in Mountain States Super Lawyers since 2009

Maintains a Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rating

Prior to joining Parsons, Mr. Christiansen practiced for six years in Los Angeles, California as an associate attorney at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, now known as Milbank (1990-93) and as an associate at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan (1993-95). Mr. Christiansen maintains an active practice in California. He is willing to do certain types of large cases on a contingency fee basis. Mr. Christiansen has served as an expert witness in multiple securities litigation matters.

Work Highlights

Maintains a Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Rating

Ranked in Chambers USA for Litigation: General Commercial

Recognized in Utah Business Magazine’s 2023 Legal Elite

Recognized in "The Best Lawyers in America," Securities Litigation and Commercial Litigation, since 2010; Salt Lake City Lawyer of the Year, Litigation - Securities, 2022

Recognized in "Mountain States Super Lawyers," Securities Litigation, since 2009

Utah Legal Elite, Civil Litigation

Education