Overview
Christa is a part of the firm’s national Data Privacy and Cybersecurity team. Her practice focuses on incident response, domestic and global data privacy compliance, and data security and privacy provision contract negotiation. She has advised hundreds of clients through active security incidents and third-party vendor incidents, from business email compromises to ransomware events. She frequently advises clients on matters involving multi-jurisdiction privacy and data protection requirements, including establishing and implementing information security and privacy practices and programs under broad regulatory regimes (e.g., GDPR, GDPR-inspired international, and US federal and state law); and the development and implementation of internal and external information security and privacy policies. She routinely negotiates a wide variety of security and privacy related contract agreements and contractual provisions such as data protection/privacy agreements/addendums, data transfer agreements, vendor and subcontractor agreements, and non-disclosure agreements.
Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, she directed multistate and internal investigations for violations of state and federal trade practice and data privacy laws as a Deputy Attorney General in the Consumer Litigation Unit for the Office of Indiana Attorney General, specifically operating in telecommunications, technology, and mobile applications. Christa was the leading attorney for investigations into global technology and social media platforms concerning violations resulting from platforms’ algorithmic modifications, the collection and use of location data and personal information, and development and implementation of internal security and policy guidelines.
She negotiated multi-million-dollar settlements and received judgments in favor of the State of Indiana for violations of the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act, including a settlement in excess of $15 million against Frontier Communications. She represented the State in a lawsuit against Google alleging consumer protection violations for misrepresenting the collection and use of user location data information, which resulted in a $20 million settlement. Christa also conducted numerous investigations into nonprofit organizations and procured assurances of voluntary compliances establishing adherence to state law requirements concerning corporate structure, standards of conduct for directors and officers, asset distribution, and dissolution.
Honors & Recognition
The Order of Barristers; Graduation Designation, May 2020
Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies: Editor-in-Chief (2019-2020); Special Recognition as Associate
Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition: Semi-Finalist, Brief Writing Honors, Oral Advocacy Honors
Indiana University Prestige Scholarship & Indiana University Founders Scholar
Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award Recipient (2010-2012)
Swahili Flagship Merit Scholar, American Councils for International Education (2011-2013)
Credentials
Education
Indiana University
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Admissions – Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
Admissions – State
- Indiana
Professional & Civic
Professional Activities
International Association of Privacy Professionals
Indiana State Bar Association
Community Involvement
Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic
Creative Solutions Zanzibar