Overview
Attorney Christopher Cianci (“See-an-see”) brings a powerful combination of experience in employment law and a deep understanding of his clients’ businesses. Drawing on this knowledge and insight, he helps employers tackle complex legal challenges and achieve the best possible outcomes.
With 15 years of experience as a litigator and trial attorney, Chris focuses on employment law and business litigation. His employment practice involves advising and representing employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including single-plaintiff wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation claims; wage and hour claims; class and representative (PAGA) actions; and trade secret matters. In business litigation, he handles cases involving breach of contract, unfair competition, fraud, and ownership, partnership, and shareholder disputes.
Chris has successfully served as lead counsel in both jury and bench trials. He has represented clients in all kinds of proceedings, including evidentiary hearings, depositions, arbitrations, and mediations, securing favorable outcomes at every stage of litigation, including summary judgment and appeals.
Beyond litigation, Chris advises clients on a variety of employment and business-related matters. He offers guidance on employment policy development; employee hiring, retention, performance, and termination practices; FMLA/CFRA leave; disability accommodation requests; and other personnel decisions and critical concerns for companies, organizations, public entities, and educational institutions.
Before joining Epstein Becker Green, Chris was a partner at a California-based law firm, focusing on labor and employment law and business litigation matters. While attending law school, he served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Kim McLane Wardlaw, a Circuit Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and an extern for the Screen Actors Guild and New Line Cinema.
Chris has been a speaker at and served as a panelist for multiple talks on employment and general litigation topics.
Outside his law practice, Chris enjoys spending time with his family and two dogs. He is an avid reader and a fan of theatre, opera, fitness, and traveling.
Read less
Focus Areas
Services
Experience
- Won and obtained a defense award at JAMS arbitration on a single-plaintiff retaliation case in San Francisco County.
- Won and obtained a defense award at JAMS arbitration on a multi-plaintiff age discrimination case in San Diego County.
- Served as lead trial counsel in multiple jury trials in Los Angeles County, defending a public entity against single-plaintiff discrimination and retaliation claims.
- Won a defense verdict in a jury trial in San Diego County, in an employment case brought by an accounting firm against a start-up firm.
- Succeeded on multiple summary judgment motions in discrimination, retaliation, and harassment claims.
- Succeeded on a demurrer and anti-SLAPP motion, with an award of fees and costs, on behalf of a public entity in an employment case.
- Favorably settled numerous single-plaintiff, class, and representative cases at mediation.
Recognition
- Southern California Rising Stars, Civil Litigation: Defense, Employment & Labor: Employer, Business Litigation (2018 to 2024)
Credentials
Education
- University of Southern California Gould School of Law (J.D., 2009)
- Editor-in-Chief, Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal
- B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A., with High Honors, 2006)
- Phi Beta Kappa
Bar Admissions
- California
- New York
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Professional & Community Involvement
- Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
- Beverly Hills Bar Association
- Italian American Lawyers Association
- IVY (Los Angeles)
- LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- TEAM Referral Network
Events
Past Events
- California Association of Realtors (CAR): 2023 California Employment Law Updates
- National Business Institute: 2021 Update - Employee Hiring, Firing, and Discipline
- TEAM Referral Network – Studio City, CA: COVID-19 Employment Law Updates and Developments
- Burbank Association of Realtors: An AB5 Explainer
- Burbank Association of Realtors: Real Estate Litigation
- 2018 SBPA MCLE Conference: Real Estate Litigation