Christine Bestor Townsend

Shareholder | Milwaukee, Chicago

Christine is co-chair of the firm’s Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets Practice Group. She is a trusted counselor and experienced litigator on a full range of labor and employment issues. She devotes a substantial amount of her practice to proactively assisting employers in complying with state and federal employment laws, navigating complex leave and accommodation situations, and handling personnel issues. She works closely with employers to create policies and practices that satisfy both the employer’s business needs and the law. In addition, she conducts training and internal investigations on behalf of her clients.

Christine represents employers before federal and state courts and administrative agencies throughout the country, including in the areas of trade secret and noncompetition, wage and hour, employee benefits, and employment discrimination. She has successfully obtained preliminary injunctions in matters related to restrictive covenants and trade secrets.

She began her legal career as a litigator in the intellectual property department of a national firm’s Chicago office. Christine continued her career in the labor and employment group of a firm located in Des Moines, Iowa. She is a frequent speaker and writer on employment matters.

Christine lives in Mequon, Wisconsin with her husband Todd and their children.

More About Christine Bestor Townsend

Experience

Education & Admission

Professional Activities

Speeches

Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “The Restrictive Covenant Sky Is Not Falling: The Impact of the FTC’s Final Rule on Noncompetes” – May 9, 2024
Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: The Maze of Final Regulations and State and Local Laws” – Washington, D.C. – May 3, 2024
Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the EEOC’s Final Regulations” – April 23, 2024
Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “NDAs and Noncompetes Under Attack: Protecting Business Interests in the Face of Growing Regulation” – Phoenix – November 9, 2023
Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and the EEOC’s Proposed Regulations” – August 21, 2023
Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2023: Multistate Monday—Updating Your Multistate Handbooks and Employment Agreements” – May 29, 2023
Workplace Strategies Seminar – “State Wars: Updating Your Multistate Handbooks and Employment Agreements Like a Jedi Master” – San Diego – May 11, 2023
Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “Multistate Monday: PUMP It Up—New Protections for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers” – May 1, 2023
Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Give Your Restrictive Covenants a Little Love: Recent State Law Changes and the FTC’s Proposed Noncompete Rule ” – February 14, 2023
Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “How to Practice Law and Maintain Your Sanity: Work-Life Balance Tips For In-House Counsel” – Colorado Springs – September 24, 2022
Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Restrictive Covenants Under Assault: What You Need to Know in 2022” – Phoenix – May 5, 2022
Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Changes to Illinois Restrictive Covenant Law Are Coming: Is Your Company Prepared?” – December 7, 2021
Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “Protecting Data and Trade Secrets in a Remote World” – Amelia Island – November 12, 2021
Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive – “Pandemic Pandemonium: Multistate Compliance and COVID-19” – November 11, 2020
Ogletree Deakins Managing a Workforce in 2021 – “Not Top 10: Wage and Hour Mistakes to Avoid During a Pandemic” – October 21, 2020
Monthly Conversations with Adam and Sean – “COVID-19 Litigation Land Mines and How to Avoid Them” – September 16, 2020
Monthly Conversations with Adam and Sean – “The Pandemic Strikes Back: COVID-19 War Stories, Breaking Developments, and Workforce Trends” – July 30, 2020
Monthly Conversations with Adam and Sean – “COVID-19: Grand Reopenings and Other Breaking Developments! Part Deux” – May 28, 2020
Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Reopening Wisconsin: An Update for Wisconsin Employers” – May 22, 2020
Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Reopening Arizona: An Update for Arizona Employers” – May 11, 2020
Monthly Conversations with Adam and Sean – “COVID-19 Grand Reopenings, Phase One Orders, Mask Asks, and Other Breaking Developments” – April 30, 2020
Ogletree Deakins Managing A Workforce In 2020 – “Back To The Future! Managing Leaves And Return-To-Work Issues” – Kohler – October 31, 2019
Ogletree Deakins Managing A Workforce In 2020 – “Campaigning At Work: Social And Political Expression In The Workplace” – Kohler – October 30, 2019
Private Client Training Webinar – “Know Your Wage and Hour Responsibilities: FLSA Basics for Supervisors” – June 4-5, 2019
ACC Annual Conference – “Leading The Charge On Pay Equity: How In-House Counsel Can Influence Change” – Elkhart Lake – May 16, 2019
Private Client Training – “Respectful Workplace: Anti-Harassment Training” – May 1, 2019
Ogletree Deakins Employment Law Briefing – “It Is What You Know” – Waukesha – April 9, 2019
MRA Annual Update – “Navigating the FMLA, ADA, and Workers Compensation” – Bettendorf – February 7, 2019
HRNAI – “The Legal Landscape: Navigating the Hiring Process” – Mason City – November 13, 2018
Ogletree Deakins Podcast – “#MeToo One Year Later: An Update for Employers” – October 15, 2018
Ogletree Deakins Managing a Workforce in 2019 – “Reality HR: How To Untangle The Multiple Strands And Maintain Control Of Reasonable Accommodation Requests” – Kohler – September 21, 2018
Ogletree Deakins Managing a Workforce in 2019 – “Top 10 FMLA Mistakes” – Kohler – September 20, 2018
FHRA – “Gender Transition in the Workplace” – Waukesha – September 11, 2018
Private Client Training – “Respectful Workplace: Anti-Harassment Training” – June 6, 2018
Private Client Training – “Sexual Harassment in the #MeToo Era” – May 17, 2018
Private Client Training – “Harassment, Discrimination, and Leaves” – May 2, 2018
Private Client Training – “The Bermuda Triangle of Leave Laws” – Kaukauna – May 1, 2018
Private Client Training – “Union Avoidance” – Kaukauna – May 1, 2018
Ogletree Deakins Briefing – “The Laws Have Not Necessarily Changed, But Perhaps Society Has: What To Do Post #MeToo” – Brookfield and Madison – April 2018
Ogletree Deakins Webinar – “Beware the Trap: Covenants Not to Compete in Wisconsin” – March 15, 2018
Ogletree Deakins “Reel Ethics” Briefing – “What Hat Are You Wearing? Attorney—Client Privilege” – Waukesha – January 17, 2018

Published Works

Media Quotes

May 7, 2024 – Bloomberg Law – “Companies Stymied by Noncompete Ban Eye Patents, Trade Secrets”
April 26, 2024 – Daily Report – “Employment Lawyers in Big Law Optimistic About More Work Ahead After Noncompete Rule”
April 16, 2024 – Law360 – “What To Watch Now That EEOC Pregnant Worker Rule Is Final”
April 16, 2024 – SHRM – “EEOC’s Final Rule on PWFA Includes Abortion Accommodations”
March 21, 2024 – Bloomberg Law – “Breastfeeding Workers Target Fast Food, Retailers Under New Law”
January 25, 2024 – Law360 – “Baby Brand Backlash Amplifies Calls For Parent Protections”
December 14, 2023 – Law360 – “Frontier Pilots’ Breast-Pumping Win Carves Path For Change”
August 18, 2023 – Law360 – “New Laws Elevate Breastfeeding Awareness Month’s Message”
August 11, 2023 – Bloomberg Law – “New EEOC Proposal’s Broad Pregnancy-at-Work Rights Draw Ire (1)”
August 7, 2023 – Law360 – “3 Takeaways As EEOC Brings New Pregnancy Law Into Focus”
June 26, 2023 – CBS News – “The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is a game changer for U.S. women. Here’s why.”
May 31, 2023 – International Employment Lawyer – “Non-competes violate federal law, opines NLRB’s top lawyer”
May 15, 2023 – POLITICO – “EEOC stirs as new pregnant worker protections near”
January 9, 2023 – Law360 – “5 Tips For Following New Laws On Pregnant, Nursing Workers”
January 6, 2023 – Law360 – “Noncompete Ban Tees Up 1st Test Of FTC’s Rule Powers”
January 5, 2023 – Law360 – “Exclusion From Nursing Law ‘Heartbreaking’ For Airline Crews”
September 8, 2022 – Law360 – “3 Ways For Employers To Avoid Back-To-School W&H Issues”
February 23, 2022 – Law360 – “Virtual Worker Exits Create New Hurdles For Employers”
February 22, 2022 – Law360 – “Telework Wave May Spur New Approach To Worker Coaching”
December 30, 2021 – SHRM Online – “Pandemic Will Influence Legal Trends in 2022”
November 23, 2021 – SHRM Online – “How Can Employers Recognize Fake Vaccine Cards?”
December 9, 2020 – Legal Talk Today – “Can the Boss Mandate the COVID-19 Vaccine?”
February 12, 2020 – SHRM Online – “Tips for Creating Multipurpose Accommodation Rooms for Employees”
September 5, 2019 – SHRM Online – “How to Accommodate Breast-Feeding Employees in the Workplace”
April 22, 2019 – Law360 – “Politics Looms As High Court Agrees To Weigh LGBT Rights”