Christi is counsel in Willkie’s Corporate & Financial Services Department. She is based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office.
Christi focuses her practice on advising public companies on capital markets transactions, liability management transactions, corporate governance, and securities disclosure and compliance matters.
Christi represents issuers in public and private offerings of debt, equity, and hybrid securities, including bank note programs and commercial paper programs, as well as securities redemptions, consent solicitations, and tender offers. In addition, Christi advises public companies and their boards of directors on complex governance matters, director succession and onboarding, fiduciary duties, public company disclosure issues, and compliance with stock exchange listing standards. Christi has also been part of numerous legal teams representing companies in executing strategic transactions, advising companies on the securities law aspects of mergers and acquisitions. Her securities compliance practice covers a broad spectrum of SEC compliance matters, such as periodic reporting requirements, proxy statements, registering stock purchase and other equity plans, shelf and resale registration statements, public company merger filings, Section 16 filings, and 10b5-1 plans.
* Admitted only to the Pennsylvania Bar. Practicing under the supervision of members of the DC Bar.Experience
Prior to joining Willkie, Christi practiced in two international laws firms. Christi also served as Managing Chief Counsel and Corporate Secretary at The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. As the Corporate Secretary, Christi advised the Board of Directors and executive management on corporate governance matters and board responsibilities and coordinated director onboarding, education, and compensation. She ensured compliance with applicable corporate governance regulations, including NYSE listing standards and SEC regulations. Christi also served as the primary point of contact for shareholder proposals. Prior to becoming Corporate Secretary, Christi advised PNC’s asset and liability management team on securities transactions, and coordinated offerings and redemptions of debt, equity, and hybrid securities.
Christi also clerked for the Hon. Carol Los Mansmann, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Securities/Capital Markets Law, Woodward/White, Inc., 2022-2025
- Co-author, Interstate Compacts in Commerce and Industry: A Proposal for “Common Markets Among States”, 23 Vt. L. Rev. 133, 1998
- Speaker, "ESG and Other Emerging Areas that Influence Disclosure," SEC Compliance and Disclosure Update, McGuireWoods LLP SEC Practice Complimentary Webinar Series, November 27, 2018
Capital Markets / Liability Management Transactions
- Representation of NiSource Inc., a large, fully-regulated utility company, in connection with multiple public offerings of senior notes and junior subordinated notes.
- Representation of Kennametal Inc., a global industrial technology leader, in connection with several offerings of senior notes and the corresponding redemption of certain outstanding senior notes.
- Representation of The ExOne Company, a global leader in additive manufacturing technology, providing industrial 3D printing systems and services, in multiple at-the-market offerings of common stock.
- Representation of The ExOne Company in a $100 million confidentially marketed public offering of common stock.
- Representation of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. in numerous bank holding company registered offerings of debt securities (senior and subordinated) and preferred stock.
- Representation of PNC Bank, N.A. in numerous bank public and private offerings of debt securities (senior and subordinated).
- Representation of Sealed Air Corporation in connection with adding acquired entities as subsidiary guarantors to various series of outstanding senior notes.
- Representation of Dominion Energy, Inc. and certain subsidiaries in connection with their commercial paper programs.
- Pennsylvania local counsel in various offerings of debt and equity securities and liability management transactions.
Strategic Matters / Mergers and Acquisitions
- Part of team representing Equitrans Midstream in EQT Corporation’s acquisition of Equitrans Midstream in an all-stock deal with an enterprise value of approximately $14 billion, including debt.
- Part of team representing the board and management of Sunlight Financial in a strategic process that resulted in restructuring and sale of the company.
- Part of team representing The ExOne Company in its merger with Desktop Metals.
- Part of team representing Teledyne Technologies Incorporated in its acquisition of FLIR Systems, Inc. for aggregate consideration of approximately $8.2 billion.
- Part of team representing Equitrans Midstream in its separation and distribution (spin-off) from EQT Corporation.
- Part of team representing Sealed Air Corporation in strategic tax reorganization.
*Christi advised on some of these matters prior to joining Willkie.
Credentials
Education
University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1998 University of Pittsburgh, Katz Graduate School of Business, M.B.A., 1993 Duquesne University, B.S. (summa cum laude), 1981