About Christina

Christina is a partner at Saunders & Saunders, and top ranked intellectual property and business attorney. Christina practices from our office in Park City, Utah and represents clients throughout the country. Leading with a philosophy built on passion, and guided by a personalized approach with purpose, Christina helps individuals and companies build, expand, protect, and future-proof their equities.

Christina is passionate about helping companies of all sizes. From startups to large established companies, Christina helps businesses grow and thrive through entity formation, organization, operation, capitalization, financing, and by providing ongoing general corporate support. Christina regularly serves as outside general counsel to a number of companies, and provides corporate clients affordable flat fee options for their ongoing corporate legal needs.

Christina also advises on intellectual property for small and large companies in a variety of industries including consumer products, medical devices, outdoor recreation, software, marketing and advertising, arts, real estate, and cannabis/CBD. Christina has extensive experience in all stages of the brand management process including trademark and copyright selection, clearance, prosecution, maintenance, enforcement and monetization. Christina also has significant experience in transactions involving intellectual property, including due diligence, drafting and negotiating IP agreements, and assistance in the transfer or sale of intellectual property rights in corporate transactions. Her extensive experience negotiating, obtaining and commercializing upon intellectual property assets provides a 360-degree view of branding and creative expression that allows her clients to protect and leverage their IP as one of their most valuable assets.

Christina has received recognition as a self-made entrepreneur and thought leader within the Colorado and Utah legal communities. Christina was named one of the top 25 most influential young professionals in Colorado by ColoradoBiz Magazine in 2012, has been named to the Colorado Super Lawyers list of Rising Stars consecutively for the past nine years (2014 - 2023), and was listed among the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list in 2022 and 2023.

And more than just a Nine-to-Fiver, Christina’s commitment to serving people translates to an extensive resume of volunteering, pro-bono, and non-profit work. Christina has served on the Board of Directors as Board Chair at The Gathering Place in Denver, and on the Board of Directors of the Colorado IP American Inns of Court. In the past, Christina has served as the Legal Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Division of the National Ski Patrol, and was a ski patroller at Loveland Ski Area. Christina currently serves as a board member for Utah Lawyers for the Arts.

Having grown up in Park City, Utah, and a prior D1 Alpine Ski Racer, if you want to meet Christina in her free time, you’ll probably have to head to the mountain. Christina has a penchant for high alpine adventures - hiking, biking, climbing, camping - and often can be found in search of the perfect powder day somewhere remote in the Colorado Rockies, Wasatch Mountains, or venturing off-piste further away in Japan or South America.

Read more about Christina’s work on her Blog “The Accelerator Law Blog.”

If you’d like to book an appointment with Christina or inquire about legal services, please use the contact form below or call Christina directly at 303-396-0270.

Education

University of Utah – S.J. Quinney College Law (J.D, 2009)

Bates College (B.A., Cum Laude, 2006)

Practice Areas

· General Corporate and Business Counsel

· Corporate Financing

· Corporate Formation, Organization, and Dissolution

· Mergers and Acquisitions

· Intellectual Property (Trademark, Copyright, Trade Secrets)

· Employment

· Contracts

· Art and Entertainment

·.Simple Trust and Estates

Admissions

·   Colorado

·   Utah

Professional Awards

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch 2022 & 2023 - Intellectual Property

Super Lawyers Rising Star (2014-2023)

ColoradoBiz Magazine - Colorado’s Top 25 Most Influential Young Professionals (2012)

Professional Organizations

·   Utah Lawyers for the Arts - Board Member (2021-Current)

·. Rocky Mountain Division Legal Advisor - National Ski Patrol (2019-2021)

·. Colorado Attorney Mentor Program (CAMP) (Mentor) (2019-2021)

·   Loveland Ski Patrol (Volunteer Patroller) (2016-2021)

·   Colorado Intellectual Property American Inns of Court (Past Director, Committee Chair, Mentor, Member) (2011-2021)

·   The Gathering Place (Past Director, Past Board Chair)

Presentations and Publications

·      Not All is Fair (Use) | Presenter | 15th Annual Rocky Mountain IP & Technology Law Institute | Denver, CO | June 1-2, 2017

·      Advising Entrepreneurs| Lecturer | Colorado Bar Association | Denver, CO | March 2016.

·      Business Fundamentals for Artists: Contracts|Lecturer | University N. Colorado | Greeley, CO | April 2015

·      Being An Artist Doesn’t Mean Starving: A Primer on the Business of Art|Lecturer | University of Denver | Denver, CO | October 2014

·      Under the Bridge: The Anatomy of Copyright Trolling Lawsuits| Presenter | Colorado Bar Association | Denver, CO | June 2014

·      Predatory Copyright Enforcement: Copyright Clause Misuse or View Beware? | Presenter | 12th Annual Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property and Tech Institute | Denver, CO | May 29-30, 2014

·      Mentoring Done Right| Panel Member | CO IP American Inn of Court | Denver, CO | February 2014

·      Intellectual Property Law Society Copyright Panel | Panel Member | University of Denver | Denver, CO | November 2013

·      Being An Artist Doesn’t Mean Starving: The Business of Art | Presenter | University of Denver | Denver, CO | October 17, 2013

·       ZAPP® Symposium — Imitation vs. Inspiration: Appropriation, Credit and Copyright in the Digital Age|Panel Member | Louisville, Kentucky | October 2013. 

·      Contracting for Artists| Workshop Presenter | Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design | Denver, CO | March 6, 2013

·      Being An Artist Doesn’t Mean Starving: The Business of Art| Presenter | University of Denver | Denver, CO | October 18, 2012

·      Pirates, Trolls and Pornography: A Look at the Procedure, Substance, and Ethics of Mass BitTorrent Protocol Lawsuits| Presenter | CO Bar Association | Denver, CO | October 4, 2012

·      The Colorado Lawyer, Incidental and Intentional Uses of Trademarks and Service Marks in Artwork | September 2012, Vol. 41. No. 9, Page 51

·      Growing Your Creative Business: Nuts and Bolts of IP| Lecture | The Space Creators - Community Event | Denver, CO | August 1, 2012

Client Reviews

“The best there is. I have worked with Christina Saunders on multiple legal matters (primarily contract disputes and creative/IP licensing agreements) and she she has always been the absolute best attorney I could ask for. She is deeply knowledgeable, kind, courteous, fast, and is above all patient when it comes to explaining in detail what I need to understand in each instance where she is working. I always know that I'm in great hands whenever I need to bring Christina in for her assistance and guidance. I highly recommend her services and expertise to anyone.” - Joe, Small Business Owner

“Taking a startup from nothing to something special. Christina and her team have been instrumental in helping me launch my startup, Somm Says. From leading our intellectual property strategy to managing specialty counsel to acting as our most trusted advisor, this team has supported us in ways that few other law firms can. Without a doubt, Christina and her team come with my highest recommendation.” - Hunter, Startup Founder

"You don't know, until you know. Christina stepped in to fight for what belongs to my business and the assets we have created, before I even knew I was losing a critical battle. She foresaw our challenges and proactively helped me to address them. More importantly she helped me to understand why our product/s should be protected and how to protect them. Her continued work on our behalf has allowed me to relax and continue building the business, while she works to ensure our long-term protection and success. I am enormously grateful to Christina for her guidance." - Cami G., Director at WWSRA

"I was offered a project that was bigger than anything I had worked on in the past. I was excited, but also nervous. I have friends who have made mistakes in contracts that cost them significantly, and I didn't want that to be me. I asked a friend of mine who is a lawyer, and he couldn't have recommended Christina more highly. The best part of working with Christina was feeling confident that I was going to end up with a contract that protected me and was fair for everyone. She’s excellent at what she does. Christina helped me sort out exactly what I needed and what was most important. Not only did this help when she wrote the agreed upon contract, but it was an indispensable foundation from which to negotiate the contract. There were a couple sticking points in the negotiations, and she helped me navigate those brilliantly. It's great knowing that my intellectual property is protected, my royalties are secure, and that everyone is happy with how the deal closed. If you need someone to represent you in a deal that’s big and important to you, Christina is the person to call." - Josh, Health and Fitness Entrepreneur

“After a series of ineffective lawyers, I found Christina, who has since helped me navigate a very complex situation, keeping my needs and long-term goals in mind. I'm happy I finally found her so we can continue working together over the years!” - Amber, Cannabis Consultant

“If you are looking for a run of the mill, I will get back to you when I have time attorney, Press on, they are a dime a dozen. If you want an attorney that answers e mails at 6 am and as late as 9 pm on the same day. Takes care of every issue as it arises and is worth every penny you will spend. STOP! She is right here. Definitely recommend!” - Anonymous (AVVO.com)

“I have known and worked with Christina for a couple years now for our startup. She always goes out of her way to be diligent, keep us informed about potential risks, and present us with a host of options and advice when we meet legal hurdles. In particular, she has done an impeccable job in filing and protecting all of our intellectual property. We were pretty unclear about where our product/service would land and she helped us make sure it was protected regardless of the direction we decided to proceed in. I always feel comfortable asking for her advice, counsel, and support and know that she has the answer or can find it quickly. I have referred numerous friends and colleagues her way and am pleased that their experience has been just as wonderful. I have nothing but positive things to say about Christina and her work.” - Dustin F., Healthcare Technology Entrepreneur

“For over three years I have had the pleasure of retaining Ms. Saunders to assist me in the negotiation of multiple, complex business contracts as well as copyright and trademark licensing agreements. I am continually impressed by her dedication, extensive knowledge and competency. Ms. Saunders repeatedly goes above and beyond the necessary requirements by providing in-depth research and strategic planning to ensure a successful outcome and seamless communication. She is consistently prepared with necessary materials and embodies an ability to utilize any and all resources to effectively complete each assignment. Her timely responses to my emails and requests demonstrates her commitment to me as her client.” - Megan B., Small Business Owner

Contact

Phone: 303.396.0270

Park City, Utah:

Office

401 Main Street

Park City, UT

Mailing Address

2100 Park Avenue, # 680699

Park City, UT 84068

Denver, Colorado:

1550 Larimer St | Ste 1005 | Denver, CO | 80202