Kristina Starr Azlin
Partner
Overview
Kristina S. Azlin is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Los Angeles office and a member of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Class Action Litigation and Arbitration and False Claims Act Defense teams. Ms. Azlin represents companies, executives, public officials and other clients in high-stakes commercial disputes, class actions and other complex civil litigation in state and federal courts throughout California. With more than two decades of experience, she has handled matters at every stage of litigation, from early case assessment and dispositive motions through trial, arbitration and appeal.
Ms. Azlin handles matters involving novel legal questions, substantial financial or business exposure, complicated factual records or the intersection of multiple areas of law. Her practice spans complex commercial litigation, class action defense, consumer protection and privacy litigation, False Claims Act (FCA) defense, financial services, technology, product liability, construction and cross-border disputes.
Class Action Litigation. A significant portion of Ms. Azlin's practice is devoted to defending class actions and other complex multiparty litigation. She has successfully defeated class certification and obtained decertification of previously certified classes. Her experience includes claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Securities Exchange Act, Sherman Act, Clayton Antitrust Act, Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA), California's Unfair Competition Law (UCL) and other federal and state consumer protection, privacy and advertising statutes.
Complex Commercial Disputes. Ms. Azlin also has extensive experience in complex commercial disputes involving breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition and other business torts. She represents clients across a broad range of industries, including financial services, technology, aviation, education, consumer products, real estate and construction, hospitality, manufacturing and retail.
Cross-Border Litigation. Ms. Azlin's cross-border experience includes representing foreign companies and individuals in disputes involving personal jurisdiction and the extraterritorial application of U.S. law, aviation clients in matters involving the interplay among state, federal and international law, and international companies navigating potential conflicts between U.S. litigation and regulatory requirements in other jurisdictions.
Other Experience. Ms. Azlin also represents companies and individuals in federal FCA and under analogous state statutes, including matters involving government contracting, manufacturing and product certification, regulatory compliance and alleged representations to governmental entities. She has served as first- and second-chair counsel in trials and arbitrations and is comfortable taking complex cases through trial when necessary, while remaining focused throughout an engagement on opportunities to achieve the client's objectives efficiently. Her recent trial experience includes representing a major property developer and manager in substantial construction litigation that proceeded through presentation of the client's case at trial and resulted in a full-value settlement.
Approach to Litigation. Ms. Azlin brings a pragmatic and tenacious approach to litigation, developing strategies around each client's objectives, potential exposure, risk tolerance and practical concerns. She litigates aggressively when it advances a client's interests while continually evaluating opportunities to narrow issues, resolve claims, control costs and position matters for an advantageous resolution. When trial is the best path forward, Ms. Azlin is prepared to take complex cases through verdict or award. Clients value her judgment, efficiency and creative approach to difficult problems, as well as her accessibility, communication and transparency. She provides candid assessments of significant risks, opportunities and strategic considerations so clients can make informed decisions throughout an engagement.
Ms. Azlin is active in the Los Angeles legal and civic communities. She has held leadership roles with the Los Angeles Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and participated in programs that strengthen relationships among members of the federal bench and bar. She also serves as a trustee of St. Anne's, a Los Angeles nonprofit organization serving children and families in need.
Representative Experience
- Represented numerous private universities throughout California in putative class actions arising from their transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic; secured dismissal of one action at the pleading stage and summary judgment in two others, both upheld on appeal; another matter remains pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Defended retailers, technology providers and other businesses in putative class actions alleging violations of the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) and other federal and state laws arising from the alleged recording of telephone communications or collection and tracking of consumer data without consent; achieved favorable, cost-effective resolutions in numerous matters, including classwide settlements subject to court approval
- Represented a software provider in litigation involving claims under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act arising from the use of its technology and products
- Defended a cosmetics manufacturer and retailer against putative class claims under the Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA), Unfair Competition Law (UCL) and other California consumer protection and advertising statutes related to the disclosure of ingredients
- Defended a national educational and human resources services provider against claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) concerning the accessibility of its products and services to deaf consumers
- Defended clients in a wide range of consumer class actions involving alleged unfair or deceptive business practices, privacy and communications statutes, product claims, advertising and other consumer protection theories
- Represented a major financial institution in receivership and consolidated litigation proceedings involving more than $50 million in claims against an insolvent debtor relating to agricultural lien waivers and competing security claims to agricultural assets and proceeds; defeated efforts by agricultural industry claimants to invalidate contractual lien waivers as contrary to public policy, preserving the enforceability of the waivers and protecting the client's contractual rights
- Represented a major property developer and manager in consolidated litigation against its general contractor and numerous subcontractors involving significant construction defects and breach of contract claims; took the matter through trial, including presentation of the client's and general contractor's cases, and thereafter negotiated a settlement providing the client with near full-value recovery
- Represented private investors in a series of related arbitrations involving claims for breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, elder abuse and other business torts arising from real estate investment transactions
- Represented clients in complex commercial disputes involving breach of contract, fraud, unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duty and other business torts, including matters involving substantial claimed damages and extensive fact and expert discovery
- Representing an international aviation finance company in litigation challenging the characterization and enforceability of aircraft lease transactions and seeking to recharacterize the leases as disguised financing arrangements; obtained favorable rulings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and on review by a U.S. district court; the matter is pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on the opposing parties' appeal and involves sophisticated questions concerning domestic and international law and cross-border commercial transactions
- Represented an international airline parts manufacturer in a complex contractual dispute and negotiated resolution with its U.S. customer concerning the design, manufacture and delivery of wing-assemblies, requiring sophisticated design and industry knowledge
- Represented an airline operator in litigation to preserve its access to and ability to commercially operate at a public airport; the dispute involved complex questions concerning the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), federal aviation law and federal preemption
- Represented foreign companies and individuals challenging the exercise of personal jurisdiction by U.S. courts and the extraterritorial application of U.S. statutes and common-law claims
- Represented international beverage companies in U.S. litigation involving advertising and disclosure requirements, including matters requiring analysis and advice concerning U.S. and foreign treaty law and potential conflicts between U.S. and international regulatory and compliance obligations
- Representing a California city attorney and city manager in defense of claims asserted under the California False Claims Act (FCA) arising from actions allegedly taken in their official capacities
- Represented a major raw materials provider in litigation involving claims under the federal and state FCAs concerning the manufacture and certification of its products
- Represented healthcare providers in defense of claims under the federal and state FCAs concerning billing practices and disclosures
- Represented clients in federal and state FCA matters involving government contracting, regulatory compliance, product certification and alleged false or misleading representations to governmental entities
- Represented manufacturers and other businesses in product liability litigation involving alleged product defects, warnings and related claims
- Defended a national hotel company against claims alleging liability arising from alleged sex trafficking at hotel properties, including claims presenting complex questions concerning statutory liability, causation and the appropriate scope of liability for hospitality companies
- Represented real estate owners and developers in complex construction disputes involving contractors and subcontractors, technical and expert issues, substantial discovery and significant claimed damages
- Represented financial institutions, technology companies, educational institutions, manufacturers, retailers, aviation companies, real estate businesses and other companies in high-stakes disputes involving significant financial, operational or reputational consequences
Credentials
- UCLA School of Law, J.D.
- California State University, Bakersfield, B.A., Economics with a concentration in Environmental Studies
- California State University, Bakersfield, B.A., Political Science with a concentration in International Relations
- California
- All State Courts in California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association, Los Angeles Chapter, Board Member
- Holland & Knight Pro Bono All-Star, 2020
- Holland & Knight Rising Star, Class of 2013