Former General Counsel to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Chief Counsel to its Oversight Subcommittee, Karen Christian is a widely recognized advisor on investigative and crisis management challenges for a broad array of clients. Co-Head of the Firm’s Congressional Investigations Practice, she leverages her in-depth Capitol Hill experience leading dozens of investigations and committee hearings to help clients formulate strategies to address a wide range of legal, reputational, policy and regulatory issues. She counsels clients across several industries, including technology, energy, healthcare, financial services and higher education, and helps clients address potential parallel civil, criminal, state and other regulatory investigations.
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Work Highlights
Karen’s experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes representing:
- A leading technology company in investigations into issues of alleged content moderation
- A private equity firm with respect to investments in healthcare
- A prominent firm in investigations related to ESG
- Multiple companies in investigations concerning COVID-19 and pandemic relief contracts
- A global pharmaceutical manufacturer in multiple congressional investigations concerning drug‑pricing issues
- A leading U.S. retailer in an investigation of product safety
- A leading oil and gas company in multiple congressional investigations
Accolades
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Chambers USA, ranked in Government Relations: Congressional Investigations, Band 1
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The Legal 500 U.S., Corporate Investigations and White-Collar Criminal Defense: Advice to Individuals; Government: Congressional Investigations
Education
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Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, 2001 J.D.
With Honors, Order of the Coif
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Ohio University, 1996 B.A.
magna cum laude
Clerkships
- Hon. Richard J. Leon, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 2002-2003
Admissions
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District of Columbia 2003
Karen Christian, Co-Head of the Firm’s Congressional Investigations Practice, advises a broad range of clients navigating congressional investigations and related regulatory, legislative and litigation challenges. She brings more than a decade of experience overseeing complex, high‑profile congressional investigations on Capitol Hill, including serving as General Counsel to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Chief Counsel to its Oversight Subcommittee.
Drawing on her in‑depth Capitol Hill experience, Karen helps clients formulate investigative and crisis management strategies, respond to federal investigative inquiries and address a wide range of regulatory issues.
She has a strong understanding of how members of Congress approach and conduct investigations, including questioning strategy at public hearings, and maintains close working relationships with members and committee staff on both sides of the aisle, including committee and subcommittee leadership and senior House leadership staff.
Band 1–ranked by Chambers USA in Government Relations: Congressional Investigations, clients note that Karen “leverages her experience to provide best-in-class strategic counsel to navigate complex matters” and is “a bridge from the political side of Congress to clients.” Her advisory work spans multiple industries, including technology, energy, healthcare, financial services and higher education, and frequently involves matters with parallel civil, criminal, state and other regulatory dimensions.
Karen also represents clients before a broad range of federal executive branch departments, commissions and agencies, including the Government Accountability Office, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Energy and Homeland Security, and offices of inspectors general.
Karen’s experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes representing:
- A leading oil and gas company in multiple congressional investigations
- A leading technology company in investigations into issues of alleged content moderation
- A prominent firm in investigations related to ESG
- A prominent FinTech company in investigations concerning pandemic relief funds
- A global pharmaceutical manufacturer in multiple congressional investigations concerning drug‑pricing issues
- A leading U.S. retailer in an investigation of product safety
- A global medical device manufacturer related to inquiries of COVID-19 contracts
- A major U.S. financial institution related to an inquiry of law enforcement investigations following January 6
- A communications technology company in investigations related to sales and investment in China
- A private equity firm with regard to its investments in healthcare companies
- A U.S. energy technology, services and solutions provider in an investigation of export licenses
- A university in a congressional inquiry into federal grants related to the moderation of content online
- A university in a congressional investigation examining the compensation paid to college athletic coaches, budgets for college sports programs and the tax-exempt status of U.S. colleges