Kristi Blackwell
Kristi Blackwell is the California Regional Managing Partner for Tyson & Mendes and leads the firm’s Retail, Restaurant, and Hospitality practice group. Her practice focuses primarily on general liability, professional liability, personal injury, products liability, premises liability, coverage, and complex litigation. Ms. Blackwell has wide-ranging litigation experience representing a diverse group of individuals and businesses in California state and federal district courts.
Ms. Blackwell is an experienced litigator in all pre-trial and trial phases. Her personal injury trial experience includes a defense verdict and jury verdicts substantially below plaintiffs’ settlement demands prior to trial. She has also successfully settled numerous cases and disposed of cases via motion in the early stages of litigation.
Ms. Blackwell assisted in preparing the petition and opening brief in the landmark California Supreme Court case Howell v. Hamilton Meats (2011) 52 Cal.4th 541, wherein the Court held personal injury plaintiffs can only recover the amount of medical expenses paid and accepted in full by the healthcare provider, not the higher billed amount.
Ms. Blackwell earned her J.D. cum laude in 2007 from California Western School of Law, where she served as Senior Editor for the International Law Journal. Ms. Blackwell is a member of the San Diego Defense Lawyers and was listed among San Diego Business Journal’s “Women of Influence in Law” in 2021 and 2023 and “Leader of Influence in Law” in 2023.
In her free time, Ms. Blackwell enjoys spending time with her family. She loves all things sports and enjoys both watching and participating in a variety of sporting activities.
- The Nation’s Leading Defense Attorneys Complete Third Annual Nuclear Verdicts Defense Institute: Tyson & Mendes Provides Defense Bar and Carriers with Cutting-Edge Methods for Driving Down Damages July 22, 2024
- Partners Kristi, Susan, and Cayce Selected for SDBJ’s Leaders of Influence in Law October 18, 2023
- Cayce Lynch, Kristi Blackwell, and Susan Oliver selected for San Diego Business Journal’s Women of Influence in Law June 30, 2023
- Second Annual Nuclear Verdicts Defense Institute Celebrates 2023 Graduates: Tyson & Mendes Trains Attorneys in Its Innovative Methods for Defending Against Outsized Jury Awards June 12, 2023
- Women’s History Month Spotlight: Kristi Blackwell March 3, 2023
- How I Made Office Managing Partner: ‘I Have Built Great Connections and Can Work With Different Personality Types,’ Says Kristi Blackwell of Tyson & Mendes August 30, 2022
- SDBJ Selects Cayce Lynch and Kristi Blackwell July 17, 2022
- Cayce Lynch, Kristi Blackwell, and Susan Oliver selected for Women of Influence in Law by San Diego Business Journal June 27, 2022
- Kristi Blackwell Listed as Finalist for SDBJ’s 40 Under 40 July 20, 2021
- Cayce Lynch and Kristi Blackwell Selected for Women of Influence in Law for 2021 by SDBJ July 1, 2021
- Anything You “Admit” Can and Will Be Used Against You November 7, 2022
- No Tort Liability for Insurer Underpayment of Hospital Bills December 3, 2021
- Annual California Law Update – Spring Series June 20, 2024
- Trending Topics & Year in Review – Webinar Series May 14, May 21, May 28, & June 4, 2020
- Nuclear Verdicts® Summer Book Tour – Webinar Series June 18, July 8, July 23, August 6, August 20, & September 3, 2020