Christine Whalin
Partner / Managing Criminal Defense Attorney
EDUCATION
- South Texas College of Law
- Juris Doctorate – 2006
- Northern Arizona University
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – 1999
BAR ADMISSION
- Arizona – 2006
- United States District Court, District of Arizona
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist – Arizona Board of Legal Specialization
- AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell peer review
- Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona, Arizona Business Journal – 2019, 2022, 2023 & 2024
- Top 100 Trial Lawyer by The National Trial Lawyers – 2021
- Appointed to be on Arizona’s Attorney Ethics Advisory Committee – 2022-2024
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- State Bar of Arizona, Criminal Law Section
- Ladder Down
- Arizona Women Lawyers Association
- Speaker, State Bar of Arizona CLE – Ethics in the 21st Century
- Ladder Down, Class of 2017
- Master of the Bench, Arizona Thurgood Marshall Inn of Court
ADDITIONAL MENTIONS
- Extensive Trial Experience
- Member Alpha Delta Pi
Knowledge of the law and confidence in Court is what you need in a criminal defense attorney. This knowledge and confidence is what Christine Whalin projects during every client meeting, settlement negotiation, pretrial hearing, and jury trial. Christine became an attorney in 2006 and joined DM Cantor in 2010, becoming partner in 2018. She is one of only 12 female criminal defense attorneys in the state of Arizona who are Board Certified Specialists in Criminal Law per the State Bar of Arizona, Board of Legal Specialization.
“Her level of research and drive enabled her to run circles around the prosecutor. Extremely intelligent. I hope to God I never need an attorney again, but if I do…im calling her.”
Christine is a trial lawyer practicing for over 15 years in the area of criminal defense. She focuses on representing individuals in all types of criminal cases ranging from state and federal felony and misdemeanor matters, along with school discipline and Title IX litigation. Throughout her career, Christine has represented countless clients on their criminal cases, achieving successful results in the form of dismissals, reduced sentences and complete acquittals after jury trial. Christine represents people in any type of criminal matter, and is particularly skilled in handling major felony cases involving sexual misconduct, sexual assault and other serious “life-in-prison” allegations. In addition, she is extremely successful in handling pre-charge matters and having those investigations closed and not filed.
Representative Cases
- Obtained acquittals after numerous Jury Trials on felony and misdemeanor allegations, including Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Endangerment Dangerous, Child Molestation, DUI, Assault, Public Sexual Indecency, and Burglary.
- Successfully represented numerous people in vehicular crime allegations such as Hit and Run, Aggravated DUI, Manslaughter, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, DUI, and other driving offenses.
- Successfully represented numerous individuals accused of Drug Possession, Sale, and Transportation.
- Successfully represented individuals in both pre-arrest and post-arrest investigations for Fraudulent Schemes, Theft, Money Laundering, Conspiracy, Embezzlement, and Gambling violations.
- Significant experience in mental health defense and guilty except insane law; represented individuals in Homicide and Aggravated Assault cases resulting in Guilty Except Insane dispositions or other non-prison resolutions.
- Successfully represented numerous people accused of Domestic Violence allegations such as Assault, Kidnapping, Disorderly Conduct, and Criminal Damage.