Christine Mary Cooper

Christine M. Cooper was born on October 27, 1965, to parents Patricia and Harris Cooper in St. Louis, MO. She was raised, along with brother Theodore, in Minneapolis, MN and Memphis, TN. At an early age, Christine showed herself to be smart, quick witted and athletic. She enjoyed showing Tennessee walking horses, mastering her academics, listening to music and studying piano, driving her sports car, and she loved to read.

Christine graduated from the Hutchison School in Memphis before attending her freshman year at Connecticut College. In her sophomore year, she transferred to the business school at the University of Colorado in Boulder where she graduated in 1987 with a degree in Accounting. Christine received her Juris Doctor degree from The George Washington University School of Law in 1990.

Following law school, Christine served in a clerkship for six judges on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She then worked as an Associate Attorney for the law firm of Hamilton and Hamilton, the oldest firm in Washington. Christine litigated and tried federal, state and administrative cases dealing with employment discrimination, retaliation, harassment and defamation, representing employers in the local courts. In 1992, Christine moved to the law firm of McLeod, Watkinson and Miller, where she was one of the first attorneys to litigate and try cases under the Congressional Accountability Act and the Government Employee Rights Act, representing the Office of the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms and the Architect of the Capitol. In 1996, Christine joined the former boutique law firm of McGuiness, Norris & Williams, where she became a Partner in 2000 and continued to excel in her employment litigation practice and expanded into litigating class action agricultural labor disputes.

In 2007, Christine opened her own law firm – where she thrived in applying her experience, talent and tireless work ethic to serve her array of clients in a focused, personalized setting, providing advice and counsel, conducting workplace investigations and continuing to litigate. A member of the Virginia and D.C. bars, Christine served on the D.C. Bar Association Litigation Steering Committee and as Vice President (2007-08) and then President (2009-2010) of the Barristers, a prominent lawyers’ club.

Christine personified joie de vivre. She was always up for an adventure, dangerously spicy food, and old world wines. She loved to share her experiences in Italy, new places to travel and fresh activities to try with others. Along with Alan, she became an avid golfer and cyclist – twice completing the famous 500 mile RAGBRAI bicycle ride across Iowa. Christine was also an avid hockey fan and season ticket holder for the Washington Capitals.

Christine will be remembered for her intelligence, impeccable style, keen sense of humor, and her kindness and thoughtfulness – handwritten notes of thanks and text messages of love, celebration, and encouragement were a hallmark of the care she showed others. She never forgot a birthday, milestone or failed to reach out to someone going through a tough time.

Christine is survived by her husband of 26 years, Alan S. Block, of Arlington, VA; her mother, Patricia Meyer (Jim) of Edina, MN; grandmother, Mary Dall; brother Theodore “Ted” V. Cooper, (Jesse Galvan) of El Paso, TX; Alan’s parents, Anita and Ronald Block of Philadelphia, PA; Nicole Cooper (David Znameroski); and numerous cousins and friends, all of whom will miss her terribly. Christine’s father, Harris Cooper (Darcy), predeceased her in 2017.

A memorial gathering, funeral and reception to honor and celebrate Christine’s life and legacy will commence at 11:30 a.m. on November 2nd at Joseph Gawler’s Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C. 20016. In Christine’s honor and memory, memorial contributions can be sent to NHL Hockey Fights Cancer, Vintage Racers for Rescues, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.