A woman with short brown hair smiles at the camera, wearing a patterned top and a silver necklace. The softly blurred background suggests a friendly, approachable atmosphere often found among lawyers in Chicago.

Cristina Portela Solomon

Partner

Cristina Portela Solomon

Partner

Cristina Portela Solomon is an experienced labor and employment law attorney whom clients hire for her sound business and legal judgment informed by more than 35 years representing management in most industries, with an emphasis on energy and financial institutions.

Cristina counsels clients on how best to manage risk and negotiate cost-effective business solutions by effectively managing their workforce while complying with the numerous and complex employment laws governing the employment relationship. Boards of directors rely on her to conduct high-level investigations and advise on business issues of high importance to the company. Cristina is particularly knowledgeable about and conducts investigations involving sexual harassment, theft of trade secrets, and virtually any type of workplace misconduct. Fluent in Spanish, she represents an array of Latin American clients in these types of investigations, and counsels companies seeking to do business in the United States.

Clients value Cristina’s practical legal advice, which focuses on avoiding the uncertainties of litigation. Her comprehensive services include drafting employment, noncompete, and confidentiality agreements, employee handbooks and related documents in a manner geared toward protecting employers from employee claims. When litigation becomes necessary, Cristina is known for developing creative strategies and assembling teams that bring about successful results and/or early resolution. She is a “go to” for bet-the-company cases in the trade secrets area, as well as multi-claimant gender discrimination cases. Her advocacy skills inspire clients to entrust her with their most important cases. Given her experience, Cristina also is hired to handle appeals of employment cases, for which she collaborates with the firm’s appellate lawyers to obtain successful results or negotiate favorable resolutions.

 

Awards and Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America® – Litigation – Labor and Employment (2018-2024)
  • Texas Executive Women’s Women on the Move®(2017)
  • Peer review rated as AV Preeminent®, the highest performance rating in the Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ system
  • Texas Super Lawyers® – Employment Litigation: Defense (2006, 2017-2022)
  • H Texas Magazine’s Houston’s Top Lawyers (2008-2009, 2015)
  • H Texas Magazine’s Houston’s Top Labor and Employment Lawyers (2005-2009)
  • Co-managing shareholder (managed more than 100 attorneys in former firm’s Houston office) (2001-2002)

Affiliations

  • Association of Women Attorneys
    • Member, board of directors: immediate past president (2017-2018), secretary (2014-2015)
    • President (2016-2017)
    • Chair and foundation trustee (2014-2017)
      • Member, Women’s Premier Luncheon Nominating Committee (2014-2015)
      • Member, Women’s Premier Luncheon Committee (2016-2017)
  • Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation (elected 2017)
  • Member, State Bar of Texas
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Houston Bar Association
  • Member, Hispanic Bar Association
  • Member, Texas Women Lawyers (2017-2018)
  • Member, Latina Lawyers Network (2015-present)
  • Member, Garland R. Walker American Inn of Court (2013)
  • Member, Pan American Roundtable (Texas)
  • Member, Foley Women’s Network (2009-present)
  • Volunteer, Law Day (2013-2018)

Community Involvement

  • Member, Woodlands Chamber of Commerce
  • Member, Planning Committee, Employment Law Seminar (2013-2014, 2017-2018)

Languages

  • Spanish
August 11, 2025 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives

2025 Changes in Texas Employment Laws That Employers Must Comply With

As we pass the halfway point of 2025, there has already been a flurry of legislative changes and court decisions that have changed the...
January 14, 2025 In the News

Cristina Solomon Discusses Delaware Courts Noncompete Strike Downs

Foley & Lardner LLP partner Cristina Solomon is quoted in the Becker's ASC Review article, "Delaware courts opting to strike down more noncompetes."
Close-up view of several large stone columns with vertical grooves, typical of classical architecture, lined up in a row—an elegant look often found at prestigious corporate law office entrances.
January 13, 2025 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives

Complying With Recent Guidance From Delaware Courts Regarding Enforcement of Noncompetes

In line with the national trend making noncompetes more difficult to enforce, a number of Delaware courts have recently refused to “blue pencil” overbroad noncompetition agreements and have stricken them in their entirety.
November 5, 2024 In the News

Cristina Solomon Discusses Employer Accommodations for Employees Suffering Long COVID

Foley & Lardner LLP partner Cristina Portela Solomon shared insight on ways employers can adapt to meet employee needs in the Health Payer Specialist article, "Long Covid Is a Burden for Sufferers, and a Challenge for Employers."
A sign reading "United States Department of Labor" stands in front of a large government building with rows of windows and a grassy lawn, reminiscent of the impressive presence found at a major corporate law office.
July 8, 2024 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives

The Department of Labor Rule Establishing Changes to Overtime Exemptions Is Now in Effect: What Steps Employers Immediately Need to Take to Comply

Employers have been required since August 20, 2023, when the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a notice of proposed rulemaking, to increase the minimum salary amount required to be paid to qualify for what is known as the “white-collar exemptions” and to consider the required annual compensation to be paid for “highly compensated” employees exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) federal overtime requirements.
September 18, 2023 Honors and Awards

Foley Attorneys Named to 2023 Texas Super Lawyers

Foley & Lardner LLP is pleased to announce that 17 of its attorneys were selected for inclusion in the 2023 Texas Super Lawyers list.