Christo de Villiers

Expertise: Workers’ Compensation Law

Christo de Villiers grew up in South Africa, where he completed his undergraduate (B.A.) and first law degree (L.L.B.) at the University of Stellenbosch just outside of Cape Town.  He subsequently sharpened his focus by completing an L.L.M. in Employment in Labor Law at the University of the Western Cape.  Christo initially worked for the state as a prosecutor, pursuing OSHA and Wage & Hour violations, whereafter he joined a large private law firm where he represented employers in all matters associated with employment and labor.

Christo met his Oregonian wife in Cape Town where she worked at the time.  In 2007/08, and after the arrival of their first child, they decided to relocate to Portland, OR to be close to family.  Christo then completed an MBA at Willamette University, and prepared for and took the Oregon Bar exam.  During this time he also started working at a Portland based workers’ compensation law firm.  After admission to the Oregon Bar in 2012, Christo continued his focus on workers’ compensation in Oregon, eventually joining Liberty Mutual Insurance Company as in-house attorney where he worked until he joined The Gatti Law Firm in April 2024.

Over the years, Christo represented insurers, employers, and workers in workers’ compensation and related disputes at all levels in Oregon, from the WCD and WCB hearings divisions, to the Oregon Appeals and Supreme Courts.  He also presented at various conferences for claims and risk professionals on issues related to Oregon workers’ compensation and has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Oregon State Bar’s Workers’ Compensation Section since 2021 and contributor to the OSB’s 2023 edition of its BarBooks handbook on Workers’ Compensation for practitioners.

When Christo is not involved in Oregon workers’ compensation matters, he and his family love to get out on their boat in summer and ski in winter.  The shoulder months see them crabbing and clamming at the coast, exploring our beautiful country and spending time with family and friends.