Kristen Vierhaus

Kristen Vierhaus is the Managing Partner of TLO Law, representing survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Fierce, compassionate, and unwavering in her advocacy, Kris has built her career on empowering survivors and holding perpetrators, as well as the institutions that enable them, accountable. She has extensive experience litigating massage-related sexual assault cases, leading actions on behalf of survivors across California, and continues to challenge some of the biggest names in the massage-chain industry. Her practice also includes broader sexual abuse and assault liability, pursuing claims against school districts, religious institutions, universities, sports and youth programs, medical professionals, and other corporations that enable or ignore misconduct. She is known for driving these cases forward with tenacity, even when facing powerful and well-funded opposition.

Kris’ commitment to advocacy took root in law school. As an intern at the AIDS Legal Referral Panel in San Francisco, she connected people living with HIV/AIDS to vital legal services on matters ranging from eviction defense to preparing wills and healthcare directives. She also served as a Student Mediator in the University of San Francisco Mediation Clinic, helping resolve disputes in the Small Claims Division of San Francisco County Superior Court, and was chosen to serve as a tutor in Torts and Property Law through the USF academic support program. She further broadened her experience through an externship at a tenant’s rights firm, where she represented tenants harmed by landlords who willfully ignored habitability problems.

A proud South San Francisco native, Kris graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Political Science and Women and Gender Studies before returning home to earn her law degree at the University of San Francisco School of Law. Outside of work, she enjoys tackling the day’s New York Times puzzles, gardening, and unwinding with her favorite reality TV shows.

Kris serves on the Board of Directors for the San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association and is an active member of the American Association for Justice, California Women Lawyers, Consumer Attorneys of California, National Crime Victim Bar Association, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, San Mateo County Bar Association, and Women in Trial Travel Summit.

(650) 513-6111 Telephone
(650) 513-6071 Facsimile
Email: kris@tlopc.com
700 Airport Boulevard, Suite 160 Burlingame, CA 94010

Education

University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco, CA

Juris Doctor, May 2018
Admitted to practice law in California, December 2018

Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA - Magna Cum Laude

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, May 2015

Memberships

San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors
American Association for Justice
California Women Lawyers
Consumer Attorneys of California
National Crime Victim Bar Association
San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
San Mateo County Bar Association
Women in Trial Travel Summit

Presentations

"When Survivors Stand Together: The Ethical Tightrope of Multi-Plaintiff Sex Abuse Cases" (CAOC Donald L. Galine Napa-Sonoma Travel Seminar, 2025)