Meet Kristine
Kristine Rosales
Associate
New Era Univerity
Admitted: New York
BECAUSE EVERY CLIENT DESERVES AN ADVOCATE
Growing up in the Philippines during the final years of martial law, Kristine heard stories of people who were treated unfairly and whose rights were taken away. Those experiences shaped her early understanding of justice and sparked an interest in law that would eventually become her career.
“I learned early on that when people are facing difficult circumstances, having someone who will stand beside them can make all the difference,” she says. That belief continues to guide her approach to practicing law today.
Kristine began her legal career as a paralegal before going on to serve in a variety of legal roles, including in-house counsel, law professor, election lawyer, public attorney, and prosecutor. These experiences exposed her to different areas of the law and taught her the value of understanding a case from every perspective.
After moving to New York, Kristine volunteered as a career coach while awaiting admission to the New York Bar. Once admitted, she began representing injured workers in workers’ compensation matters before later representing employers and insurance carriers.
Having worked on both sides of workers’ compensation gives Kristine a perspective she considers invaluable. “I’ve been able to see the process from different sides of the table. It has helped me understand not only the legal issues, but also the people behind each case and what is important to them.”
Today, Kristine brings that experience to her work defending employers and insurance carriers. She believes effective representation starts with listening, understanding the client's goals, and communicating clearly throughout the process. “I want my clients to know that I’m listening and that they have someone in their corner,” she says. “Being responsive, approachable, and proactive is important to me. Clients should never feel like they have to wonder what is happening with their case.”
For Kristine, success means understanding a case from every angle, anticipating challenges, and developing a thoughtful strategy. She enjoys the analytical side of workers’ compensation, but equally values the relationships she develops with her clients and colleagues.
Her decision to join Jones Jones LLC was about more than the opportunity to practice workers’ compensation law. She was drawn to the firm’s genuine culture and the way its people work together. “I value integrity, respect, hard work, and collaboration. From the beginning, I saw those qualities in the way people treated one another and approached their work,” she says.
Outside of the office, Kristine enjoys spending time with her husband and supporting their daughter in her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey. She is also passionate about mental health awareness and the importance of helping people feel supported and reminding them that they are not alone.
Her creative side comes through storytelling as well. She recently produced her first short animated film about a Southeast Asian premature baby born during the COVID-19 pandemic, combining her love of storytelling with a subject that was deeply meaningful to her.
Whether advocating for a client, supporting her family, or telling a story through film, Kristine is guided by the same principle that first drew her to the law: good advocacy starts with understanding the people and circumstances behind every case. “I want the people I work with to know that they don’t have to navigate difficult moments alone.”
