Chris’ practice focuses on complex, high-exposure civil and regulatory litigation, including government and internal investigations, technology, financial services, and commercial disputes. He has served as lead counsel on behalf of the Fortune 50-500, closely held companies, and family offices.
In North Carolina and across the country, Chris has been lead counsel in jury and bench trials, administrative hearings, arbitration proceedings, and federal and state regulatory investigations and has argued appeals before both the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court. He is frequently adverse to State Attorneys General and has tried multiple cases against state and federal agencies.
In addition to 27+ years of courtroom work for clients, Chris’ practice has evolved to include outside general counsel roles, in which he manages all of the primary legal needs for clients. His client-first, practical, efficient, and business-minded approach to resolving issues and disputes is appreciated by executives and in-house legal teams alike.
Publications
- "Shelter In Place Orders: Are You an 'Essential Business'?", National Law Review, March 2020
- “Anti-Price Gouging Statutes — What You Need to Know”, National Law Review, March 2020
- “Brad Cooper: The Latest Reminder That Howerton – Not Daubert – Controls Expert Testimony In North Carolina”, National Law Review, September 2013
- “Is The 9th Circuit’s Decision on Trial Payment Plan Promises the Prelude to a Cautionary Tale?”, National Law Review, August 2013
- “Don’t Want To Arbitrate? Pay Attention To All Of Your Contract”, National Law Review, May 2013
- “4th Circuit Message: Delay Asserting Defenses At Your Peril”, National Law Review, April 2013
Professional Activities
- Federal Bar Association
- Litigation Counsel of America
- North Carolina Bar Association
- West Virginia Bar Association
Honors and Awards
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings), Commercial Litigation, 2015 – Present
- Selected to the North Carolina Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) in Business Litigation, Civil Litigation, 2009
Representative Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
- Lead counsel in a $200+ million energy-related adversary proceeding
- Lead litigation and outside general counsel for a $900 million public healthcare entity
- Lead investigation/litigation counsel for industry-leading auto-mobility company
- National lead counsel for a non-traditional financial services company, coordinating cases against the CFPB and State Attorneys General across 38 states and two Federal Circuit Courts
- Lead counsel for leading nationwide full-service pharmacy benefits manager
- Lead counsel for publicly traded consumer finance company in connection with one of the largest administrative contested cases to be tried before the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks and Banking Commission
- Represented publicly traded technology company in a $200 million federal court dispute involving mobile communication technology
- Lead counsel for Fortune 100 National Banks and publicly traded finance companies in consumer finance litigation matters in State and Federal courts in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia
