EXPERIENCE

Chris has more than 25 years of regulatory and civil litigation experience representing leading financial institutions and a variety of other global companies in high-stakes matters. Chris has represented companies, financial institutions, and their executives in investigations and related litigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), FINRA, Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Federal Reserve Board, and a host of other state and federal regulatory authorities. He has significant experience representing global financial institutions in connection with global sanctions and anti-money laundering investigations as well as in connection with a variety of other issues, such as research and trading, mutual fund transactions and sale practices, tax matters, RMBS and CDOs. Chris also has represented and counseled companies in connection with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and corruption-related investigations and proceedings before the SEC, the DOJ and the World Bank.

Chris also has a very active sports practice. He is FIFA’s regular outside counsel in the U.S., advising on a broad range of litigation and corporate matters. He currently advises FIFA in its dealings with the U.S. Department of Justice, in litigation brought by Relevant Sports over an attempt to bring a LaLiga match to the U.S., and in a range of other matters. Chris has also advised the MLS, football (soccer) agents, and others – leading one publication to praise his “impressive understanding of all the legal issues as well as deep knowledge of the soccer world.”

Chris also serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Insurance Practice and has years of experience representing leading insurance and reinsurance companies concerning coverage litigation, reinsurance disputes, litigation arising out of the events of 9/11, regulatory inquiries involving the DFS and other insurance regulators and government investigations. Chris is currently serving as national coordinating counsel for a leading insurance company, a role in which he oversees and handles the company’s response to COVID-19 related litigation. Chris is serving in a similar, global role for a leading international reinsurance company. 

Additionally, consistent with his role as Co-Chair of the firm’s International Practice Committee, Chris has extensive experience representing international clients in a wide range of matters. Chris has handled international arbitrations sited in Paris, London, Tokyo and New York. He is an Honorary Member of COMBAR. Chris also serves as co-chair of the firm’s International Arbitration Practice Group.

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS

Chris’s clients have included, among others, Agricultural Bank of China, Alcoa, Bank of China, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Boeing, Brainlab AG, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Chubb, Citigroup, CNA, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, EchoStar, Fédération Internationale de Football Association, General Electric, Infront Sports & Media, ING, Jack Black, Lehman Brothers, Nexen, Regeneron, Standard Chartered, and Swiss Re.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Chambers Global 2015 recognized Chris as an “Up and Coming” practitioner in international arbitration. Clients say he is “very thoughtful and very reasoned – he can really step back and see the big picture.” Chris was also recognized by Chambers USA 2014 as a highly regarded arbitration practitioner. Clients appreciate the broad scope of his experience, which ranges from complex litigation to insurance matters. He is characterized as “extremely bright, calm and very articulate – he always plans his strategies four moves in advance.”

The Legal 500 2019 lists Chris as a recommended lawyer in the sports industry, calling him a “superb lawyer” who has “an impressive understanding of all of the legal issues as well as deep knowledge of the soccer world.” Chambers USA 2021 recognized Chris in their Sports Law category, calling the work of the group “excellent.”

Chris received the Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award at the 2019 Burton Awards. The Burton Awards, held in association with the Library of Congress and sponsored by Law360 and the American Bar Association, honor the finest accomplishments in law, including writing, legal reform, public service and public interest, regulatory innovations and lifetime achievements in the profession.

Chris was also recognized as a 2021 “Sports, Gaming & Entertainment Trailblazer” by The National Law Journal. The list recognizes sports and entertainment lawyers who have had the greatest impact in these industries.

Chris is consistently named a “Future Star” and a “Local Litigation Star” for Insurance and General Commercial Litigation by Benchmark Litigation.

WRITING/SPEAKING

He is regarded as an expert on e-discovery issues and has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars on such issues. Chris has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Law School where he lectured on litigation strategy and e-discovery. He is a regular contributor to The New York Law Journal’s Technology column on the topic, and is an ongoing participant in The Sedona Conference Working Group Series.

Chris received both his M.S. in Public Policy Analysis in 1988 and his B.A. in Political Science in 1987 from the University of Rochester where he was a Rochester National Scholar. Chris received his J.D. in 1994 from Washington University School of Law where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Washington University Law Quarterly and was elected to the Order of the Coif. He is currently a member of the University of Rochester Board of Trustees, chair of the Arts, Sciences & Engineering National Council of the University of Rochester, on the National Council for Washington University School of Law, and on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Michigan Law School. Chris has received the University of Rochester’s John N. Wilder Award and Garnish Citation, and the Distinguished Young Alumni Award from Washington University School of Law.

Prior to entering law school, Chris was a Budget Fellow with the New York State Executive Department, Division of the Budget.