Chris is the premiere litigation lawyer in the country.
A brilliant trial lawyer.
He is sheer poetry to watch in arguments and has a really unique talent.
Biography
Chris represents clients in high-stakes litigation in complex business disputes, largely arising from debtor/creditor relations.
He offers our clients extensive litigation experience, gained from more than 30 years practicing before bankruptcy courts throughout the US, as well as federal district and state trial courts, arbitral bodies and appellate courts. Acting as lead litigation and trial counsel, Chris is adept at steering our clients through the legal intricacies of accelerated trial proceedings in multi-faceted restructurings.
His ability to provide effective representation in these situations has been enhanced by his involvement in some of the most complex and contentious bankruptcy proceedings in recent US history. These include Adelphia Communications, Claire's, Caesars Entertainment, Dana, Delphi, Dynegy, Energy Future Holdings, Enron Corporation, Envision Healthcare, Franchise Group, FTX Trading Ltd, Genesis Global, Invitae Corporation, Lehman Brothers, Maxus Energy, Mirant Corporation, Nine West, Purdue Pharma, Residential Capital, Samson Resources, Six Flags and SunEdison. Chris has also been instrumental in many of the largest cross-border cases filed in the US, including those of FTX, UPC, Vitro Packaging, Elpida Memory and Rede Energia.
Chris has represented a diverse array of clients in these disputes, including debtors, foreign representatives, secured and unsecured creditors, creditors' committees, litigation trustees and ad hoc groups of secured and unsecured creditors. He has conducted dozens of bench and jury trials, and has been actively involved in many of the landmark judicial decisions in recent restructuring jurisprudence.
Experience
Representative matters include acting as lead litigation and trial counsel for:
- The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Genesis Global in their Chapter 11 cases.
- The Joint Official Liquidators of FTX Digital in their Chapter 15 cases.
- Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries in their chapter 11 cases.
- The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Invitae Corporation in Chapter 11 proceedings.
- Occidental Petroleum in relation to disputes on various contracts with Sanchez Energy Corp. and its subsidiaries.
- Ad hoc group of claimants in the chapter 11 cases of Purdue Pharma LP and its affiliated debtors.
- The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Samson Resources Corporation in connection with the chapter 11 cases of Samson Resources, an oil & natural gas exploration and production company, and certain of its subsidiaries.
- Maxus Litigation Trust in relation to its 23-count complaint in Delaware seeking approximately US$14 billion in damages from YPF, S.A., Repsol, S.A., and various affiliates for claims sounding in constructive fraudulent transfer, actual fraudulent transfer, alter ego liability, unjust enrichment, and civil conspiracy.
- Leading Brazil telecommunication company Oi S.A. in its financial restructuring, which was implemented by way of Brazilian recuperação judicial, and which also involved insolvency proceedings in the United States (chapter 15), England, the Netherlands, Portugal and the Cayman Islands.
- The Ad Hoc Group of Junior Secured Noteholders in the chapter 11 proceedings of Residential Capital LLC and affiliates pending in New York.
- The Ad Hoc Group of Bondholders in the chapter 15 proceedings of Elpida Memory, Inc. pending in Delaware.
- Dynegy, Inc, in connection with all aspects of its chapter 11 proceedings pending in New York.
- Certain secured creditors of the GSC Group in connection with state and federal court disputes arising out of a defaulted secured credit facility.
- Anchorage Capital, as plan sponsor, in the first-ever successful reorganization of a CDO.
- Ad hoc groups of creditors in the chapter 11 proceedings of Six Flags Inc., Visteon Corp., Vitro Packaging, Lehman Brothers Holdings, Dana Corp., Solutia, ION Media Networks, Enron Corp., Adelphia Communications and Delta Airlines, often involving significant contested motions, plan confirmation disputes, valuation litigations and appeals.
Leading Lawyer: Bankruptcy/Restructuring – New York, Chambers USA 2017 – 2025
Band 1, Bankruptcy Litigation – New York, Chambers USA 2025
Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers 2020, 2025
"One of the best-known bankruptcy litigators there is." Legal 500
Shortlisted for Best Bankruptcy Litigator, Benchmark Litigation US Awards, 2017-2023
Litigation Star, National Practice Area Star, 2017-2025