Chris’s patent caseload has included complex litigation involving pharmaceutical, immunology, medical device, agritech and computing systems technology. In the area of pharmaceuticals, Chris has experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in small-molecule and biologics patent infringement actions related to antibiotics, solid dosage form systems, cancer-treatment drugs, sleep aid medications, and fungal infection ointments in federal district court, including Remicade®, Lunesta®, Sensipar®, Glumetza®, Topicort®, Cubicin®, Uceris®, Jublia®, Tecfidera®, Gemzar®, Reclast®, and Zometa®. Chris has participated on trial teams in high-stakes, high-profile litigation in pharmaceutical and agritech cases, and has collaborated on matters before the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the US Supreme Court. Notably, Chris was one of the first attorneys to litigate novel issues of statutory construction of the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act.

In the area of computing systems, Chris has experience representing defendants in technical and non-technical aspects of litigation. As one example, representing a large retail restaurant chain as the lead defendant in a large defense group, Chris was just weeks away from what would have been one of the first trials in the ever-evolving area of Section 101 invalidity. Leveraging an ability to translate complicated subject matter into arguments understandable by non-technical judges and juries, Chris has had success handling cases with nascent technologies in the field.

Apart from his IP work, Chris has extensive litigation experience, including a very active critical motions and appellate practice. Chris has personally argued in three courts of appeal and has drafted critical motions and briefs in numerous subject areas, including employment, environmental, defamation, copyright, tax, and complex commercial litigation law.

Chris served as law clerk to the Hon. Todd M. Hughes for the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the Hon. Gail J. Standish for the US District Court for the Central District of California.

During law school, Chris served a Notes Editor on the George Washington Law Review, a member of the Moot Court Board, and a representative of the law school in the George Washington University Student Association.

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• Successfully served as lead counsel in a federal appeal on behalf of a criminal defendant challenging the length in his sentence
• Represented a large retail hospitality provider in a computing systems technology patent infringement action*
• Successfully represented an agricultural chemical business plaintiff in a patent infringement and contract dispute resulting in a $1 billion jury damages award*
• Successfully represented generic pharmaceutical manufacturer at trial invalidating antibiotic patents, resulting in an earlier-than-anticipated launch*
• Successfully represented a prominent prize-awarding institution against a claim of defamation*
• Represented a territorial government in tax disputes in U.S. Tax Court and several courts of appeals to protect its economic development program*
• Successfully defeated class certification involving many thousands of employees in wage & hour employment dispute on behalf of a large healthcare provider*
• Successfully represented a veteran in a pro bono matter seeking further review of a request for an increase in benefits*
• Achieved favorable settlement on behalf of a victim of a fraudulent mortgage modification in pro bono representation*

*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott.

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