Chris is a strong advocate who emphasizes helping his clients solve problems.
Overview
Chris is a go-to lawyer for policyholders with questions or disputes about insurance coverage claims and for employers with issues surrounding their employee benefit plans and employment practices.
In the insurance context, he helps policyholders make claims and advocates for his clients with insurers, going to court if necessary. Chris also advises insurers on coverage issues in disputed claims, including potential allegations of bad faith. He has experience with general liability, pollution legal liability, executive liability and property/business interruption insurance policies. In the employment context, Chris defends employee benefit and pension plans and their sponsors and advises plan sponsors on the structure and administration of their benefits plans. He also defends employers against fair employment practices claims.
Experience
Chris defended an IRA custodian from claims related to alleged mismanagement of assets under its control.
He has represented benefit plan sponsors and service providers in investigations by the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
He helped a plan sponsor defend itself against claims related to administration of its 401(k) pension plan.
He assisted telecommunication companies in a class action alleging improper modification/termination of certain retiree benefits and related claims for age discrimination.
He secured a monetary judgment by one insurer against another, based on a contribution claim under a Directors & Officers liability policy in a case of first impression under Oklahoma law.
He sued property insurers that denied coverage for property/business interruption insurance claims by a refinery that had lost more than $100 million in losses after a catastrophic flood.
In other employment law matters, Chris advocates for employers in cases under federal and state harassment and discrimination laws, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and state and federal wage and hour laws, including collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
Kansas Bar Association
The Missouri Bar
Defense Research Institute
Volunteer Attorney Project
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Missouri, 1999
- Kansas, 2000
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
Education
Northwestern University, J.D., 1999
University of Kansas, B.A., with highest distinction, 1996