As a recognized IAM Patent 1000 attorney, clients described Chris as someone who “takes the time to understand his clients’ needs,” “provides sound, comprehensive and business-focused legal advice,” and “prioritizes building long-term relationships over short-term gains.”

Chris’s patent caseload has included complex litigation involving pharmaceutical, immunology, medical device, agritech, and computing systems technologies.

In pharmaceuticals, Chris has experience at every stage of litigation representing plaintiffs and defendants in small-molecule and biologics patent infringement actions related to antibiotics, overactive bladder solid oral dosage forms, gastrointestinal disease treatments, cancer-treatment drugs, sleep aid medications, topical psoriasis lotions, ocular drops, and fungal infection ointments in federal district court, including Arazlo®, Bryhali®, Cubicin®, Doribax®,Duobrii®, Gemzar®, Glumetza®, Hetlioz®, Jublia®, Lotemax SM®, Lunesta®, Myrbetriq®, Reclast®, Remicade®, Sensipar®, Tecfidera®, Topicort®, Uceris®, Xifaxan®, and Zometa®. Chris has presented direct and cross-examinations at trial in high-stakes pharmaceutical litigation and has collaborated on matters before the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the US Supreme Court. Chris was one of the first attorneys to litigate a case under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act.

Assisting branded pharmaceutical clients in comprehensive product protection, Chris has leveraged his experience litigating complex patent infringement cases to counsel clients on patent portfolio strategy and development, as well as in regulatory disputes. Chris has been involved in significant litigation and administrative action adverse to the FDA, raising novel questions about the agency’s authority and decision making.

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 jury trials on Section 101 ineligibility. 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.

In addition to Chris’s patent practice, he has an active trademark litigation and pre-litigation counseling practice. Chris has assisted clients seeking to assert trademark rights as well as those defending against trademark infringement suits. Chris has worked with clients in numerous industries, including financial services, insurance, and non-profit education.

Chris also maintains an active pro bono practice and serves as a mentor to numerous intellectual property group associates.

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

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• Represents a pharmaceutical company in novel FDA regulatory proceeding involving proposed rejections of supplemental new drug applications
• Represents an innovator pharmaceutical company in preparing citizens petitions regarding generic manufacturer’s failure to demonstrate bioequivalence
• Counsels a startup technology company regarding software patent portfolio development
• Achieved a favorable settlement on behalf of health insurance-related company accused of trademark infringement
• Obtained rare decision denying institution of an inter partes review from the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board based on cumulativeness
• Achieved a complete win at trial for a pharmaceutical manufacturer in a two-product, four-patent case involving psoriasis topical treatments. At trial, Chris performed three key direct examinations and one cross-examination
• Successfully represented a payment processing company defending a trademark infringement litigation brought by debt collection company, resulting in a critical denial of a preliminary injunction
• Successfully represented a drug manufacturer in a 12-patent case against several generic pharmaceutical companies involving a formulation treating toenail fungal infections
• Successfully represented a charitable non-profit hospital suing an orthopaedic implant manufacturer/distributor for patent infringement based on patents covering improved orthopaedic polyethylene
• Successfully served as lead counsel in a federal appeal on behalf of a criminal defendant challenging the length in his sentence
• Successfully obtained compensatory benefits for an autistic child receiving deficient education under IDEA based on failure to provide appropriate transportation
• Served as counsel at trial for a third-party logistics provider in a copyright and trade secret dispute with a software development company
• Served as lead counsel in a federal appeal, including in the US Supreme Court, on behalf of a criminal defendant challenging his conviction based on ineffective assistance of counsel
• Obtained favorable settlement for 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 US 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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• District of Columbia Courts, Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2023
• Super Lawyers: Rising Star, Intellectual Property Litigation, Washington, DC, 2014–2016, 2024

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