​Chris is the Managing Partner of Sullivan Blackburn Pratt LLP. He has the rare ability to distill thorny legal scenarios, develop comprehensive strategies tailored to his clients’ needs, and execute on them. Chris brings over three decades of experience as a litigator and trial attorney, advocating for his clients both in pre-litigation matters, and in front of juries, judges, and arbitrators. His experience extends across state, federal, and international jurisdictions, as well as in appellate matters and governmental investigations. For those reasons, individuals, fiduciaries, and companies around the country seek Chris’s expertise—he is recognized as a leading litigator when it comes to high-stakes commercial litigation.

Chris’s wide-ranging practice has an emphasis on complex financial and deal-related litigation on behalf of founders and investors, issues arising from corporate insolvency including both debtor-side and creditor-side litigation, receivership and financial distress scenarios, and a wide range of professional liability matters. He has investigated, prosecuted, and defended virtually every type of contract claim and business tort including those for negligence, corporate fraud, fiduciary duty claims, accounting and legal malpractice claims, misappropriation of corporate assets, fraudulent transfers, and many more. In fact, Chris co-authored Litigating and Judging Business Entity Governance Disputes in California, one of the go-to resources for lawyers, judges and arbitrators seeking practice insights and creative strategies for resolving disputes involving the management, ownership and control of all types of California business entities.

While in law school, Chris served as the editor-in-chief of the Hastings Law Journal from 1989 to 1990. He was awarded his Juris Doctor magna cum laude in 1990 and was inducted into the Order of the Coif as a result of his scholastic achievements. After graduation, Chris was a clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit before going into private practice. Chris is a regular speaker in front of professionals at conferences related to his practices areas and is involved in several professional organizations. He is the past president of the Northern District of California Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and a current member of its executive committee.

Education 
University of California, Hastings College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 1990
Hastings Law Journal, Editor-in-Chief, 1989-1990
Law Clerk to the Honorable Melvin T. Brunetti, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1991-1992
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, B.A., 1985

Bar Admissions 

California 1990

Court Admissions 

U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
U.S. District Court, Central District of California
U.S. District Court, Southern District of California