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Christopher S. Williams

Attorney Profile

Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney in Cleveland, OH

Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP
1405 East Sixth Street
Cleveland, OH 44114
Visit: https://www.calfee.com
Phone: 216-622-8441
Fax: 216-241-0816
Email: Christopher S. Williams
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2012 - 2022
Licensed in Ohio Since: 1990
Practice Areas: Business Litigation (60%), Employee Benefits (20%), Health Care (20%)
Attorney Profile

Chris Williams is a Partner and has been Co-Chair of Calfee’s Litigation Department since 2011. He regularly represents clients in corporate and commercial business litigation matters, including healthcare disputes. As lead counsel, Chris has prevailed in multi-million dollar jury and bench trials in Ohio and across the country.

Chris has routinely been recognized for his work in Litigation: General Commercial by Chambers USA, most recently in 2021 in Band 3. Clients interviewed by Chambers USA researchers noted that Chris is "a phenomenal lawyer" and "he is the ultimate relationship partner."

In 2020, Chambers USA cited client comments that Chris is a "fantastic lawyer" and "well regarded for his expertise in commercial disputes as well as ERISA and healthcare litigation. He is very practical, thorough and shows good judgment."

Since 2013, Chris has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Litigation – ERISA. Chris has been recognized as The Best Lawyers in America 2022 "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation - ERISA in Cleveland, Ohio; he's previously been recognized as "Lawyer of the Year" for ERISA Litigation in Cleveland in 2018 and 2016.

Based on statewide voting by Ohio lawyers, Chris has been recognized by Ohio Super Lawyers as a Top 50 Cleveland Attorney and a Top 100 Ohio Attorney for the past seven years. Chris is also a Life Member of the Judicial Conference of the 8th Judicial District (Cuyahoga County).

Chris currently serves on the Boards of Directors of College Now of Greater Cleveland, the Cleveland Law Library and the Ohio State Legal Services Association. For the past 15 years, since the program’s 2006 start, Chris volunteers during the school year at Cleveland’s John Marshall High School as a U.S. government and law instructor as part of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s 3Rs (Rights-Responsibilities-Realities) program.

In addition to Co-Chairing the Litigation Department, Chris serves on Calfee’s Practice, Planning & Growth Committee, its Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and as Chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee.

About Christopher S. Williams

First Admitted: 1990, Ohio

Professional Webpage: https://calfee.com/professionals/christopher-s-williams/

Honors/Awards

  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
  • Ohio Super Lawyer, Top 100 Ohio Super Lawyers, Top 50 Cleveland Super Lawyers, Ohio Super Lawyers, 2021
  • Cleveland ERISA Litigation "Lawyer of the Year", The Best Lawyers in America©, 2018
  • Leading Lawyer - Litigation: General Commercial, Chambers USA, 2020
  • Local Litigation Star - Competition, General Commercial, Health Care, Professional Liability, and Securities, Benchmark Litigation, 2021
  • Cleveland ERISA Litigation “Lawyer of The Year”, The Best Lawyers in America©, 2018
  • Best Lawyer - Commercial Litigation and Litigation – ERISA, The Best Lawyers in America©, 2021

Newsletters

Educational Background

  • J.D., Georgetown University Law Center., 1989
  • B.A., Miami University., 1986

Pro bono/Community Service

  • College Now Greater Cleveland, Board Member, 2020
  • Board member, Ohio State Legal Services Association, 2021
  • Cuyahoga County Law Library, 2021
  • Chair of Calfee Halter's Pro Bono Committee, 2019

Verdicts/Settlements

  • Culminating in a 2020 Ohio Supreme Court Order, successfully represented a Colorado public company and its former CEO in litigation matters resulting in judgments against and collections from an Ohio company totaling more than $5.8 million in compensatory and punitive damages, plus a $1.1 million sanctions and attorneys’ fees award, which award was affirmed by the 11th District Ohio Court of Appeals in 2019 and the Ohio Supreme Court in 2020., 2020
  • Currently (in 2020) represents, and has since 2009, a Colorado public company and its former CEO in litigation matters resulting in judgments against and collections from an Ohio company totaling more than $5.8 million in compensatory and punitive damages, plus a $1.13 million 2019 sanctions and attorneys’ fees trial court award, which judgment was affirmed by the 11th District Ohio Court of Appeals in December, 2019.  The losing parties are currently seeking Ohio Supreme Court review of the million dollar-plus sanctions award., 2020
  • In 2016 represented one of Ohio’s largest steel companies in a multi-million-dollar three-week jury trial arising from a $100 million construction project gone awry., 2016

Bar/Professional Activity

  • Board member, Ohio State Legal Services Association, 2021
  • Fellow, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, 2021
  • Judicial Conference of the 8th Judicial District (Cuyahoga County), Life Member, 2021
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America  , 2021
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Tax Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
  • Ohio

Industry Groups

  • Banking
  • Financial Services And Insurance
  • Gaming And Hospitality
  • Health Care
  • Manufacturing And Industrial
  • Private and Family-Owned Businesses
  • Public Companies
  • Real Estate
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Office Location for Christopher S. Williams

1405 East Sixth Street
Cleveland, OH 44114

Last Updated: 11/1/2021

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