Chris Hug is a partner focused exclusively on dispute resolution, whether in classic litigation or in arbitration and/or mediation contexts. His experience is grounded originally in handling complex commercial finance disputes and workouts but has evolved to where he primarily focuses on three areas of litigation. First, he focuses on commercial construction disputes. Typically, these disputes are contract based but many also involve failure analysis or environmental issues. He works often with his colleagues in the firm's environmental and insurance practices to establish a strong "team" to address the client's multiple concerns. His more recent experiences include nuclear decommissioning disputes, laboratory construction disputes, school construction disputes, landfill closures, deep rock tunneling, and commercial housing construction disputes. He has also written and lectured on Connecticut's prejudgment remedy law, the law concerning backflow prevention in water systems; Connecticut's conservatorship law; and various areas of construction law. The second area to which Mr. Hug's practice is focused is a continuation of the commercial lender litigation practice he has had for many years. In this practice, Mr. Hug represents financial institutions in resolving credit-related litigation, including foreclosures, asset recovery, and lender liability litigation. He works closely with the firm's lending and bankruptcy practice in many of these matters to service fully the client's changing needs in a particular matter. He has been involved in litigation of complex lending scenarios of many types. This second area of practice also includes commercial contract litigation, typically involving technological or commercial financial transactions. Over the years, Mr. Hug has gained substantial experience in complex accounting issues and litigation over lost profits. Finally, since joining the firm, Mr. Hug has handled probate litigation. The matters largely focus on representing institutions in a fiduciary capacity, but he has also represented beneficiaries, both individuals and institutions, in a variety of contexts. Will contests, interpretation disputes, breach of fiduciary duties, accounting disputes, and conservatorship appointments are some of the types of litigation experience he has gained. Professional Associations - American Bar Association (ABA), Business Section, 1992 to present - ABA, Torts and Insurance Practice Section, 1992 to present - ABA, Forum on the Construction Industry, 1996 to present - Connecticut Bar Association, Construction Section, 1996 to present - Associated General Contractors, 1997 to present - Connecticut Construction Industry Association, 1997 to present - Construction Institute, 2003 to present Community Involvement - Western New England College LL.M. Program, Adjunct Professor, Estate Planning and Elder Law - Connecticut Swimming, Inc., General Chair of the Board of Directors, 2010- Honors and Awards - Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Construction Law since 2009 (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC) Experience - Representation of individual client in construction dispute in Connecticut state Superior Court, where original claim was $225,000 and resulted in client payment of $13,000. - Conducted two-week arbitration of environmental claims, employment claims, CUTPA claims, and breach of contract claims arising out of the sale of a scrap metal processing facility. - Defended owner and co-inventor of several patents-in-suit by former business partner alleging mismanagement of the intellectual property to the detriment of the partnership. - Advice to Board of Directors of Danbury Housing Authority concerning release of construction funds to general contractor. - Representation of Milford Housing Authority concerning emergency construction issue. Case involved older building that had falling bricks. Matter involved negotiation with contractors, HUD, and others concerning repair, including obtaining appropriate funding. - Representation of insurer in defense of litigation from construction defects from the "Big Dig" project in Boston. Specifically, the matter involved the failed installation of an underwater tunnel segment, resulting in flooding and movement of a large concrete tunnel segment. The issues included both design and workmanship concerns. - Representation of an insurance company and its insured to liquidate $100 million in claims from approximately 70 claims against insured. Through mediation, the $100 million in claims was reduced to approximately $20 million and 100 percent of cases settled out of court. - Defense of insurer concerning $80 million coverage issue related to a deep rock tunnel built 100 meters underground through difficult geological conditions. The case involved issues relating to design defects, workmanship, and remedial costs as well as experts in tunnel boring, grouting, hazardous chemicals, and construction engineering/management. - Defense of insurer against claimant for demolition and hazardous materials remediation costs. Claim involved extensive overcharging. - Representation of insurer against claimant for extensive property loss. Claim involved separating water versus flood damage, damages versus betterment, and pricing issues. - Defense of insurer in arbitration and state court proceedings in Florida for $300 million property damage, business interruption, and consequential damage claim brought by owners of Miami Beach resort because of Hurricane Andrew. - Represented commercial lender in defense of Retail Installment Sales Financing Act (RISFA)/UCC claims in connection with creditor's rights, specifically, lending and repossession practices. Handled replevin matters relating to equipment financing or leasing. In many instances, our firm assists the creditor utilizing Connecticut's prejudgment remedy procedure, which allows the creditor to seize the equipment first, and prove-up their right to the equipment in a later court proceeding. Such procedure often leads to timely and favorable results. Complex Litigation - Representation of insurer in a seven-figure builders risk claim from a fire at a 30-story midtown Manhattan building under construction. Case involves a real estate development company that wanted to build the first geothermal-powered residential tower in Manhattan. After completing excavation, pouring the foundation, and constructing the first few floors, the rear section of the structure caved in. The foundation was built on a bed of clay and silt rather than atop the high-rise grade bedrock the plans called for and the engineering company had confirmed. The project halted and faced financial trouble, and the real estate development company filed for bankruptcy. Before filing, however, the real estate development company presented a builders risk insurance claim. The insurer denied it because builders risk coverage does not pay for repairing construction defects, whether the defects are because of a faulty plan or the faulty execution of a good plan, or both. Construction and Environmental - Successfully defended project labor agreement litigation. - Defense of general contractor in large HVAC dispute at large laboratory facility. - Successful bid protest defense of school construction project. - Defense of construction claim related to lateral support wall at a university athletic facility. - Defense of municipal owner in litigation over construction of a landfill. - Defense of numerous Katrina-related insurance and construction issues in New Orleans. - Prosecution and defense of delay claim in high-rise condominium complex. - Representation of Bechtel, a contractor hired to decommission the Connecticut Yankee nuclear power plant, in a dispute over how to address and pay for the presence of Sr-90 discovered in the groundwater. Ensuing litigation involved interviewing and engaging expert and consulting witnesses in groundwater modeling and health physics, taking and defending fact and expert witness depositions, and developing strategic options in support of client's positions. The matter settled shortly before the trial was scheduled to begin. News 9.08.10, Robinson & Cole Receives Highest Construction Attorney Count in National Peer Review Survey 5.26.10, Robinson & Cole Attorney Elected General Chair of Connecticut Swimming, Inc. 4.27.08, Robinson & Cole Partner Was Keynote Speaker At CTAWWA Seminar |