Christopher J. Nelson is a shareholder based in Butzel Long's Bloomfield Hills office.
He is a litigator specializing in complex, business-related civil litigation, including disputes involving business acquisitions, corporate management, real estate, fraud, insurance coverage, environmental liabilities, class action defense, the Uniform Commercial Code, and other business and commercial contracts. He has appeared in courts throughout Michigan and before the courts of Illinois, Ohio and Kansas. He is a member of the Oakland County Bar Association, and serves as an appointed mediator for commercial cases pending in Oakland County.
Mr. Nelson is a graduate of Washington University School of Law (J.D., 1995) where he served as Associate Editor of the Washington University Law Quarterly, and authored "Director Liability and the Insolvent, Federally Chartered Financial Institution," 73 Wash U.L.Q. 1447 (1995). He also is a graduate of Michigan State University (B.A., 1992).
Experience
· Successfully arbitrated multi-million dollar actuarial malpractice claim affecting client's pension obligations
· Recovered multi-million dollar settlement for a European food services company in a dispute with a Michigan manufacturer and distributor
· Obtained a "no cause" jury verdict in client's favor in a dispute regarding alleged joint venture obligations between two tech-sector companies
· Provide general litigation counsel to multi-national technology and outsourcing company
· Obtained trial judgment in favor of defendant-client and an award on client's counter-claim arising out of diamond-cutting machine manufacturer's retention of personnel search firm
· Obtained a multi-million dollar award in favor of national retailer, securing a refund of millions of dollars in sales taxes paid on bad-debt sales
· Obtained judgment (and affirmance in the Court of Appeals) in favor of commercial real estate purchaser to enforce hotel property acquisition agreement
· Successful appellate representation of real estate purchaser, asserting fraud-based claims against the seller
· Recovered substantial settlement in favor of shareholder client on claims of corporate mismanagement, oppression, and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with client's investment in Northern Michigan technology company
· Obtained summary judgment on behalf of national financial institution on claims to enforce loan covenants
· Successful representation of shareholder client against claims of oppression and breach of fiduciary duty
· Obtained summary judgment in favor of policyholder seeking insurance coverage for personal injury claims against body armor manufacturer
· Managed product liability/asbestos-related claims portfolio for Michigan on behalf of construction product manufacturer
· Obtained summary judgment in favor of automotive supplier, dismissing lower tier supplier's breach of contract claims
· Successfully represented oil pipeline company against environmental contamination claims in Ohio
· Recovered a multi-million dollar settlement in favor of landowner client on property damage claims against commercial tenant
· Successful representation of Taiwanese aquarium heating device manufacturer, obtaining summary dismissal of indemnity and contribution claims brought by insurance carrier
· Obtained summary judgment (and affirmance in the Court of Appeals) of copyright and trademark claims against national recording artist
· Successful representation of automotive supply client against claims arising out of nickel price surcharges
· Obtained summary judgment of claims against private equity fund client
· Obtained summary judgment on behalf of seller in claims arising out of acquisition of Tier II automotive supplier
· Successfully defeated class certification of putative class action suit brought against industrial client
· Obtained summary judgment in favor of large-scale residential developer and dismissal of claims brought by adjoining landowner
· Successfully represented crash-test dummy manufacturer against claims brought by sales representative asserting commissions associated with purported Asian sales
· Successfully arbitrated breach of supply contract between aerospace supplier and aircraft manufacturer.
News
Media Releases
11.28.11, 68 Butzel Long attorneys named to DBusiness magazine's Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit 2012
01.12.09, Butzel Long attorneys elected shareholders
Publications
Client alerts
03.08.12, KORUS Free Trade Agreement Takes Effect March 15, 2012
10.19.11, Client Alert - Automotive - United States Ratifies Free Trade Agreement With South Korea
Memberships
State Bar of Michigan
Oakland County Bar Association
Recognitions
DBusiness Top Lawyers in Metro Detroit, Business Litigation, 2012
(Resident, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Office)