Christopher J. Major

Partner
Practice Area: Commercial Litigation

Christopher J. Major is a Partner in the New York Office of Meister Seelig & Fein and a member of the Commercial Litigation Practice. Mr. Major represents clients in a variety of complex commercial litigation cases in federal and state court as well as before arbitration panels. Mr. Major’s practice focuses on breach of contract, business torts, cross-border disputes, real estate disputes, financial services disputes, as well as bankruptcy and other insolvency matters, .

In addition to jury and bench trials, Mr. Major has extensive experience in arbitration hearings, injunctions, and other pre-judgment evidentiary hearings.

Education

J.D., Quinnipiac University School of Law (Magna Cum Laude/Dean Scholar/Law Review)

B.A., Salisbury University

Admissions

State of New York

State of Connecticut

Southern District of New York

Eastern District of New York

Western District of New York

District of Connecticut

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

United States Supreme Court

Prior Experience

Before joining MSF, Mr. Major was an Associate and then Partner with Robinson & Cole LLP.

Representative Matters

An energy trading firm in cross-border dispute against foreign bank concerning the foreign bank’s restraint of more than $1.2 billion.

A prominent real estate development firm and its principals in sprawling multi-jurisdiction arising out of a failed $600 million restructuring of a construction loan and more than $300 million in guaranty claims.

A sovereign in a cross-border dispute arising out of a more than $10 billion arbitral award.

A leading private equity firm and an international Fortune 500 real estate services company defending against business tort claims by another private equity firm concerning a $30 million real estate investment.

The owner in cross-border litigation arising out of the theft and laundering of tens of millions of dollars of the owner’s cryptocurrency.

Defended guarantors in the trial of an action in New York Supreme Court by a syndicate of lenders seeking to collect in excess of $60 million under a payment guaranty.

Represented a foreign health services company and its founder prosecuting fraud claims arising out of a more than $7 billion loss.

Represented a private equity group in multi-jurisdiction litigation to enforce its controlling $50 million investment in a publicly traded holding company.

Represented a European hotel and its insurer in a federal jury trial in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts arising out of more than $20 million in structural and business interruption damages caused by a fire.

Defended an international cargo airline in a federal jury trial against a former employee who claimed he was entitled to a large award under an employee innovation reward program.

Represented leading international law firm in New York Supreme Court and arbitration in a dispute with its landlord concerning a lease for more than 600,000 square feet of office space in midtown Manhattan.

Defended AM Law 200 law firm in action filed in the Southern District of New York by the Chapter 7 trustee of a bankrupt national law firm that sued our client for fees earned after it hired several partners from the national firm.

Defended a broker-dealer and its CEO in a FINRA arbitration hearing against traders who alleged they were owed more than $8 million in compensation.

Represented real estate developers in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada to recover damages from a hedge fund for tortious interference with a prospective restructuring of a shopping mall construction loan.

Represented the purchaser of intellectual property assets acquired at a bankruptcy auction in a subsequent federal court trade secret misappropriation case.

Represented a foreign liquidator of overseas banks in litigation in the Southern District of New York and the Second Circuit to recover more than $140 million in U.S. assets seized by the New York Superintendent of Banks.

Honors

Super Lawyers Rising Star in both New York and Connecticut

Forty Under Forty, Fairfield County Business Journal

Speaking Engagements

“Bankruptcy & Foreclosure: Obstacles & Opportunities,” New York University, Distressed Debt Graduate Course (2016)

“A Primer on Law Firm Dissolutions,” International Association of Defense Counsel (2015)

“Under the Gun:  A Primer on Preliminary Injunctive Relief in Non-Compete and Trade Secret Cases,” International Association of Defense Counsel (2014)

“Bulletproofing Your Deals: Lessons from the Litigation Battlefield on Commercial Contract Clauses, US and International,” Westchester/Southern Connecticut Association of Corporate Counsel (2008)