Christopher Harris is Global Vice Chair of Latham & Watkins' Litigation & Trial Department, head of the firm's Bankruptcy Litigation & Creditors' Rights Practice, and former Global Vice Chair of the firm's Complex Commercial Litigation Practice.
Mr. Harris focuses his practice on two main areas: insolvency litigation, and securities and other accounting-related litigation. His extensive insolvency litigation experience includes providing counsel to:
Mr. Harris has represented most of the major banks and accounting firms in a wide range of civil, regulatory, and criminal matters. He has also represented issuers in multiple-billion dollar securities litigations, securities firms and individuals in SEC investigations, and issuers and outside directors of investment banks in securities class actions and derivative suits.
Mr. Harris is a frequent speaker and writer on litigation and trial practice topics, including the use of expert witnesses. He has presented at the ABA National Conference, the American Corporate Counsel Association and before numerous other venues, and also served as a faculty member for the Federal Judiciary Center, instructing new federal bankruptcy judges about discovery issues. Mr. Harris also has extensive First Amendment and technology-related litigation experience.
Among other leadership roles within the firm, Mr. Harris formerly served as Co-Chair of the Litigation & Trial Department in Latham's New York office and as Global Chair of the LGBTQ Affinity Group.
In insolvency litigation, Mr. Harris has served as lead trial counsel in many of the major bankruptcies nationwide, representing debtors, creditors, and committees.
In the oil and gas sector, he has served as lead trial counsel for clients in the following bankruptcies:
In the power generation sector, he has likewise served as lead trial counsel for clients in the following bankruptcies:
He has also served as lead trial counsel for clients in many other major bankruptcies, including:
He also has extensive experience in defending against fraudulent conveyance and recharacterization claims (many in the multi-billion dollar range), including:
Mr. Harris’s securities and accounting-related cases include:
Mr. Harris’s fraud practice also includes substantial experience in investigating and litigating allegations of international fraud and related issues. Recent examples include:
For outstanding results over the past year, Latham received top honors, including Antitrust Firm of the Year, and Firm of the Year: California.
The American Lawyer profiles Latham as a finalist for its prestigious Litigation Department of the Year competition.
Described by Am Law editors as the most competitive cycle they’ve seen for submissions yet, the biannual contest honors litigation teams achieving extraordinary results for their clients.