|
 
C. Vance ChristopherShareholder Professional Experience• Since 1981, practice has included state and federal court trials, state and federal court appeals, and arbitrations. Areas of concentration include: commercial litigation and arbitration; probate litigation (including guardianship, trust, and fiduciary matters); employment disputes; and personal injury and insurance litigation.
Representative Civil Trial Experience Partial listing of trial court results in over 40 civil cases tried or settled during trial since 1985: 1. Commercial/Probate/Fiduciary (a) Probate Court of Harris County, Texas; Represented Trustee asserting and defending against breaches of fiduciary duty involving self-dealing and intricate financial transactions and tax issues. Obtained multimillion dollar jury verdict. Opposing parties had offered nothing, and instead, demanded payment on their counterclaims. (First chair—Jury Trial) (b) District Court of Galveston County, Texas; Represented Defendant insurance company against Plaintiff's claims for breach of contract, Insurance Code and DTPA violations, and breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing. Defense verdict and recovery of portion of client’s attorneys' fees under DTPA counterclaim. (First chair—Jury Trial) (c) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Defended insurance carrier against claim on insurance policy for neck and jaw injuries supported by Plaintiff's two treating doctors. Three other carriers providing coverage to Plaintiff paid $65,000. Defendant USAA offered additional $10,000. Defense verdict; no liability. Jury assessed total damages of $14,000, well within the $65,000 paid by other carriers. (First chair—Jury Trial) (d) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Pyles v. USAA, 804 S.W.2d 163 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1991, writ denied) - Prosecuted declaratory judgment action by USAA against insured for breach of contract arising out of Plaintiff's roof claim. Plaintiff counterclaimed for bad faith and violation of DTPA and Insurance Code. Defense verdict; no liability and recovery of attorney’s fees. (First chair—Jury Trial) (e) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Defended insurance company against claim for fire loss. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Bench Trial) (f) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Defended HMO against claims by Plaintiff that stomach stapling weight loss surgery should have been covered by policy. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Jury Trial) (g) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Fina Oil and Chemical Company vs. Continental Casualty Company, 185 S.W.3d 440 (Tex. 2005) - Pursued coverage for client against insurance company under Additional Insured Section of the policy. Obtained coverage for client at trial court. Affirmed on appeal by Texas Supreme Court. (Second chair—Bench Trial) (h) Arbitration Proceeding; Obtained finding denying counterclaim in contract dispute over refinery operations. (Second chair—Arbitration) (i) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Obtained finding client did not owe additional $1 million in dispute over insurance coverage. (First chair—Bench Trial) (j) District Court of Harris County, Texas; After cross-examination of Plaintiff, settled Plaintiffs’ $1.25 million breach of contract, theft of trade secrets, and breach of fiduciary duty claims for less than 10% of lowest pre-trial demand. (First chair—Jury Trial) 2. Insurance/Tort/Product Liability (k) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Represented Defendant convicted of DWI in wrongful death case. Verdict 1/5 of Plaintiff's lowest demand. (First chair—Jury Trial) (l) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Represented Defendant who rearended farm trailer against wrongful death claims of his passenger. Involved complicated medical issues. Verdict below Plaintiff's lowest demand. (First chair—Jury Trial) (m) District Court of Brazoria County, Texas; Defended driver of boat who had been drinking alcohol all day, against claims by school teacher passenger that driver’s reckless operation of the boat caused a compression fracture of her spine. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Jury Trial) (n) District Court of Brazoria County, Texas; Defended against claim that improper placement of brick and concrete mailbox created unreasonable danger and resulted in death of driver and serious injury to passenger of car that ran into mailbox. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Jury Trial) (o) District Court of Galveston County, Texas; Defended driver of car who veered into opposing traffic and causing death of passenger. Defense verdict; no liability. (Second chair—Jury Trial) (p) Probate Court of Harris County, Texas; Defended owner of pit bull against claims by severely scarred young girl bitten on face by pit bull. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Jury Trial) (q) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Defended teenage driver of car who ran stop light striking Plaintiff's van. Plaintiff had surgery for subdural hematoma (brain surgery) and claimed brain damage. Verdict 1/6 of Plaintiff's lowest demand. (First chair—Jury Trial) (r) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Defended driver who had been drinking all evening against claims by passenger/former girlfriend whose injuries resulted in partial quadriplegia. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Jury Trial) (s) U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas; Defended driver against multiple claims by four Plaintiffs in rearend collision. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Jury Trial) (t) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Defended against claim that car wreck necessitated jaw surgery. Treating surgeon testified for Plaintiff. Verdict 1/10 of Plaintiff's lowest demand. (First chair—Jury Trial) (u) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Defended driver who ran light striking podiatrist’s car. Plaintiff claimed neck injuries which curtailed his lucrative practice ($250,000/year) by 2-3 years. Treating physician testified to causation. Verdict half the Plaintiff’s lowest demand. (First chair—Jury Trial) (v) District Court of Fort Bend County, Texas; Represented driver of an 18-wheeler and his employer in a disputed red light case. Plaintiff, an engineer for Schlumberger, was struck on the passenger door, and severely injured, incurring $30,000.00 in medical expenses. Plaintiff alleged that 18-wheeler driver ran red light and that driver and employer violated multiple DOT regulations. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Jury Trial) (w) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Park v. Larison, 28 S.W.3d 106 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2000, no pet.) – Minor Plaintiff injured while operating 4-wheeler which necessitated brain surgery. Plaintiff claimed severe head injury deficits requiring extensive testimony by neurosurgeon, psychologist, and neuropsychologist. Plaintiff’s human factors expert was struck by court pursuant to Daubert/Robinson challenge. Defense verdict; no liability. Verdict, including Daubert challenge, affirmed on appeal by Texarkana Court of Appeals. (First chair—Jury Trial) (x) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Represented Defendant driver against wrongful death claim of passenger in products liability case. Liability placed on product Defendant, not on my client. Reversed on appeal and settled. (First chair—Jury Trial) (y) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Neese v. Dietz, 845 S.W.2d 311 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1992, no writ) - Defended driver who rearended urologist who had multiple neck surgeries and had to shut down his practice. Co-Defendant was a products liability Defendant. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Jury Trial) (z) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Represented client whose lawyers sued her for non-payment of legal fees, fraud, and defamation. Defended on defamation only, with other firm representing client on fraud and breach of contract claims. Jury found no defamation on my client but awarded over $3,000,000.00 on non-defamation claims controlled and defended by other firm. (First chair—Jury Trial) (aa) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Defended against paternity, stalking, harassment, and invasion of privacy claims. Defense verdict; no liability, and assessment of Rule 13 attorney's fees against Plaintiff and Plaintiff's counsel. (First chair—Jury Trial) (bb) District Court of Harris County, Texas; Represented parents of 19 year old who had sex with a 14 year old at the Defendants’ residence. Plaintiff alleged that the Defendant parents failed to supervise the Plaintiff, who was a friend of Defendants’ daughter and was spending the night at the time of the sexual encounter. Defense verdict; no liability. (First chair—Jury Trial) Representative Litigation Experience (a) Dispute between closely held corporations involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, self-dealing, complicated lease construction and tax issues and minority oppression claims. (b) Breach of contract and bad faith claims between oil and gas corporation and its employee. (c) Breach of contract, Insurance Code, Deceptive Trade Practices Act and bad faith claims asserted by insured against carrier over life insurance and accidental death insurance provided by employer. (d) Breach of contract, Insurance Code and bad faith claims by small business against its insurance carrier resulting from storm loss. (e) Breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and civil theft claims against trustee and individuals over joint venture interests in oil and gas fields. (f) Representation of major brokerage house and individuals in state and federal district court and in arbitration for disputes over covenants not to compete. (g) Disputes over guardianships of wealthy wards and putative wards involving complicated medical and family issues. Education • University of Texas School of Law (J.D. 1981) Publications/Professional Speaking And Related Materials • Speech and paper for Houston Bar Association, 2005 Experts Institute, “Experts 101: The Who, What, When and Why”; October 21, 2005, .75 hours • Speech and paper for Houston Bar Association, HBA Thursday Morning West Loop Area Seminar, “Experts 101: The Who, What, Where, When and Why”; March 30, 2006, 1.50 hours • Breakout Leader - Houston Bar Association Professionalism Day
Bar & Court Admissions |
Practice AreasEducation
Bar & Court admissions
|
Five Houston Center, 17th Floor | 1401 McKinney, Suite 1700 | Houston, TX 77010 | 713-658-2323