Christopher C. Storm

Chris is a partner in the Boston office of Morrison Mahoney. He concentrates his practice primarily in the areas of professional liability, including the defense of legal malpractice claims, design and engineering defect claims, insurance broker’s errors and omissions, the defense of accountants before their regulatory boards, and the defense of real estate professionals, among others.

In addition to his professional liability defense practice, Chris focuses on tort, employment, and commercial litigation, including toxic tort defense.  He also represents employers before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) and advises insurance companies on insurance coverage and subrogation issues. Chris is also a Proctor of Admiralty with experience handling Jones Act and Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) cases, representing ship owners in pursuing maritime liens, and handling salvage matters.

Chris is an experienced trial advocate, having tried jury trials and conducted arbitrations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  Chris understands the challenges that clients face in litigation. He collaborates with his clients to accommodate their unique needs and works to minimize the disruption and uncertainty attending litigation.

Chris has appeared many times as a panelist for the Massachusetts Bar Association’s presentation of the Supreme Judicial Court’s “Practicing with Professionalism” course, a mandatory one-day course for new lawyers on the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct and Massachusetts Practice and has spoken to the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys on Massachusetts’ e-discovery rules. He is also a contributor to Morrison Mahoney’s “Legal Malpractice Law Update” newsletter.

Outside of the office, Chris is active as a competitive rower and member of the Charles River rowing community, an avid gardener with emerging interest in native plants, and parent to two school-aged children.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Lawyers

• Successfully brought Rule 12(b)(6) and M.G.L. c. 231 §59H (Anti-SLAPP) motions to dismiss claims of professional negligence against probate attorneys by beneficiary of estate
• Won summary judgment for multiple estate planning attorneys who were sued by disgruntled beneficiaries over their respective roles assisting testators to change their estates, allegedly to beneficiaries’ detriment.
• Successfully defended law firm in arbitration resulting in substantial reduction in exposure to carrier.
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of family law attorney in professional liability claim asserting insufficient settlement.
• Assisted lawyer to uncover and bring defamation claim against disgruntled non-client who was posting false and libelous internet reviews, damaging lawyer’s business.

Accountants

• Obtained closure of investigation by Rhode Island Board of Accountancy arising from accountant’s serving as an expert witness in litigation without adverse findings or discipline
• Obtained closure of Rhode Island Board of Accountancy matter on behalf of client without adverse findings or discipline

Insurance Professionals

• Successfully handled multiple matters in which insurance agent or broker allegedly failed to obtain requested coverage for a client.

Design Professionals

• Obtained summary judgment in favor of design professional on contribution claims in a multi-million-dollar case involving a team of design professionals’ omitting to timely secure zoning approvals for a Cape Cod property, resulting in the property’s losing significant buildable area after the federal government updated flood zones
• Defended engineers responsible for concrete testing in complex litigation arising from building collapse, resolving case for de minims settlement.
• Won motion to dismiss third-party claims brought by builder against architect alleging that defective design was the proximate cause of new construction defects.

Realtors

• Successfully defended multiple real estate agents from allegations of misrepresenting listings

Commercial and Tort Litigation

• Won defense verdict in five-day Essex Superior Court personal injury jury trial on behalf of a supermarket chain
• Obtained favorable settlement in significant commercial dispute involving allegations of trademark infringement, violation of the Lanham Act, conspiracy, and other claims at mediation, preserving clients’ rights to continue business operations uninterrupted