Christopher B. Queally

Christopher B. Queally is a Partner and trial lawyer in GRSM’s Commercial Litigation, Professional Liability, Banking & Finance and Real Estate practice groups. Christopher represents Fortune 500 companies, mid-caps, public entities, small companies and attorneys in complex litigation. Christopher has tried to verdict numerous high stakes cases in both state and federal court with outstanding results for his clients. Christopher has been recognized as a Southern California Rising Star® in the fields of Business Litigation, Construction Litigation, and Insurance Coverage by the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine Law & Politics for the years 2013-2016. This distinction is awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys under the age of 40.

Christopher’s commercial practice focuses on banking litigation.  Christopher represents banks, private lenders, and corporate borrowers in litigation arising out of commercial financing, debt restructuring, credit reporting, fair debt collection practices, consumer claims and all other areas of lender liability.

Christopher’s professional liability practice focuses on the representation of attorneys, insurance agents and brokers and accountants in malpractice actions.  Christopher has successfully handled legal malpractice claims arising from numerous fields of practice including commercial litigation, probate, insurance bad faith, and other areas.

Christopher graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2003, and was an extern at Bet Tzedek Legal Services during law school working on legal matters for the disadvantaged. Christopher obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in philosophy from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine in 1998. Prior to joining GRSM, Christopher was an associate with Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker, Condon & Forsyth, and most recently Callahan & Blaine.

Christopher’s opinions include Sullivan v. Knobeloch, No. A126696, 2010 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 5140 (July 8, 2010); Exp.-Import Bank of Korea v. ASI Corp., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111198 (C.D. Cal. June 28, 2018); Exp.-Import Bank of Korea v. ASI Corp., 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 182960 (C.D. Cal. June 13, 2017); Mathison v. Bumbo, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 108511 (C.D. Cal. Aug. 18, 2008); and others.

Admissions

• California
• U.S. District Court, All Districts of California
• U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit

Memberships

• California Bar Association
• Orange County Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Pepperdine Alumni Waves

• La Donna Corp. v. Qantas Airways Ltd., Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC387143: Christopher represented Qantas Airways, Ltd., a major international airline, as the defendant in a multi-million dollar commercial litigation filed by a vendor. Christopher obtained dismissal of the entire action at the pleading stage based on the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel.
   
• CR&R Incorporated v. Rainbow Disposal Co., Inc., Orange County Superior Court Case No. 30-2013-00691104. Christopher, first-chaired the trial team which secured a favorable Statement of Decision in Phase I of a multi-million dollar dispute between waste disposal companies over the split of profits from a joint venture franchise in Midway City, California.
   
• Sullivan v. Knobeloch, California Court of Appeal (1st Dist.), No. A126696: Christopher successfully defended the former husband of Elizabeth Sullivan, creator of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, in post-divorce litigation arising out of a catastrophic automobile accident in Australia. The plaintiff, Elizabeth Sullivan, and her former husband were involved in an automobile accident in Victoria, Australia. Several years later, after divorce proceedings had been initiated, plaintiff Sullivan filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Mr. Knobeloch in San Francisco, California for brain injuries arising out of the accident. Christopher was able to obtain dismissal of the action at the pleading stage. Plaintiff Sullivan appealed the trial court's dismissal to the California Court of Appeal for the First District. Christopher argued the appeal and convinced the appellate court to uphold the dismissal.
   
• Thompson v. Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Los Angeles) Case No. 2:09-cv-04515-CAS-PLA: Christopher was part of the trial team that obtained a defense verdict in favor of Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., a major airline, in a lawsuit arising out of an in-flight assault by one passenger against another. Christopher acted as second-chair for the trial team and cross-examined plaintiff's expert witness at trial in federal court. Following a week-long trial, the jury returned a verdict for the defendant airline in less than 30 minutes.
   
• Mathison v. Bumbo, U.S. District Court Central District of California (Los Angeles) Case No. 8:2008cv00369; and Whitson v. Bumbo, U.S. District Court Northern District of California Case No. C 07-05597 MHP: Christopher successfully defeated two class action lawsuits against the manufacturer of a baby seat at the pleading stage pursuant to a motion to dismiss.
   
• MD-7 US Group, Inc., et al. v. Tai Lam, et al., Orange County Superior Court Case No. 30-2011-00473529: Christopher, representing plaintiff MD-7 US Group, Inc. secured a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the defendants, a manufacturer and wholesale distributor of certain skin care products in California. Following issuance of the TRO and injunction, the defendant was caught selling certain products in violation of the TRO. Christopher filed contempt of court charges on behalf of the plaintiff and obtained a guilty verdict against the defendants for violation of the TRO and perjury following a two-day contempt of court trial. Defendants were sentenced to jail time and ordered to pay more than $15,000 in attorney’s fees to plaintiffs.

Education

J.D., Pepperdine University, 2003

B.A., Philosophy, Bates College, 1998

Honors

Rising Stars® distinction in the fields of Business Litigation, Construction Litigation, and Insurance Coverage (2013-2016, Law & Politics)