Team Member

Personal Experience

I was born in the suburbs of Orange County. I grew up playing hockey with the support of my mom, who raised myself and my two younger brothers on her own. Initially, I wanted to be a doctor. I enrolled in a pre-med program, got my EMT license, and started working in an emergency room as an ER tech. A few truly depressing emergency room stories later, I decided to try something a little different and decided on law school.

In 2013, I got hired at Parris Law Firm, and wound up in their class action department, fighting on behalf of aggrieved employees. A little later, I was recruited into the firm’s personal injury trial practice, with all the long but rewarding hours that has brought with it. At Russell & Lazarus, I am continuing this work on behalf of injured individuals to make sure they get full justice for injuries caused through no fault of their own.

Verdicts & Settlements

Chris and his associates have successfully litigated over 5,000 personal injury claims to verdict or claims that have been settled prior to trial or arbitration, ranging in value from $25,000 to $16.2 million.

Chris belongs to the American Association of Justice (formerly known as the American Trial Lawyers Association), the Consumer Attorneys Of California, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, and the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association. Chris has also been admitted to all of the courts of the State of California, and has argued cases in the Federal Courts as well as the California Court of Appeals. He shares strategies and communicates daily with his Plaintiff attorney colleagues across the State of California on topics including trial tactics, judge selection, expert witness background information, medical provider credibility, etc.

These strategies help put his clients in the best position to allow them to resolve their injuries as quickly as possible, and to obtain fair compensation from at-fault parties who are oftentimes represented by insurance companies that seem to have lost the ability to even understand the definition of “fair.”

He has worked on almost every type of personal injury claim imaginable, including motor vehicle collisions, product liability claims, slip, trip and fall claims, premises liability claims, animal inflicted injury claims, work related claims, sexual assault claims, and the list goes on.

The common theme to all of these claims was that someone was injured and they needed help. Chris’ goal in helping people is two fold; get them better and get them fair compensation.

Chris has recovered compensation on behalf of his clients 95% of the time. Chris does not shy away from taking on difficult liability claims when the injuries are substantial, which is why it is not at 100%.

Organizations & Memberships

• The National Law Journal Elite Trial Lawyers
• The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers
• Super Lawyers Official Selection, 2016 – 2017
• Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• OC Metro Top Attorney
• BBB Accredited Business
• Avvo Rating: 10 out of 10
• Orange County Trial Lawyers Association
• Consumer Attorneys of California
• Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles

Education

In 1981, Chris received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Long Beach State University, and in 1984, he received his Juris Doctorate Degree from California Western School of Law in San Diego.

He has taught business law at the University of California at Irvine and has taught trial practice at Western State Law School.

He is the author of “How Smart People do Dumb Things to Destroy Their Personal Injury Claims,” a book that focuses on avoiding common mistakes in the claims process after a serious accident or injury.

Personal Life

When I am not working, I enjoy all the time I can with my beautiful fiancée Margot and our shelter gremlin of a pup, Milo.

Languages

English (fluent)

Contact Me