Christopher L. Goodman

An experienced litigator with first-chair trial experience, Chris Goodman has successfully defended clients at trial and on appeal. Chris routinely advises and defends insurance companies with coverage and bad faith disputes, has prevailed in class action lawsuits, and has successfully defended attorneys, doctors, nurses, architects, surveyors and appraisal management companies from professional liability claims.

Representative Experience

Class Action

Successfully represented the lead defendants in a putative class action involving 60,000 corn growers who sought disgorgement of over $100 million of attorneys’ fees from the corn growers’ former counsel. The district court granted motion to dismiss and Chris successfully defended the dismissal on appeal to the Tenth Circuit.

Kellogg v. Watts Guerra LLP, ---F.4th---, No. 20-3172, 2022 WL 2948910 (10th Cir. July 26, 2022)

Professional Liability

Routinely advises and defends attorneys, accountants, architects, land surveyors, physician assistants and respiratory therapists.

Dismissal of all claims asserted against appraisal management company.

Gaines v. JPMorgan Chase Bank NA et al., No. 02-17-01109 (E.D.Wis. 2019)

Product Liability

Tried to verdict personal injury claim defending global crane and lifting equipment manufacturer in which liability and damages were contested.

Summary judgment in multimillion-dollar product defect claim arising out of allegedly defective floor coating material.

See Lenzen v. Garon Products, Inc., 2011 WL 5177713 (D. Minn. 2011)

Insurance Coverage

Secured a judgment of over $1.8 million in coverage dispute between excess insurers arising out of a construction defect claim. The judgment included 100% of our client’s attorney’s fees. The case settled shortly after Chris defeated the defendant’s motion to stay enforcement of the judgment.

Recovered over $1 million in coverage dispute arising out of multiple insurers’ duty to defend a common insured from a construction defect claim.

Motion to dismiss granted in first-party insurance claim arising out of hail damage to townhome association. Chris briefed and argued the motion to dismiss and defended the dismissal on appeal.

Aspenwood Condo. of Duluth, Inc. v. PMA Companies, No. A21-0719, 2022 WL 433241, at *1 (Minn. Ct. App. Feb. 14, 2022), review denied (Apr. 27, 2022)

Summary judgment granted in numerous first-party insurance claims alleging property damage caused by hail.

Prevailed in numerous appraisals of first-party property claims resulting in below-deductible awards.