Christopher C. Genovese is a partner in the Columbia, South Carolina, office of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, where his practice focuses on franchise and distribution counseling and litigation.

Mr. Genovese has extensive experience in a wide range of franchise and distribution matters. Mr. Genovese has represented clients in diverse industries including quick service restaurants, automotive manufacturers and distributors, hospitality industry, national product suppliers, international chemical manufacturers and distributors, and manufacturers of construction equipment. In addition, he regularly advises clients with respect to franchise and distribution laws and other complex business litigation matters.

A member of the South Carolina Bar, Mr. Genovese has been admitted to practice in the District of South Carolina, the Central District of California, the Middle District of Florida, District Court of New Jersey, and the District Court of Puerto Rico.

Mr. Genovese’s representative matters include the following:

• Obtained dismissal of putative consumer false advertising class actions in Florida and Arkansas against an automotive manufacturer.
• Represented an international automotive paint manufacturer in a lawsuit asserting violations of Puerto Rico’s distribution laws.
• Defended a chemical coatings manufacturer in a lawsuit involving allegations of price fixing and unfair trade practices.
• Defended an automobile manufacturer’s performance-based termination of a Maryland dealership.

Pro-Bono/Community Activities
In 2007, Mr. Genovese initiated the Firm’s Conservatorship Guardianship Program. He recruits, trains, and mentors a team of attorneys who provide pro bono representation to assist parents in establishing conservatorships/guardianships for their special needs children.

Mr. Genovese is a member of the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), which approves, monitors, and reviews biomedical and behavioral research involving US veterans with the aim to protect the rights and welfare of these patients.

Speaking Engagements
Mr. Genovese conducts in-house training sessions for clients addressing a variety of franchise and distribution issues. Mr. Genovese has been a speaker before the National Association of Motor Vehicle Boards and Commissions.

Prior Experience and Education
Prior to attending law school, Mr. Genovese managed a multimillion-dollar franchise operation. In 2004, Mr. Genovese earned a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of South Carolina School of Law where he received CALI Awards for Advanced Civil Procedure and Appellate Advocacy, served as associate editor in chief of the ABA Real Property, Probate and Trust Journal, and was a member of the Order of Wig and Robe. In 1993, Mr. Genovese earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, magna cum laude, from the College of Charleston. In addition, Mr. Genovese spent time as an exchange student at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.