Christopher Butler
Counsel
350 South Grand Avenue
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
chris.butler@nelsonmullins.com
Drawing on a diverse background in commercial litigation, Christopher guides clients through high-stakes disputes spanning business torts and contract disputes, class actions, transactional post-closing disputes, partnership disagreements, insurance disputes, and product liability and medical device cases. He also has significant experience advising and defending clients against enforcement actions including under federal and state financial...
Drawing on a diverse background in commercial litigation, Christopher guides clients through high-stakes disputes spanning business torts and contract disputes, class actions, transactional post-closing disputes, partnership disagreements, insurance disputes, and product liability and medical device cases. He also has significant experience advising and defending clients against enforcement actions including under federal and state financial privacy statutes, California’s Automatic Renewal Law and California’s false advertising statutes.
Christopher serves as an adjunct faculty member at the USC Gould School of Law.
privacy statutes, California’s Automatic Renewal Law and California’s false advertising statutes.
Christopher serves as an adjunct faculty member at the USC Gould School of Law.
Experience
The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
Previous Professional Experience
- Counsel, (Litigation), Los Angeles office of global law firm (2021–2025)
- Associate, (Litigation), Los Angeles office of global law firm (2019–2021)
- Associate, (Litigation), Los Angeles office of global law firm (2017–2019)
- Adjunct faculty member, USC Gould School of Law (2022-present)
Representative Matters
- Prevailed on motion to dismiss class action alleging violation of federal and state financial privacy statutes by money transmitter for providing customer transaction data in response to law enforcement subpoenas
- Compelled arbitration and forced joint venture partner into buyout of international restaurant management corporation’s shares under favorable terms
- Won dismissal in “bet-the-company” matter for fintech startup sued by global financial services company for breach of contract
- Won dismissal of grand jury indictment of corporate executive for jury bias resulting in recognition in Law.com “Litigator of the Week” column
- Received the 2025 Annual Award from the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles by prevailing for defendant at summary judgment in breach of commercial contract case and leading trial team to the eve of trial on counterclaim before favorable settlement
- Defeated motion to dismiss and motion for summary judgment in fidelity bond insurance dispute for bank against insurer before favorable settlement
- Litigated COVID-related insurance recovery actions on behalf of multiple clients
- Litigated to favorable resolution post-closing dispute of an asset purchase agreement
- Led discovery, including motion practice to resolve discovery disputes, in major international trade secrets dispute
- Prevailed in California state appellate court on a writ petition vacating trial court order that had improperly compelled challenge to the validity of mechanic’s lien to arbitration
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, JD (2017)
- University of California Los Angeles, BA, summa cum laude (2013)
Admissions
- California
- District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Practice Areas
The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.
Previous Professional Experience
- Counsel, (Litigation), Los Angeles office of global law firm (2021–2025)
- Associate, (Litigation), Los Angeles office of global law firm (2019–2021)
- Associate, (Litigation), Los Angeles office of global law firm (2017–2019)
- Adjunct faculty member, USC Gould School of Law (2022-present)
Representative Matters
- Prevailed on motion to dismiss class action alleging violation of federal and state financial privacy statutes by money transmitter for providing customer transaction data in response to law enforcement subpoenas
- Compelled arbitration and forced joint venture partner into buyout of international restaurant management corporation’s shares under favorable terms
- Won dismissal in “bet-the-company” matter for fintech startup sued by global financial services company for breach of contract
- Won dismissal of grand jury indictment of corporate executive for jury bias resulting in recognition in Law.com “Litigator of the Week” column
- Received the 2025 Annual Award from the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles by prevailing for defendant at summary judgment in breach of commercial contract case and leading trial team to the eve of trial on counterclaim before favorable settlement
- Defeated motion to dismiss and motion for summary judgment in fidelity bond insurance dispute for bank against insurer before favorable settlement
- Litigated COVID-related insurance recovery actions on behalf of multiple clients
- Litigated to favorable resolution post-closing dispute of an asset purchase agreement
- Led discovery, including motion practice to resolve discovery disputes, in major international trade secrets dispute
- Prevailed in California state appellate court on a writ petition vacating trial court order that had improperly compelled challenge to the validity of mechanic’s lien to arbitration
Recognitions
The bar rules of some states require that the standards for an attorney's inclusion in certain public accolades or recognitions be provided. When such accolades or recognitions are listed, a hyperlink is provided that leads to a description of the respective selection methodology.
- Legal Foundation of Los Angeles, Annual Attorney Award (2025)
Community
- Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation, Director
Drawing on a diverse background in commercial litigation, Christopher guides clients through high-stakes disputes spanning business torts and contract disputes, class actions, transactional post-closing disputes, partnership disagreements, insurance disputes, and product liability and medical device cases. He also has significant experience advising and defending clients against enforcement actions including under federal and state financial... privacy statutes, California’s Automatic Renewal Law and California’s false advertising statutes.
Christopher serves as an adjunct faculty member at the USC Gould School of Law.
Experience
The following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.Previous Professional Experience
- Counsel, (Litigation), Los Angeles office of global law firm (2021–2025)
- Associate, (Litigation), Los Angeles office of global law firm (2019–2021)
- Associate, (Litigation), Los Angeles office of global law firm (2017–2019)
- Adjunct faculty member, USC Gould School of Law (2022-present)
Representative Matters
- Prevailed on motion to dismiss class action alleging violation of federal and state financial privacy statutes by money transmitter for providing customer transaction data in response to law enforcement subpoenas
- Compelled arbitration and forced joint venture partner into buyout of international restaurant management corporation’s shares under favorable terms
- Won dismissal in “bet-the-company” matter for fintech startup sued by global financial services company for breach of contract
- Won dismissal of grand jury indictment of corporate executive for jury bias resulting in recognition in Law.com “Litigator of the Week” column
- Received the 2025 Annual Award from the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles by prevailing for defendant at summary judgment in breach of commercial contract case and leading trial team to the eve of trial on counterclaim before favorable settlement
- Defeated motion to dismiss and motion for summary judgment in fidelity bond insurance dispute for bank against insurer before favorable settlement
- Litigated COVID-related insurance recovery actions on behalf of multiple clients
- Litigated to favorable resolution post-closing dispute of an asset purchase agreement
- Led discovery, including motion practice to resolve discovery disputes, in major international trade secrets dispute
- Prevailed in California state appellate court on a writ petition vacating trial court order that had improperly compelled challenge to the validity of mechanic’s lien to arbitration
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, JD (2017)
- University of California Los Angeles, BA, summa cum laude (2013)
Admissions
- California
- District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Practice Areas
Industries
The bar rules of some states require that the standards for an attorney's inclusion in certain public accolades or recognitions be provided. When such accolades or recognitions are listed, a hyperlink is provided that leads to a description of the respective selection methodology.
- Legal Foundation of Los Angeles, Annual Attorney Award (2025)
- Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation, Director
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