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Christian J. Pistilli

Partner

Washington +1 202 662 5342

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    An experienced and versatile litigator, Chris Pistilli focuses on providing strategic insight to achieve his clients' goals in high-stakes, complex disputes spanning multiple disciplines and venues. Among other things, Chris is frequently called upon to handle matters asserting consumer protection, RICO, ERISA, public nuisance, breach of contract, fraud and negligence claims, in both state and federal court, from inception and through appeal. He has especially deep experience in defending clients in class actions and multi-jurisdictional matters.

    Chris routinely represents the financial services industry in a broad range of matters, including consumer class actions, parens patriae actions, and qui tam actions. He also has substantial experience representing pension plans, plan sponsors and plan fiduciaries in high-dollar, precedent-setting ERISA litigation matters.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Representing a large national bank in defending commercial and false claims act litigations relating to the sale of distressed mortgage debt.
    • Represented Takata in a multi-jurisdictional (MDL) products liability lawsuit related to the widely-covered airbag recall.
    • Won complete defense verdict for a pharmaceutical company client in case alleging breach of a collaboration agreement.
    • Represented a large national bank in the successful settlement of several consumer protection class actions and parens patriae actions.

    • Successfully represented American Bankers Association in challenge to Volcker Rule provision of Dodd-Frank Act brought in federal district court and D.C. Circuit.
    • Persuaded the U.S. Supreme Court to grant review and reverse a Second Circuit ruling against the Xerox pension plan in a case that made new law under ERISA.
    • Successfully represented tax lien collectors in class actions alleging RICO and consumer protection claims relating to the collection of municipal tax debt.
    • Represented plaintiff in obtaining highly favorable settlement of environmental liability claims.
    • Successfully represented Verizon in ERISA litigation challenging its transfer of $7.5 billion dollars in pension liabilities to an insurance company.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Harvard Law School, 2004
        • magna cum laude
        • Sears Prize Winner
        • Ames Moot Court Competition, Winner
        • Harvard Law Review, Articles Co-Chair
    • Haverford College, 1997
        • summa cum laude
        • Phi Beta Kappa
    Bar Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    • New York
    Judicial Clerkship
    • Hon. Amalya L. Kearse, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 2004 - 2005
    Pro Bono
    • Represent individual convicted of murder and sentenced to life without possibility of parole in West Virginia state habeas proceedings.
    Accolades
    • Legal 500 US, ERISA Litigation (2015, 2017)
    • Washington DC Super Lawyers, Litigation "Rising Star" (2013-2015)

    Areas of Expertise

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