Chris is President of Archer and serves as Chairman of the firm’s Litigation Department and both the Environmental Law and Eminent Domain Practice Groups. During his over 30 years in practice, Chris has litigated and tried a variety of commercial, employment, construction and toxic tort/product liability cases seeking personal injuries and property claims, but he is best known as one of New Jersey’s leading environmental litigators. Chris has successfully tried multiple cases involving hundreds of millions of dollars in response costs or natural resource damage claims on behalf of many large chemical and petroleum companies. He also currently represents several large corporations in cases that have been brought by the State of New Jersey seeking natural resource damages.
Chris acts as local and regional counsel to nationally and regionally known corporations, including Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., Crown Cork & Seal Co. Inc., NL Industries Inc., and US Steel Corporation. He also represents and advises smaller and mid-size local businesses in various commercial litigation, employment and environmental matters.
In addition, Chris represents many governmental clients. He is solicitor and special counsel to the Gloucester County College; labor counsel to the Gloucester County Utility Authority; labor and special projects counsel to the Gloucester County Improvement Authority and Shady Lane Nursing Home; special labor counsel to the Mercer County Board of Social Services; and special environmental counsel to several other municipalities and governmental agencies. He has also been appointed to act as New Jersey counsel to the Delaware River Port Authority (“DRPA”) of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The DRPA is a $200 million regional transportation and economic development bi-state authority. Chris provides legal counsel to the New Jersey Commissioners and the management of the DRPA on all issues concerning New Jersey law.
Representative Experience
- Successfully represented the owner of defunct industrial operation involving more than 400 acres along the Raritan River in Middlesex County in a landmark New Jersey condemnation case. The condemnation proceedings encompassed complex issues of environmental remediation, redevelopment, and just compensation. Won key rulings at the trial and appellate levels, leading to a very favorable settlement.
- Winning the defense of a $30 million appeal by Rohm and Haas Company and Owens-Illinois, Inc., on behalf of the firm’s third-party defendant clients. The case involved the contamination of the Lipari Landfill in Pitman, N.J.
- Represented a large former manufacturer through a 5-week “bellwether” trial in a mass toxic tort action alleging toxic exposure to lead due to a former smelter in Detroit, Michigan. The trial included theories of exposure, causation and damages and required the direct and cross examination of multiple medical, toxicological and engineering experts. The jury awarded no personal injury damages and nominal property damages.
- Designing and implementing various case management techniques for complicated environmental, toxic tort and product liability litigation, which have been instrumental in efficiently managing these litigations and obtaining successful results for the firm’s clients.
- Serving as lead trial counsel for 12 industrial companies in a class-action seeking property damages and personal injury arising out of exposure to a landfill.
- After many years, achieved a voluntary dismissal of all product liability claims of a worker claiming personal injury from hazardous exposure.
Professional and Community Involvement
- Former Chair of the Board of Trustees of The College of New Jersey
- Member of the South Jersey Healthcare Board of Trustees
- Member, Camden County Bar Association
- Member, Gloucester County Bar Association
- Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association