- OVERVIEW
- EXPERIENCE
- INSIGHTS
- NEWS & EVENTS
INDUSTRIES
PRACTICES
-
Education
-
University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law,
J.D., cum laude, 1995
Missouri Law Review
Order of the Coif
-
Tufts University,
B.A., Economics & Political Science, magna cum laude, 1992
-
Harvard Law School Executive Education Program,
Leadership in Law Firms, 2016
-
-
Admissions
-
Illinois
-
Missouri
-
-
Affiliations
-
The Illinois Bar
-
The Missouri Bar
-
-
Representative Clients
-
Bayer
-
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
-
Peabody Energy Corporation
-
Riceland Foods, Inc.
-
Missouri Soybean
-
Smitty's Supply, Inc.
-
-
Recognitions
-
Listed in Chambers USA, (by Chambers & Partners) 2013-2016
-
Listed in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, (by Thomson Reuters) 2009-2021
Class Action/Mass Torts
Top 100 in Missouri & Kansas, 2012
Top 50 in St. Louis, 2011-2012, 2017
-
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (by BL Rankings), 2023-2024
-
-
Employment
-
Thompson Coburn LLP
Partner, 2004-Present
Associate, 1995-2003
-
-
Community
-
Saint Louis Art Museum
Board Member, Corporate Partners Committee, 2014-2019
Board of Trustees, 2019-Present
-
Chris chairs the 200-attorney Litigation Department at Thompson Coburn and is co-chair of Business Litigation, the largest practice group in the Firm. He also serves on the Executive and Management Committees of the Firm.
In his practice, Chris leads complex litigation and class action defense for major corporations in the financial services and agriculture industries. Chris serves as lead defense counsel in high-stakes Multi-District Litigation (MDL) proceedings.
With a career spanning 28 years, clients look to Chris to develop highly-focused litigation strategies and view him as a go-to resource for cases involving multiple plaintiffs, class actions, or MDL litigation.
Chris has taken a lead role in nearly every major litigation over the last decade related to alleged crop contamination by genetically modified strains of rice, soybeans, wheat, and corn. For agribusiness giants like Riceland and Bayer, Chris has successfully litigated claims related to the introduction of GM crops and the disruption of the supply chain and export markets. Chris helps lead a GM task force within the firm that developed an extensive database of experience, litigation capabilities, and successful trial and appellate strategies. He draws on that experience to defend clients facing individual or class action claims, and counsel them on risk management for new biotechnology or GM varieties.
Chris has significant experience representing clients in trials, arbitrations and mediations, and on appeal.
Served in lead counsel and coordinating defense counsel roles in a number of the major agriculture-related MDL cases across the Midwest, including those involving:
- Genetically Modified Rice
- Roundup Ready Wheat
- Dicamba Herbicides Litigation
- 303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid
Led a team of attorneys in helping win an 8th Circuit victory for Scottrade in securities class action. The 8th Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of plaintiff Nicholas Lewis's class action claims on the basis that his claims were precluded by the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act (SLUSA).
Led a team of attorneys in securing a $600,000 jury verdict on behalf of the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (MSMC) and the Mid-America Research and Development Foundation (MRDF) in a case against a former executive who profited from suspect contracts for valuable soybean technologies. After a three-day trial, it took jurors less than 30 minutes to award MSMC a winning verdict.
Represented one of the largest financial services companies in the country, prevailing in a unique $3 million malicious prosecution case.
Along with a team of attorneys, Chris tried a four-week jury trial in Arkansas state court on behalf of firm client, Riceland Foods, Inc. The trial was the culmination of years of work by the legal team that defended Riceland foods on multiple litigation fronts, including defense of multiple class action lawsuits in Arkansas, classes of farmers consolidated in an MDL in the Eastern District of Missouri, and several European Union customers suing in federal court. The Riceland legal team's strategy reversed Riceland's defensive position by asserting a cross-claim against a codefendant resulting in $136.9 million jury verdict for Riceland.
TCLEs
Lender Policies and Procedures for Subpoenas, Summons and Third-Party Demand Requests
Thompson Coburn Publications
Retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers: Be aware of price gouging laws during COVID-19
Publications
Panel Participant and Quoted, "Men Who Champion Women Take to WIPL Stage, Ponder How to Make Their Advocacy the Norm"
Law.com October 20, 2023
News
Thompson Coburn Attorneys Share 2024 Trend Predictions
Women, Influence & Power in Law Conference
Chris Hohn, TC Chair-elect, Speaks at ALM’s Women, Influence & Power in Law Conference
Industry Coverage: Thompson Coburn’s Strategic Next-Gen Leadership Announcement
Thompson Coburn Positions for Next-Gen Leadership: Announces Next Firm Chair & Senior Leaders
Thompson Coburn recognized as one of the most philanthropic companies in St. Louis
Thompson Coburn attorneys win 8th Circuit victory for Scottrade in securities class action
Scottrade wins dismissal of data breach class action in the 8th Circuit
Litigators to lead Lorman webinar on lender policies for subpoenas, summons, demand requests
Missouri Court of Appeals rules for Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council
Agribusiness professionals enjoy hands-on farm simulation at Thompson Coburn
Thompson Coburn leads Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council to $600,000 jury verdict
23 Thompson Coburn attorneys recognized in 2016 Chambers USA
25 Thompson Coburn attorneys recognized in 2015 Chambers USA
27 Thompson Coburn attorneys recognized in 2014 Chambers USA