Biography
Chris Callanan is an experienced trial attorney who represents businesses and individuals in a variety of commercial, employment and catastrophic personal injury matters. Mr. Callanan's business litigation practice focuses on employment disputes including breach of contract, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, wage and hour disputes, independent contractor classification issues, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, unfair and deceptive business practices, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and defamation. Mr. Callanan has litigated and tried a wide variety of personal and wrongful death actions involving motor vehicle accidents, workplace accidents, products liability claims, and premises liability claims. He also has expertise in Sports Law, having represented professional athletes, sports agents, national governing bodies, and sports sponsors.
Previously, Chris Callanan was a partner at Stevenson McKenna & Callanan LLP and a shareholder at Campbell Campbell Edwards & Conroy, a nationally recognized trial law firm in Boston defending product manufacturers, major hotel chains and major retailers against a variety of product liability, general liability and commercial lawsuits.
Representative Cases
- Obtained $464,952.00 jury verdict ($608,218.32 with prejudgment interest) after five day trial in Plymouth Superior Court for breach of an employment agreement on behalf of CEO of health services company for failure to pay agreed upon severance.
- Obtained complete dismissal of United States District Court complaint alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act; seeking injunctive relief under Section 1983 for alleged violations of the Medicaid Act, the Rehabilitation Act and the Fourteenth Amendment; and alleging negligence, negligent infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract. Successfully defended dismissal before United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
- Favorably resolved claim for unpaid overtime and unpaid prevailing wage pay on behalf of laborer.
- Favorably resolved products liability claim involving catastrophic injury to minor child brought against product manufacturer.
- Favorably resolved wrongful death claim brought against a commercial truck driver employed by a Fortune 500 beverage company.
- Successfully resolved of a traumatic brain injury claim brought against a Fortune 500 hospitality company and its employee.
- Successfully defended Chairman and CEO of Fortune 500 lighting company in arbitration of claims brought against him individually by a former employee alleging breach of employment contract, breach of stock option agreement, and Wage Act violations.
- Defended top PGA Tour golfer sued by major golf equipment manufacturers alleging breach of contract, breach of good faith and fair dealing and violations of Chapter 93A arising out of an endorsement agreement dispute.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of closely held corporation and its owners against claims brought by a former employee alleging breach of employment contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and defamation.
- Regularly counsel and defend employers on issues of employee non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, wage and hour compliance, employee classification, discrimination and wrongful termination.
- Successfully recovered overtime pay on behalf of a group of workers in a Federal Court collective/class action.
- Member of trial team representing the family of a worker killed on the job, resulting in a $4.5m settlement during trial.
- Member of trial team representing the family of a worker killed on the job, resulting in a pre-trial settlement ranked by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly among the top 10 highest settlements in 2005.
- Defended subcontractors in numerous catastrophic injury claims arising out of construction accidents.
- Manage litigation and try cases for major retailers, major hotel chain and a number of product manufacturers in general liability and product liability matters.
- Serve as monitoring counsel to major insurers on high exposure catastrophic injury and death claims.
- Successfully recovered fees on behalf of sports agent in fee dispute with professional athlete.
- Represent Olympic and professional athletes in various business dealings, including the negotiation and drafting of endorsement, appearance and public speaking agreements.
Publications
- Co-Author, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Massachusetts Deposition Practice Manual, Chapter 3, Taking Depositions in Federal Court (4th Edition 2021).
- Author, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Massachusetts Deposition Practice Manual, Chapter 11 Audiovisual Depositions (4th Edition 2021).
- Contributor, DRI In House Quarterly Fall 2017, Massachusetts Strengthens Pay Equity Law and Passes Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. Read: 2017 In-House Def Qtrly
- Case Report: Croker v. Townsend Oil Company, Inc., Massachusetts Lawyer's Journal June 2013. Read: 2013-06-13 MBA Lawyers Journal
- Contributor, DRI Employment Law Compendium, State-by-State Survey, 2011, Massachusetts, Maine.
- Contributor, DRI Employment Legislation State-by-State Survey, (Massachusetts, Maine & New Hampshire) 2012 – present.
- Diaz v. Jiten: New Twist on Chapter 151B Attorney Fee Awards, Massachusetts Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section Newsletter, January 2012. Read: 2012-01-24 Diaz v. Jiten MBA Article
- Massachusetts' Independent Contractor Law: A Trap for Employers, IADC Employment Law Newsletter, January 2011. Read: IADC Independent Ktor Jan. 2011
- Punitive Damage Awards in Employment Discrimination Cases, IADC Employment Law Newsletter, December 2009. Read: IADC Employment 12.09 Haddad Pun Dmgs
- Traps of the Massachusetts Tips Statute, IADC Aviation Law Newsletter, October 2008. Read: IADC-AviationSpace1-Oct08 Tips
- How to Obtain Discovery from Governmental Agencies, IADC Aviation Law Newsletter, October 2007. Read: IADC Aviation10.07 Discovery fr Govt Agency
- Employment Rights of Undocumented Workers, IADC Employment Law Newsletter, November 2006. Read: IADC-Employment 11-06 Undocumented
- Gendreau v. Hyannis Air: Defending the Fear of Flying Case, IADC Aviation Law Newsletter March 2000. Read: IADC Aviation 3.06Gendreau
- Advice for the Next Jeremy Bloom: An Elite Athlete's Guide to NCAA Amateurism Regulations, 56 Case W. Res. L. Rev. 687, Spring, 2006, reprinted in Business of Sports (2010). Read: adviceforthenextjeremybloom
Presentations
- An Entertaining Case Study for Law Firms, Ethics Panel Discussion, Moderator & Panelist, 2021 DRI Annual Meeting, Boston, MA.
- Taking Remote Depositions Interactive Workshop, Faculty Member, 2020 to present.
- Federal Court Civil Practice Conference, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Chair, 2017-2018.
- Taking Depositions Workshop, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Co-Chair, 2007 to 2018, Faculty Member 2007 to present.
- Advanced Deposition Workshop, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Faculty Member, 2007 to present
- When in Doubt Sit Them Out: Civil Liability for Head Injuries in Scholastic Sports, Concussion and Sports Injury Prevention Workshop, Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, Franklin, MA, April 4, 2011.
- Depositions 101: Deposing the Treating Physician, National Webinar presented by the IADC Trial Tactics & Techniques Committee, January 27, 2010.
- 21st Century Motion Practice: Addressing E-Discovery Issues, Massachusetts Bar Association, Panelist, September 2009
- Massachusetts Employment Law Update, Harmonie Group Spring Conference, New Orleans, LA, April 2009.
- Morals Clauses in Sports Contracts, National Sports and Entertainment Law Symposium, University of Virginia Law School, Virginia CLE, March 7, 2008.
- Greater Boston with Emily Rooney, WGBH Television Broadcast, May 22, 2007.
- Eligibility Issues Facing Olympic and Individual Sport Athletes, Case Western Law School Center for Law, Technology and the Arts Symposium: Sports and Eligibility: Who is Eligible to Play, Cleveland, OH, November 11, 2005.
- Be A Parent, Not A Pal, pro bono educational presentation on Massachusetts social host (alcohol) liability statute for parents, educators, students, coaches and members of the community, 2005-2009.
- Practicing with Professionalism, Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:16 mandatory one-day course for new lawyers, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Panelist, 2017 to 2019.
Practice Areas
Honors
- Law & Politics “Super Lawyer” 2013-2022
- Boston Mazazine's' Top Lawyers 2021-22
- Law & Politics “Rising Star” 2010
Professional Associations
- Defense Research Institute, Employment Law Committee Member
- Massachusetts Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section Council Member, 2010 to 2013
- International Association of Defense Counsel, Business Litigation Committee Webinar Chair (2011); Employment Litigation Committee Member, 2006 – 2011, 2006 to 2011
- Sports Lawyers Association
Education
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Boston College Law School, Boston, Massachusetts
- J.D. – 1995
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College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts
- B.A. – 1992
Bar Admission
- Massachusetts
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- New Hampshire
- U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court District of Connecticut
- U.S. District Court District of Rhode Island
- U.S. District Court District of Maine
- U.S. District Court District of Vermont
- U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Recent Blog Posts
Discrimination Based on Hairstyle Now Unlawful in Massachusetts
Defense Verdict in Prescriptive Easement Claim
Rehiring Laid-Off Or Furloughed Employees — What Massachusetts Employers Need to Know
Obligations Regarding Furloughed Employees — What Massachusetts Employers Need to Know
CARES Act Small Business Paycheck Protection Program