Chris Durham is an associate in Ropes & Gray's litigation and enforcement practice group. Chris focuses his practice on government and internal investigations, civil litigation, and mass tort defense. He represents clients in matters involving misconduct claims.

During law school, Chris interned for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston, where he assisted with investigating financial crimes. Chris also externed for the Honorable Scott L. Kafker of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. As a 3:03 Assistant District Attorney for the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, Chris argued a number of motions and prosecuted one jury trial and six bench trials in Ayer District Court.

Experience

Government and Internal Investigations

  • Represents publicly traded company in federal grand jury investigation.
  • Represents global aerospace and defense company in an FCA investigation.
  • Represents former executive of a multinational conglomerate corporation in an SEC investigation.
  • Represents former executive of a major defense contractor in an FCA investigation.
  • Represented witnesses in connection with a federal criminal fraud trial.
  • Represented veterinarian pharmaceutical company in response to a whistle-blower complaint regarding animal welfare.
  • Represented university in response to complaints about employee misconduct.

Civil Litigation

  • Represents non-profit institution in resolving claims related to allegations of historic sexual misconduct by a former employee.
  • Represents universities and hospitals in resolving claims related to allegations of sexual abuse by former physician employees.
  • Represents university in lawsuit involving allegations of sexual abuse by a former student.
  • Represented leading financial institution in connection with a class action lawsuit brought in the Southern District of New York by purported trafficking victims, alleging novel claims under the Trafficking and Violence Protection Act and related business torts.
  • Represented state government in resolving class action lawsuit involving mass tort claims related to allegations of negligent patient care.
  • Represented company in litigation surrounding former employees’ breach of fiduciary duties, breach of contract, and trade secret misappropriation.
  • Represented sports apparel company and youth sports producer in civil litigation related to allegations of athlete abuse.

Pro Bono

  • Represents individual seeking pardons from the Massachusetts Governor’s Office for former criminal offenses.
  • Represented individual in lawsuit against property management company for uninhabitable apartment conditions.
  • Represented individual in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status proceedings.
  • Member of Special Master team appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts to oversee inmate confinement conditions and early release opportunities during the COVID-19 crisis.

Areas of Practice