Christopher S. Whittaker
Associate
Christopher Whittaker is an associate in O’Melveny’s Newport Beach office and a member of the Business Trial and Litigation Practice. Chris represents companies in both state and federal courts in a broad range of high-stakes, complex business litigation. His experience includes assisting clients seeking relief for trade secret misappropriation and false advertising, defending companies against securities class actions and breach-of-contract allegations, and helping clients avoid litigation by facilitating negotiated resolutions of business disputes. In addition to his regular practice, Chris also devotes time to
pro bono matters, including civil rights and death penalty litigation
Illustrative Professional Experience
- Represented a global leader in the pharmaceutical industry in a successful three-week trial in federal court involving misappropriation of trade secrets by a major competitor relating to the marketing of the client’s leading pharmaceutical product. Also successfully represented the same company in a Lanham Act case against the same competitor.
- Assisted a leading fabless semiconductor company in defending fifteen separate merger-related putative class actions, ultimately resulting in the dismissal of all claims.
- Represented several defendants in separate cases alleging infringement of a patent that claims a method for authentication of Internet-based transactions, all of which either settled on favorable terms for the clients or were dismissed or stayed pending resolution of a related case.
- Currently representing a pro bono client in his claim against prison officials for cruel and unusual treatment in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Professional Activities
Admitted to Practice, US District Court, Central and Eastern Districts of California
Co-Presenter, “What You Need to Know About Recent Developments in Ethics” (Two-part O’Melveny Seminar, January 2013)
Volunteer Coach, Garden Grove High School Mock Trial Team
Volunteer Judge, University of California at Irvine Mock Trial Tournament