Areas of Practice
Industries
Memberships and Affiliations
Maryland State Bar Association
Defense Research Institute, Commercial Litigation Committee
Education
J.D., University of Maryland School of Law, 2003
- Associate Editor, Maryland Law Review
B.A., Towson University, 2000
- Dean's List
- Provost Scholarship
Bar Admission(s)
- Maryland
Clerkship(s)
- Asper Fellow to Magistrate Judge Paul W. Grimm, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Christopher S. Gunderson
- T: (410) 332-8919
- F: (410) 332-8163
- EmailCGunderson@saul.com vCard
Christopher Gunderson represents individuals and companies in a broad range of disputes. He has represented clients in the areas of commercial contract, financial fraud, insurance coverage, ERISA fiduciary duties, construction, energy and utility regulation and product liability litigation. Christopher is experienced in the multiple phases of litigation, including electronic discovery, depositions, motions practice, expert witnesses, mediation, arbitration and trial. Moreover, Christopher has experience conducting confidential internal investigations and has counseled clients subject to external government-appointed monitoring.
Christopher has significant experience litigating cases across the country. He has represented clients in cases pending in state and federal courts in California, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Christopher is active in the Baltimore legal community through various bar associations and mentor programs, currently serving on the editorial board for the Maryland State Bar Association's newsletter, The Maryland Litigator. He is the author of "No Small Injury: The Rise of RSD/CRPS Claims," which was published in the Defense Research Institute's publication, In-House Defense Quarterly, in the summer of 2009. Christopher is also an active advocate for Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake through his service on the Board of Directors' Development Committee.
Prior to joining Saul Ewing, Christopher was an associate at DLA Piper in the firm's Baltimore office. He is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Experience
- Representation of two national energy companies in their contested application to obtain regulatory approval in Maryland for their $7.9 billion merger, which created the largest competitive energy provider in the United States.
- Representation of a global life insurance company in a lawsuit filed by a large commercial bank in federal court. The plaintiff sought $500 million based upon allegations arising from its purchase of Bank-Owned Life Insurance and subsequent investment in a hedge fund exposed to mortgage-backed securities.
- Representation of a global life and disability insurance company in numerous lawsuits filed by employee benefit plan participants. The plaintiffs sought monetary damages for alleged violations of ERISA administrative and fiduciary duties.
- Representation of a national insurance and reinsurance company in defense of a commercial general liability coverage dispute involving the contamination of a waste treatment facility. The coverage was denied under a pollution exclusion clause.
- Representation of a policyholder seeking insurance coverage under a marine open cargo policy following damage to perishable goods during shipping.
- Representation of a national home improvement retailer in defense of a $300 million breach of contract claim involving installation services. The client used our successful strategy and the resulting court order in the defense of similar lawsuits across the country.
- Representation of a national home improvement retailer in defense of breach of contract claims involving the cancellation of various supply contracts due to commercial impracticability following Hurricane Katrina.
- Representation of a global pharmaceutical manufacturer in the defense of multidistrict product liability litigation involving arthritis medication. Participated as a member of the national coordinating counsel team.
- Representation of global pharmaceutical manufacturer in the defense of multidistrict product liability litigation involving diet drugs. Participated as a member of the regional coordinating counsel team.
- Representation of a national manufacturer of mulch distribution machinery in defense of product liability claims involving the death of a landscape operator.
- Representation of a national manufacturer of tire changing machines in defense of various product liability claims.
- Representation of a national auto manufacturer in defense of product liability claims involving the use of asbestos-containing brake pads and linings.
- Representation of a global financial and insurance company in connection with an SEC-appointed independent consultant's examination. Following an SEC investigation, an independent consultant engaged in a multi-year review of the company's corporate compliance and disclosure policies in numerous aspects, including: anti-money laundering, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, international trade regulations (OFAC, antiboycott regulations, export control regulations), privacy and data security, and consumer finance.
- Representation of a global pharmaceutical company in an internal investigation concerning safety profile data used in support of a new drug application.
- Representation of a national weight management company in securities fraud class action and shareholder derivative suits related to a restatement of the company’s financial statements due to accounting errors.