Areas of Practice
- Class Action
- Commercial Litigation, Insolvency, & Creditors' Rights
- Complex Litigation
- Cross-Border Litigation
- Litigation
- Professional Liability
- Securities & Directors/Officers Litigation
- Subprime Lending Team
- Trade Secrets
Education
- The University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D., 1985
- Ohio State University, B.S.B.A., 1981
Bar & Court Admissions
- Illinois
- Illinois State courts (all)
- US District Courts of the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois
- US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- US Court of Appeals, Seventh and Eighth Circuits
Christopher J. Barber
Partner
115 South LaSalle StreetSuite 3100
Chicago IL 60603
TEL: 312.577.1230
FAX: 312.577.1370
Christopher J. Barber is a partner in the Chicago office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he is a member of the Litigation group.
Mr. Barber focuses on commercial litigation and arbitration, with particular experience in financial markets, bankruptcy, and reinsurance matters. His practice includes cases throughout the United States and abroad, including London and Bermuda. Mr. Barber has tried more than 120 cases—trials, arbitrations and regulatory enforcement proceedings—to completion.
Representative Matters
- Acacia Mutual Life Insurance Company, et al. v. BAA Plc. et al., Maryland State Court (fraudulent conveyance case arising out of a sale of US subsidiary)
- First Union Securities, Inc. v. Raymond James & Associates, et al., NYSE Arbitration and US District Court, Southern District Indiana (broker-dealer raiding case)
- Frederick v. Laurienti, et al. California State Court (shareholder’s derivative suit arising from technology stock manipulation)
- In re Griffin Trading Company, US Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Illinois and English Commercial Court, London (breach of duty and fraud case arising out of FMC’s collapse triggered by London Futures Exchange trades)
- Kemper High Yield Series, et al. v. Gleacher NatWest et al., Illinois State Court (securities fraud dispute arising out of sales of high-yield bonds to finance steel mill located in Thailand)
- Redacted v. Redacted, Private Arbitration, Bermuda (facultative reinsurance dispute over substantial race discrimination loss)
- Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc. v. Wedbush Morgan Securities, Inc., NYSE arbitration and US District Court, Southern District of New York (fraud and contract dispute arising out of alleged stock loan scheme)
- Stark Trading, et al. v. Falconbridge Limited, et al, 05-cv-001167 (E.D. WI). We represent the plaintiffs in a securities fraud action arising out of Noranda, Inc.’s take-over bid for Falconbridge Limited. The suit alleges market manipulation claims under Sections 9 and 10(b) of the Exchange Act, and dissemination of false statements to shareholders of Falconbridge Limited in violation of Section 11 of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act.
- In re: Stock Exchanges Options Trading Antitrust Litigation, US District Court, Southern District of New York (consolidated class action involving allegations of a conspiracy to restrict listing and trading of equity options)
- In re Supreme Specialties, Inc. Securities Litigation, US District Court, Northern District of New Jersey (securities fraud case against underwriter arising from a company’s secondary offering of common stock)
- Teachers Retirement System of Illinois v. Ark Asset Management, Inc., US District Court, Northern District Illinois (breach of fiduciary duty case arising out of liquidation of portfolio)
