Christopher is an experienced attorney who dedicates his practice on representing both individuals and businesses, as debtors or creditors, when addressing financial difficulties.  He is skilled in navigating legal solutions such as work-out agreements or bankruptcy, ranging from straightforward Chapter 7 liquidation cases to complex Chapter 11 reorganizations.  He has provided representation for individuals, family enterprises, agricultural entities (including farmers, ranchers, and fishers), as well as larger businesses.

After growing up on U.S. Air Force bases across the country and attending college in South Carolina, Christopher moved to Portland in 2004.

Working with both consumer and business clients, I have focused on achieving cost-effective outcomes for clients. I strive to understand the outcomes desired by my clients and to advise problem-solving strategies to achieve those goals and objectives.

  • Represented individual debtor in strategically-filed successive bankruptcy cases to discharge majority of nearly $1 million in income tax obligations and force repayment plan, without interest or penalties, of remaining balance.
  • Represented plaintiffs against defendant who filed a bad faith bankruptcy to stay a pending trial, obtaining a dismissal and two-year bar to re-filing against individual debtor.
  • Represented individual Chapter 11 debtor in subchapter V bankruptcy case to address significant debts, including hundreds of thousands of dollars of unpaid tax obligations.
  • Won motions for monetary sanctions, dismissal with prejudice, and a five-year bar to re-filing against individual Chapter 13 debtor for bad faith filing and failure to comply with discovery obligations.
  • Represented individual small business seller against purchaser in subsequent bankruptcy filing, obtaining an approximate 250% increase in monthly payments on unpaid obligation, provisions requiring payment in full a year earlier, and a market interest rate on unpaid balance.
  • Represented individual against to-be-former spouse in bankruptcy to allow dissolution proceedings to proceed without further interference from bankruptcy proceedings, including sale of real estate and distribution of proceeds to client.

  • “Conduit: A Solution in Need of a Problem” with Theodore Piteo, Debtor-Creditor Section Newsletter (2018)
  • “Substitutes for Return & Non-Dischargeability: The Ninth Circuit Adds Substitute for Return Assessments to Tax Evasion and Fraudulent Returns as Reasons for Non-dischargeable Tax Obligations.” Debtor-Creditor Section Newsletter (Fall 2016); republished with changes Tax Section Newsletter (2018)

Professional Organizations:

  • Local Bankruptcy Rules and Forms Committee (2016-present)
    • Chair
  • Oregon State Bar (2007-present)
  • Washington State Bar (2014-present)
  • Oregon Debtor-Creditor Section (2007-present)
  • Oregon Taxation Section (2007-present)
  • Washington Debtor-Creditor Section (2014-present)
  • Multnomah Bar Association (2007-present)
  •  Oregon State Bar New Lawyer Mentoring Program (2014-present)
    • Volunteer Mentor
  • Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (2012-present)
    • Volunteer Judge
  • Lewis & Clark College Law School International Law Moot Court Team (2012-present)
    • Volunteer Coach
  • Multnomah County Search and Rescue Unit (2013-present)

PERSONAL INTERESTS

Outside of the office, Christopher enjoys flying, sailing, and woodworking.