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.
  • “Selected Rule & Form Changes” Debtor-Creditor Section Newsletter, Winter 2015.
  • “Family Law Seminar Series: Bankruptcy & Tax Issues” with Ann K. Chapman. Multnomah Bar Association CLE Presentation June 2014.
  • “Ambushes: Malpractice Traps, Difficult Clients” with Ann K. Chapman. Oregon Law Institute CLE Presentation “Armor, Ammunition, & Ambushes: Bankruptcy and Other Battles in a Struggling Economy,” April 4, 2014.
  • “Reconciling the Irreconcilable: What Debtors-Creditors Attorneys Need to Know About Family Law” with Ann K. Chapman. Oregon State Bar CLE Presentation “Taxes, Exes, and Axes to Grind: 2013 Debtor-Creditor Section CLE and Annual Meeting”, September 27-28, 2013.
  • “Dealing with Distressed Customers and Supplies: A Bankruptcy Primer for the Non-Bankruptcy Lawyer.” Oregon Law Institute CLE Presentation “Family and Closely Held Businesses”, March 1, 2013.
  • “Who Beats Who? Competing Garnishments” Oregon Debtor-Creditor Newsletter, Winter 2013.
  • “Bankruptcy’s Impact on Collecting on Your Claim: Just When You Thought You Had ‘Em!” Oregon Law Insitute CLE Presention “Judgments and Collecting Judgments in Oregon: Avoiding the Pitfalls”, November 9, 2012.
  • “Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Potpourri” with Jordan Hantman. Oregon State Bar CLE Presentation “Bankruptcy Basics: The ABCs of Filing Chapter 13”, June 15, 2012.
  • “Chapter 13: Confirmation to Completion” with Ann K. Chapman. Oregon State Bar CLE Presentation “Bankruptcy Basics: The ABCs of Filing Chapter 13”, June 15, 2012.
  • “Chapter 13: Drafting a Chapter 13 Plan, From Theory to Practice, Dealing with Typical Scenarios” with Ann K. Chapman. Oregon State Bar CLE Presentation “Bankruptcy Basics: The ABCs of Filing Chapter 13”, June 15, 2012.
  • “Chapter 13: Case Objectives & Applicable Law” with Ann K. Chapman. Oregon State Bar CLE Presentation “Bankruptcy Basics: The ABCs of Filing Chapter 13”, June 15, 2012.
  • “Chapter 13 for Individuals and Small Businesses — To Retain Assets and Repay Creidotrs — The Flexibile Bankruptcy” with Ann K. Chapman and Wayne Godare. Oregon State Bar CLE Presentation “Fundamentals of Bankruptcy”, August 12, 2011.
  • “Successfully Navigating Bankruptcy: Bankruptcy Basics for Real Estate Professionals. First American Title Real Estate Continueing Education Presentation, May 25, 2011.
  • “Chapter 7/11/12/13 Triage” with Ann K. Chapman and Richard J. Parker. Oregon Law Institute CLE Presentation “Advanced Bankruptcy Issues for Individuals”, May 20, 2011.
  • “Bankruptcy and Family Law: Bouncing Along the Economic Bottom” with Ann K. Chapman. Oregon Law Institute CLE Presentation “The Extended Economic Downturn: Legal Issues and Solutions”, May 20, 2011.
  • “The Economic Tsunami: Bankruptcy and Mortgage Foreclosures” with Ann K. Chapman. Oregon Law Institute CLE Presentation “The Economic Tsunami: Dealing with the Tidal Wave of Mortgage Foreclosures”, May 7, 2010.
  • “Just When You Thought You Had ‘Em! Bankruptcy’s Impact on Collecting on Your Claim” with Ann K. Chapman. Oregon Law Institute CLE Presentation “Effective Collection of Judgments”, November 12, 2010
  • “Oregon Statutory Time Limits” (Contributor). Professional Liability Fund, July 2010. (Updated sections regarding statutory liens, attachment, dishonored bank instruments, garnishment, judgments and debtor-creditor law)

  • “Implementation of the New Chapter 13 Form Plan” with Wayne Godare and Karen Oakes. 2017 Debtor-Creditor Section CLE and Annual Meeting, October 21, 2017.
  • Local Bankruptcy Rules Committee Presentation re: National Chapter 13 Plan and Conduit Administration. 2017 Saturday Session, February 25, 2017.
  • “Making ‘Them’ Pay: Enforcing Judgments and Collecting on Fee Agreements.” Oregon State Bar Family Law Section 2015 Annual Meeting, October 9, 2015.
  • “Paralegals and Legal Staff: Ensuring Professional Competence, Bankruptcy Basics – What is a Chapter 7/Chapter 13?” Oregon Law Institute CLE Paralegals and Legal Staff: Ensuring Professional Competence, June 12, 2015.
  • “Bankruptcy?! What Trial Lawyers Should Know.” Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, Employment Section Meeting, May 5, 2014.
  • “Ammunition: Your Arsenal in “Bankruptcy Land” with Justin Leonard. Oregon Law Institute CLE Presentation “Armor, Ammunition, & Ambushes: Bankruptcy and Other Battles in a Struggling Economy,” April 4, 2014.
  • “Successfully Navigating Bankruptcy: Bankruptcy Basics.” Circuit Court Judges Association, Family Law Committee, October 21, 2013.
  • “Dealing with Distressed Customers and Supplies: A Bankruptcy Primer for the Non-Bankruptcy Lawyer.” Oregon Law Institute CLE Presentation “Family and Closely Held Businesses”, March 1, 2013.
  • “Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Potpourri” with Jordan Hantman. Oregon State Bar CLE Presentation “Bankruptcy Basics: The ABCs of Filing Chapter 13”, June 15, 2012 (scheduled).
  • “Loan Modifications, Short Sales, Deed In Lieu, Tax Issues”, “Bankruptcy Issues” and “Ethical Considers”. Law Review CLE Presentation “The Essentials of Foreclosure Defense”, November 15, 2011.
  • “Judicial Foreclosures – Pleading & Practice”, “Loan Modifications, Short Sales, Deed In Lieu, Tax Issues”, “Bankruptcy Issues” and “Ethical Considers”. Law Review CLE Presentation “The Essentials of Foreclosure Defense”, July 21, 2011.
  • “Successfully Navigating Bankruptcy: Bankruptcy Basics for Real Estate Professionals. First American Title Real Estate Continuing Education Presentation, May 25, 2011.

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)
  • Local Bankruptcy Rules and Forms Committee (2009-2014)
  • Multnomah County Search and Rescue Unit (2010-2012)
  • Debtor-Creditor Section Executive Committee (2010-2012)

PERSONAL INTERESTS

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