Christopher W. Carmichael
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Email:
Address:
90 Canal Street, 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Mr. Carmichael’s practice focuses on: Commercial Litigation; Appeals; and Contracts.
Mr. Carmichael’s clients include businesses in retailing, manufacturing, technology, and services industries. His clients range from closely-held entrepreneurial businesses to publicly traded companies.
Mr. Carmichael is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society, and a member of the Trial Law Institute and Diversity Law Institute.
Commercial Litigation
Mr. Carmichael’s commercial litigation practice covers antitrust, breach of contract, consumer fraud and deceptive trade practices, false and deceptive marketing, fraud, trademarks and copyrights, and mass and class actions. Early resolution and ADR are used wherever appropriate to resolve matters quickly and efficiently for clients. Where a negotiated solution is not possible, Mr. Carmichael uses his extensive trial and arbitration experience to deliver results for clients.
Appellate Advocacy
Mr. Carmichael is an experienced appellate advocate, having briefed and argued more than fifty civil and criminal appeals in state and federal appellate courts, including the Eighth Circuit, Seventh Circuit, Illinois Appellate Court, Tennessee Supreme Court, Illinois Supreme Court, and United States Supreme Court. Appellate advocacy requires a unique skill set that Mr. Carmichael has honed over years of practice, after starting as an appellate clerk with the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Contracts & Agreements
Mr. Carmichael provides general counseling and advice to business in structuring agreements and handling disagreements that arise in business relationships. He has negotiated and documented joint ventures, partnerships, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, licenses, leases, warranties, indemnities, and vendor agreements. He also advises clients on interpreting and enforcing agreements, such as non-competes/non-solicitations, indemnity provisions, and limitations of liability and exclusions.
Prior Experience
Mr. Carmichael began his career as a law clerk to Judge William J. Bauer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. After clerking, Mr. Carmichael became an associate and was later elevated to partner at the international law firm of Holland & Knight, LLP. More recently, Mr. Carmichael taught courses on non-monetary relief as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Law at DePaul University.
Licenses
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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State of Illinois
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State of Maine
Admission
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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
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U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
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U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
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U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, & Trial Bar
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U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
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U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
Education
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Certificate in Compliance, Chicago-Kent College of Law
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J.D., DePaul University College of Law, with Honors & Order of the Coif
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B.A., Loyola University Chicago, History, with Distinction
Honors & Awards
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Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
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Illinois Super Lawyers magazine, Business Litigation, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024
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Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers magazine, 2014
Community Service
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Federal Bar Association, Chicago Chapter, Vice-President 2021-2022; Treasurer 2020-2021; Secretary 2019-2020; Board Member, 2012-2019
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DePaul Center for Public Interest Law, Advisory Board, 2008-2015
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CARPLS, Associate Board, 2013-2015
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Appellate Lawyer's Association, Rules Committee, 2013
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Chicago Bar Association, Chair, Young Lawyers Section (YLS) Client Development and Firm Economics Committee, 2008-2009
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Chicago Bar Association, Investigator, Judicial Evaluation Committee, 2007-2008
Publications
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Illinois Chapter, Business Torts: A Fifty-State Guide, 2010-2017 Editions
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Appeals Court Decisions Strengthen FTC's Hand in Hospital Merger Challenges, Law360, November 17, 2016
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Chicago-Area Hospitals Abandon Fight to Save Merger from FTC Challenge, Lexology, March 22, 2017
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How to Defeat the Repeat Consumer Class Action Plaintiff, Lexology, May 23, 2016
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How to Defeat the Warranty Class Action, Lexology, May 11, 2016
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Warranties Go Digital with Enactment of the E-Warranty Act, October 8, 2015
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Article 2 of the UCC Trumps Unwritten Intent, Lexology, March 16, 2015