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Christopher G. Mavros

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Christopher G. Mavros

Christopher G. Mavros is the Chair of the Product Liability Defense Department and focuses his practice on complex civil litigation, both locally and throughout the  United States.  He routinely handles a wide array of catastrophic injury cases from inception through trial, primarily in the areas of construction, products liability, transportation, and premises liability. Chris is familiar with a broad range of companies of different sizes and specialties. He has represented a variety of companies in complex litigation, including the automotive, heavy equipment and insurance industries, in both state and federal courts.

Chris’ prior experience includes working as national and regional trial counsel for Ford Motor Company and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. on rollover cases and other complex product liability matters. Chris provided successful litigation defense in this capacity, ranging from crashworthiness claims to defective airbag, fuel system and brake system claims.

Chris also worked for several years at a well-respected civil defense firm in Philadelphia, where he acted as one of the lead attorneys of a National Coordinating Counsel team for a national insurance company’s Crane and Heavy Machinery Program. In this role, Chris defended cranes, heavy equipment, and construction companies nationwide by initially responding to the accident and assisting in the investigation, then defending the case through trial. Chris attributes much of his success and expertise in defending heavy equipment and crane companies to the fact that he has been certified in mobile crane operation and safety since 2007.

Chris’ experience also includes litigating advanced product failure claims involving a broad range of products, such as automobiles, medical devices, and industrial equipment. These cases include large scale fires, crashworthiness claims, and gas line explosions. With an extensive background in product failure cases, Chris has considerable knowledge of fire, electrical, and mechanical engineering issues.

Chris is also well experienced in representing businesses in a range of industries dealing with the U.S. Department of Labor in its investigation of reportable incidents such as fatalities and catastrophic injuries. Chris likewise assists businesses in other interactions with OSHA, which include announced/unannounced inspections and imposed citations. Chris is able to provide rapid 24/7 response to any OSHA investigation or inspection, coordinating with the client and acting on its behalf in advance of, during, and subsequent to any interaction with OSHA. Chris likewise represents businesses in the OSHA citation abatement process, where he works to reduce the associated monetary penalty, modify citation classifications, and even have specific citations deleted or vacated altogether. If such citations cannot be resolved informally, Chris handles the litigation of those citations against the Department of Labor to have them vacated, modified, or reduced.

Chris was named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers in 2023, the Pennsylvania Rising Stars in 2012 – 2017, and the New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Stars in 2012. Each year, in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, no more than 5% of lawyers receive the Super Lawyers distinction and 2.5% for Rising Stars.

Chris sits on the American Lung Association of Philadelphia’s Leadership Board. As a board member, Chris servers as an ambassador for the mission of the American Lung Association- to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy, and research.

Representative Matters

Crane Accident Dismissal

Plaintiff was an ironworker at a Philadelphia construction site who suffered alleged catastrophic injuries during a crane lift when the load struck and landed on him, demanding $8,950,000 for settlement and filing suit with the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.  Chris’s client was a company performing work on site at the time of the accident who Plaintiff alleged interfered with the crane lift and caused the accident.  Chris was able to demonstrate through discovery that his client did not interfere with the crane lift and the accident was caused by conduct of third parties beyond his client’s control.   Chris filed a motion for summary judgment at the appropriate time after discovery and expert reports were completed and the Court ruled in favor of his client, dismissing all claims against it, with prejudice.

Product Liability Dismissal

A worker at a metals recycling facility sustained severe injuries to his hand and arm when he became stuck within a conveyor belt system.  He initiated a lawsuit against multiple companies alleged to be involved in the design, manufacture, and installation of the system that resulted in his injuries.  Chris represented a national manufacturer of heavy-duty shredders, granulators, powderizers, and refiner mills that distributed its products to the facility.  After conducting a thorough investigation of the facility that had changed ownership and control since the accident, then directing targeted discovery to Plaintiff’s counsel as well as deposing Plaintiff, Chris established that his client’s products were reasonably safe at all relevant times and not a cause of Plaintiff’s injuries.  The defense communicated an intention to file a motion to dismiss, requesting sanctions and counsel fees.  In response, Plaintiff’s counsel withdrew all claims against Chris’ client with prejudice.
News
& Events
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

2022 PLRB’s Eastern Regional Adjusters Conference, Understanding Premises Liability Claims

2022 National Business Institute’s Live Virtual CLE Seminar, ‘Gun Law in Pennsylvania- Session I. State and Federal Firearms Laws: What Attorneys Need to Know and Session II.Liability Concerns for Gun Dealers and Owners

2021 National Business Institute’s Live Virtual CLE Seminar, ‘Gun Law in Pennsylvania: Confidently Navigate the Complexities of Firearm Laws – From the Gun Show to the Holster

2020 National Business Institute’s Live Virtual CLE Seminar, ‘Auto Insurance Law 2020: Hot Topics, Trends, and Case Law

2018 National Business Institute’s Live CLE Seminar, ‘Damages in Personal Injury

2018 National Business Institute’s Live CLE Seminar, ’Guns, Marijuana, Opioids and Alcoholic Beverages’

2018 National Business Institute’s Live CLE Seminar, ‘Building Your Civil Litigation Skills’

2018 National Business Institute’s Live CLE National Teleconference, ‘Gun Injury and Firearm Accident Cases’

2018 National Business Institute’s Live CLE Seminar, ‘Auto Injuries: Advanced Litigation Strategies’ 

2018 National Business Institute’s Live CLE Seminar, ‘Gun Law in Pennsylvania – Regulatory and Liability Concerns for Firearms Manufacturers, Sellers and Owners’

2017 Presented to a National Claims Service Provider, ‘Current State of Crane Litigation’ 

2016 Article: ‘ALERT: The Changing Landscape of Crane Accident Litigation’

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Credentials
Court Admissions

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

United States District Court for New Jersey

Multiple cases by case Pro Hac Vice admissions in Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland, Indiana, Illinois, Virginia and Alabama

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

Memberships

American Bar Association

Pennsylvania Bar Association

Philadelphia Bar Association

Defense Research Institute

Education

Villanova University School of Law, J.D.

University of California at Santa Barbara, B.A.

Certifications

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Arbitrator, 2004

Judge Pro Tempore, First Judicial District, 2013 – present

Crane Institute of America, Certified in mobile crane operation and safety, June 2007

Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS)/ABOTA National Trial Academy, 2014