Christopher E. Prince

Chris focuses his practice in the areas of bankruptcy and insolvency, creditors’ rights, and fraud-related litigation. He has extensive experience in insurance-related bankruptcy and insolvency matters. Significant matters include the two largest asbestos-related bankruptcies ever filed in California -- In re J.T. Thorpe, Inc. and In re Western Asbestos Company. The proceedings in Western Asbestos resulted in several reported decisions, including In re Western Asbestos Co., 313 B.R. 832 (Bankr. N.D. Cal. 2003). He has also represented insurers as creditors in insurance-related bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings. Significant matters include In re Metropolitan Mortgage and Securities Co., Inc. (the largest insurance insolvency matter ever filed in Washington State) and Centre Ins. Co. v. SNTL Corp. (In re SNTL Corp.), __ F. 3d __ (9th Cir. 2009).

Chris has represented creditors’ committees, equity committees, individual creditors and bankruptcy trustees in complex claim litigation and fraud investigation. His significant matters in this area include PW Enterprises, Inc. v. North Dakota Racing Commission (In re Racing Services, Inc.), 540 F.3d 892 (8th Cir. 2008). and In re UAL Corporation. Chris’s litigation and fraud investigation practice also extends to non-bankruptcy matters where he has represented plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving alleged fraud, financial misconduct or breach of fiduciary duty.

Before joining Lesnick Prince LLP, Chris was a partner in Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP’s Bankruptcy and Restructuring Group. Before Sonnenschein, he practiced for five years with McCutchen Doyle Brown and Enersen LLP (now Bingham McCutchen LLP). Prior to entering private practice, he was with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. and the Natural Resources Defense Council where he worked on major impact litigation involving civil rights and environmental issues.

Education:

• University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, J.D. 1995
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, B.A. Economics
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, B.A. Political Science

Pro Bono and Community Service:

While at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP, Chris served on the Firm’s national diversity and pro bono committees, chairing the local committees in Los Angeles. While still in law school, Chris received several awards for his pro bono volunteer work. In 1999, he was recognized by Volunteers In Parole for his service as a mentor, and in February 2001, he received the Community Redress Award from Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress for his work on behalf of Japanese Latin Americans interned by the United States government during World War II. Acting on behalf of pro bono clients, he has served as lead counsel in trials in state and federal court as well as in appellate proceedings in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the California Supreme Court.

Publications:

Chris has written articles about diversity for Los Angeles Lawyer and Los Angeles Daily Journal. He has also been quoted on civil rights and diversity issues in a variety of local and national media sources, including Washington Post, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, and Los Angeles Daily Journal.

Organizations:

In 2004, Chris served as President of the John M. Langston Bar Association, one of the nation’s oldest and largest African-American bar associations. He served on Langston’s Board of Directors for six years and was the co-chair of its business law section. Chris is a lifetime member of the California Association of Black Lawyers and the NAACP. He is also an active member of the National Bar Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute.