I work hard to position my clients as the good guys in litigation, so a win for them represents an act of justice. Sometimes that requires a bit of legal Aikido, like making small concessions in the beginning to gain larger tactical advantages down the road. I aim to be the voice of reason in the courtroom to develop credibility and a comfortable rapport with juries and judges.

With a practice spanning all 50 states, Christopher “Chris” A. Bottcher represents financial institutions, health care providers, hospital equipment manufacturers and refurbishers, and other businesses in a broad range of financial services and commercial litigation. He regularly advises clients in matters involving trade secrets, non-competition agreements, and the enforcement of restrictive covenants. Chris’s work with lenders includes real estate litigation and the defense of toxic tort claims. He also represents clients in product liability actions, business disputes, and fraud claims, and he counsels partners and shareholders in litigation and dissolution proceedings. Having cultivated trust-centered relationships with his clients, Chris advises them on day-to-day business operations in a variety of industries.

Chris takes a pragmatic approach to litigation, carefully assessing the dynamics and proceeding strategically. Rather than fighting every small dispute that arises, he prefers to pick his battles and encourages his clients to pick theirs. Chris emphasizes civility, and rarely leaves a case having made enemies. He will, however, advocate aggressively when he thinks it serves the client’s interests, and says: “You play the role that is most likely to achieve the client’s goals.”

Chris finds it particularly gratifying to help smaller companies, because successful outcomes often make a great difference to the personal lives of the owners. A good resolution might mean their child can attend college, for example, or that they can retire at their chosen time. Chris understands that his clients want predictability and a sense of security, and he strives to avoid surprises, whether in results or legal bills.

Over the years Chris has been a committed member of the Defense Research Institute, a leading organization of civil defense attorneys and in-house counsel with 26,000 participants worldwide. A former chair of the DRI’s Trial Tactics Committee, Chris has benefitted greatly from the group’s educational exchange of information and tactics among his peers.