Christopher G. Dean

BIOGRAPHY

Christopher Dean’s practice focuses on commercial litigation. He has represented clients in a wide variety of lawsuits involving real estate matters, partnership and employment disputes, contract claims, and legal malpractice, as well as antitrust, unfair competition and intellectual property issues. Notable representations include:

• Winning dismissal and the subsequent appeal of claims against the general partners of a partnership that owns and operates a large apartment complex in downtown Chicago.
• Resolving a multi-million dollar mechanic’s lien claim for the developer of one Chicago’s newest and most high-profile mixed-use skyscrapers on extremely favorable terms.
• Negotiating the settlement of lease disputes on behalf of a wide variety of clients, including a high-end restaurant franchise, a well-known discount retailer, and various property owners.
• Defending several class action cases involving antitrust and consumer protection claims and thousands of putative class members.
• Securing summary judgment for a national bank against a multimillion dollar employment claim.
• Managing discovery on behalf of a large law firm in a $200 million legal malpractice case.
• Preparing several cases for trial, including one on behalf of a client being sued by the federal government.

While in law school, Christopher was elected to the Moot Court, Mock Trial and Alternate Dispute Resolution Boards for his achievements in various skills competitions. He also served as Managing Editor of The George Washington Law Review, and as a judicial extern for The Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Christopher is the author of numerous published articles, including a chapter on Illinois civil discovery practice with the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, and a member of Novack and Macey’s Marketing Committee. Before joining the firm, he was an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Hogan & Hartson LLP, where he was a member of the Antitrust, Competition and Consumer Protection group. Prior to law school, Christopher worked as a systems management consultant and project manager for IBM.

EDUCATION

• Denison University (B.A. 2000), Cum Laude
• The George Washington School of Law (J.D. 2007); High Honors, managing editor, The George Washington Law Review

BAR ADMISSIONS

• Illinois
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• Washington, D.C.

SPEECHES AND PUBLICATIONS

• “Small Business and the Corporate Opportunity Doctrine,” Business Law Today, the Online Resource of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Business Law Section, Co-Author, August 19, 2011
• “Illinois Civil Discovery Practice: Limitations on Discovery,” Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education (IICLE), Co-Author 2009

MEDIA COVERAGE

• Christopher G. Dean Featured in Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s “You Tell Us…” Column
• Appellate Court Affirm’s Trial Court’s Decision for Novack and Macey Client on Breach of Limited Partnership Claim 
• Illinois Limited Liability Company Act Implicated in a Hard-Fought Victory by Marinello and Dean
• Novack and Macey Attorneys Marinello and Dean Win Dismissal of Claims of Breach of Fiduciary, Contractual and Other Duties– With Prejudice
• Novack and Macey Attorneys Miller and Dean Publish Guidelines for Litigators