Christopher E. Faenza

Partner/Owner

Chris was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and was raised in New Jersey. He was admitted to the Bar of the State of New Jersey in 1994, the State of New York in 1995, and the State of California in 2000. Chris received his Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University in 1988 and his Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark in 1994. Upon graduating from Rutgers, he clerked for the Presiding Superior Court Judge in Passaic County, New Jersey, where he worked on family and criminal law issues. Chris has extensive trial experience, having taken over 75 Superior Court jury trials to verdict in both New Jersey and California. Of the cases Chris has taken to verdict, more than 85% of the cases have resulted in a defense verdict and most of the remaining verdicts have come in below the final demand made in those matters. Chris has obtained defense verdicts in wrongful death, intentional torts, business litigation, health clubs, auto, trucking and product liability cases. While Chris’ practice is primarily defense oriented, Chris also litigates cases as a plaintiff on behalf of his corporate clients, and has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of these clients. Chris is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), holding a rank of Advocate, which requires one to take at least 50 jury trials to verdict. Chris has been a chair and a member of the faculty for ABOTA’s Masters in Trial school and a member of ABOTA’s Executive Committee for the past 5 years. Chris is also a board member for the Italian American Lawyers Association and President-Elect for the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel (ASCDC), having served on ASCDC’s board of directors for the past 9 years. Chris is also a member of the California Defense Counsel, which is the political arm of the ASCDC and the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada.

Experience

Awards & Recognition

  • Super Lawyers, 2011 - 2023
  • Walter M. Yoka, Christopher E. Faenza and Alice Chen Smith selected as 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers
  • Walter M. Yoka, Christopher E. Faenza, Alice Chen Smith Recognized: 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America

    Walter Yoka, Christopher Faenza and Alice Chen Smith have been recognized in the 2nd edition of Lawdragon’s guide to the most elite courtroom advocates in the nation. Those selected represent the all-stars in commercial litigation, financial and securities matters, white collar and investigations, and IP, cybersecurity and data privacy.

    Honorees are selected through submissions,  journalistic research of the lawyers behind the biggest cases, and editorial vetting from a board of peers.

  • Walter M. Yoka, Christopher E. Faenza, Alice Chen Smith and Lauren A.R. Lofton Recognized by Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America

    Walter Yoka, Christopher Faenza, Alice Chen Smith and Lauren A.R. Lofton are among the all-star litigators selected for the the inaugural guide to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America.

    The guide is dedicated to those attorneys who excel representing principally corporations and other organizations in litigating claims involving Antitrust, Securities, Financial, M&A, Intellectual Property and Patents, Product Liability, Mass Tort, White Collar, Government Investigations and Energy disputes.

  • Walter Yoka, Alice Smith and Christopher Faenza selected as 2022 Super Lawyers
  • Walter Yoka, Stephen Smith and Christopher Faenza selected as 2021 Southern California Super Lawyers

    Walter M. Yoka - PI - Products: Defense

    Stephen H. Smith - PI - Products: Defense

    Christopher E. Faenza - Civil Litigation - Defense

  • Walter Yoka, Stephen Smith and Christopher Faenza selected as 2020 Super Lawyers
  • Walter Yoka, Stephen Smith and Christopher Faenza selected as 2019 Super Lawyers
  • Christopher E. Faenza badge 2023 Super Lawyers

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, Board Member
  • Italian American Lawyers Association, Board Member
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Pasadena Bar Association

Past Employment Positions

  • Clerk to Superior Court Judge, Passaic County, New Jersey

Bar Admissions

  • New Jersey, 1994
  • New York, 1995
  • California, 1999

Education

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Law - Newark, Newark, New Jersey

  • J.D. - 1994

Pennsylvania State University

  • B.S. - 1988
  • Major: Accounting
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