Christopher P. ("Kip") Hall

Partner

Christopher P. ("Kip") Hall's practice focuses on securities, corporate, and general commercial litigation. Mr. Hall heads the Civil Securities Litigation Initiative at Morgan Lewis. Mr. Hall has more than 25 years of significant trial experience, including over 30 criminal and civil jury/non-jury trials and preliminary injunction hearings, as well as over 50 arbitrations.

He has been lead counsel in class and individual actions involving securities, mutual fund, M&A, antitrust, ERISA, intellectual property, real estate, construction, employment, business tort, insurance, partnership, bankruptcy and other commercial disputes.

Chambers took note of the Securities Litigation Group's ability to "handle large, complex litigation, due to its 'significant resources in the area' and 'high-quality team members," and also noted that the group's "'even-handed style' and 'great judgment' were seen as highly effective." Mr. Hall was recognized as the Securities Litigation Group's leader.

Mr. Hall's recent results include obtaining the dismissal with prejudice of a 10(b) action arising from the sale to private equity firms of a majority interest in a cellular provider in Greece, followed by a freeze-out merger; obtaining the dismissal with prejudice of an action against an investment bank concerning the acquisition of a European telecommunications company; obtaining dismissals with prejudice of multiple class actions for revenue sharing arrangements; resolving stock lending actions arising out of the collapse of a clearing firm and the largest SIPC-insured bankruptcy in history; obtaining dismissals with prejudice of actions seeking over $300 million for losses experienced by limited partnerships; and obtaining awards of "0" damages from arbitration panels in actions against U.S. and European-based financial services clients involving claims of fraudulent research and accounting for private equity and publicly traded securities.

Mr. Hall's current representations include defending leading investment advisers and mutual fund families in MDL 1586, In re Mutual Fund Market Timing Litigation (where he serves on the Defendants' Steering Committee); defending banks and financial services firms in class actions involving bank deposit sweep programs; defending a national retail chain in a class action under FACTA; and representing banks, financial services firms, and other businesses in CDO, subprime, auction rate securities, credit, and commercial disputes.

Mr. Hall has defended publicly and privately held companies, investment banks and broker-dealers: in class and individual actions involving public offerings, M&A, proxy battles, corporate governance, and commercial disputes; and in U.S. and international arbitrations.

His prior representations include a successful 4 week trial concerning the ownership of apartment buildings and other property in Manhattan and Florida; his defeat of the New York State Attorney General's first action for damages against a Wall Street firm; obtaining a dismissal of all claims in proceedings through the U.S. Supreme Court establishing a uniform, nationwide statute of limitations for 10b-5 actions; and representing General Westmoreland in Westmoreland v. CBS.