Chris Mandernach focuses his practice on complex civil litigation in federal and state courts and arbitration tribunals nationwide. He has successfully handled a broad range of high-stakes litigations, arbitrations and investigations in complex commercial matters.
Drawing on his experience as an officer in the United States Navy, Chris leads teams representing defense industry clients in complex matters that include a national security, defense, or government contracting component, including False Claims Act investigations and litigation, and government contract-related disputes. Chris has successfully litigated or arbitrated numerous disputes and led government investigations on behalf of multiple global defense contractors where the damages alleged exceeded $1 billion.
Chris also represents clients in patent litigations. He has litigated on behalf of brand-name pharmaceutical manufacturers in numerous Hatch-Waxman litigations and inter partes review proceedings, and on behalf of software companies, banks, and medical device manufacturers in non-pharmaceutical patent litigations. He has also defended against legal malpractice allegations relating to patent prosecution.
A Minnesota native, Chris served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy for eight years before beginning his legal career. He earned a combat action ribbon, among other decorations, for his service. He received his Bachelor of Science degree with distinction from the United States Naval Academy, and received his Master of Arts degree in Security Policy Studies from the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University, where he served as a University Graduate Policy Fellow. Chris received his Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School. He currently serves as the chair of the firm’s Associates Committee, and has previously served on the firm’s Hiring Committee.
Representative Experience
Though all cases vary and none is predictive, Chris's recent experience includes:
- Represented a global defense contractor in multiple commercial arbitrations before AAA panels, with alleged damages ranging from $18 million to more than $1 billion.
- Represented a global technology company in a JAMS arbitration with alleged damages exceeding $75 million.
- Represented a global defense contractor in litigation, including immediate injunctive relief, involving critical supply chain impact and damage.
- Represented a global defense contractor in multiple government investigations arising under the False Claims Act.
- Represented a global medical device manufacturer in litigation under the False Claims Act with alleged damages of more than $800 million.
- Represented a defrauded lender in multi-billion dollar bankruptcy clawback action arising out of a $14 billion Ponzi scheme.
Some of Chris’s recent patent litigation experience includes:
- Represented Alcon in patent infringement trials involving Alcon’s Pazeo® and Patanol® drug products, and as litigation counsel for other products including Pataday®, Travatan Z®, Patanase®, and Simbrinza®.
- Represented Pfizer in patent infringement trial involving its Vyndamax®/Vyndaquel® drug products, and multiple patent infringement litigations involving its blockbuster drug Ibrance®.
- Represented Novartis in multiple patent infringement litigations involving its drug products Xiidra®, Mekinist®, and Leqvio®.
- Represented Genentech in patent infringement litigation involving its drug product Erivedge®.
- Represented Bank of America in multiple patent infringement actions in the Eastern District of Texas related to data security technology, authentication, and card transaction technology.
- Represented a global technology company in patent infringement related to its core software product offering.
- Represented a law firm against alleged malpractice related to its prosecution of a patent.
- Represented a medical device technology start-up against alleged patent infringement.