Christopher Jordan Merrick

About

Christopher J. Merrick is a shareholder in Flaster Greenberg’s Litigation Department. Mr. Merrick is a national leader in the area of commercial transportation law. He handles all stages of litigation, including appellate litigation and alternative dispute resolution, and represents corporate clients acting as both plaintiffs and defendants. He also assists clients with preparation and revision of their commercial contracts, as well as navigating challenging regulatory issues impacting their operations. Chris’s litigation practice is diverse but focuses exclusively on representing the interests of rail carriers, motor carriers (including household goods carriers), freight forwarders, intermediaries, warehouses, and ocean carriers in a wide variety of commercial transportation contexts. This has included notable matters involving more than $100 million in alleged damages, including defending two carrier clients against a nationwide antitrust class action and prosecuting a carrier client’s right to recover from a former vendor under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Chris also assist clients with an array of other commercial litigation matters, which can range from simple disputes with customers and vendors (often arising under the terms of a tariff, warehousing agreement, exempt contract, or federal statute/regulation), to major appellate and Surface Transportation Board matters with industry-wide implications. This has given him the opportunity to secure significant victories for clients in an array of high-value freight loss and damage lawsuits throughout the country. In addition to his litigation work, Chris provides ongoing advice on emerging technologies and strategies for minimizing risk exposure. This includes acting as strategic counsel to help clients navigate the complex and often-changing regulatory landscape governing the transportation and logistics sectors. Chris also works with regulatory agencies throughout the country to help clients secure and maintain necessary licensure. And he assists with preparation and analysis of carrier tariffs, broker and carrier contracts (including contracts under 49 U.S.C. § 14101 and § 10709), intermodal transportation agreements, as well as warehousing agreements. Chris is a longtime member of the National Conference of Freight Counsel and the Villanova Law School J. Willard O’Brien American Inn of Court. He also holds membership in the Transportation Lawyers Association, a nonprofit bar association comprised of in-house, government and private practice attorneys at the forefront of the transportation industry, and he is a participant in the annual Transportation Law Institute. He previously served as law clerk to the Honorable Lynne A. Sitarski of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and also served as a Special Deputy Attorney General in the Civil Litigation Section of the New Jersey Attorney General’s office. Representative Matters Appellate Matters Federal District Court Matters