Moore & Van Allen, PLLC

Member, Litigation

Chris Tomlinson is a seasoned and effective litigator who consistently secures favorable results for his regional, national, and global clients. He has extensive experience representing clients in complex business disputes, with concentrations in shareholder and corporate governance disputes, financial services litigation, and disputes in the manufacturing space. Equal parts counselor and advocate, Chris employs his judgment, creativity, and dedication to resolve disputes both in and out of the courtroom.

A longtime member of MVA’s Litigation group and leader of the firm’s North Carolina Business Court team, Chris is called upon to protect clients’ intricate and critical business interests. He assists a wide variety of large and middle-market clients, including global financial institutions, manufacturers, broker-dealers, private equity groups, and aircraft lessors. He also represents members, shareholders, and directors in corporate governance disputes and business break-ups, which often involve claims for breach of fiduciary duties.

Chris maintains a national practice, regularly litigating in federal and state courts around the country, as well as in private arbitrations. In his nearly two decades of practice, Chris also has developed trial strategies tailored to North Carolina Business Court representations and he parlays that experience into successful outcomes for clients.

Chris’s clients appreciate that he is direct and pragmatic, approaching every issue with the same tenacity. In addition to his many years of experience in private practice, Chris leverages lessons learned from time spent completing a special assignment as an assistant district attorney at the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office, where he tried dozens of cases to verdict.

Chris has a significant record of pro bono legal service, as he has assisted on numerous court-appointed federal criminal cases and housing rights cases. He also serves as the vice-chairman of the Board of Directors of A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, a nationwide nonprofit that operates in 30 national parks. In this role, Chris advises the board on constitutional issues and other matters.

Prior to joining the firm, Chris clerked for the Honorable Sidney A. Fitzwater, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.