Chris Russell

Chris and his associates have successfully litigated over 10,000 personal injury claims to verdict or claims settled before trial or arbitration, ranging in value from $25,000 to $16.2 million. Chris belongs to the American Association of Justice (formerly the American Trial Lawyers Association), the Consumer Attorneys of California, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, and the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association. Chris has also been admitted to all courts in the State of California and has argued cases in the Federal Courts and the California Court of Appeal. He shares strategies and communicates daily with his plaintiff attorney colleagues across California on trial tactics, judge selection, expert witness background information, medical provider credibility, etc. These strategies help put his clients in the best position to resolve their injuries as quickly as possible and obtain fair compensation from at-fault parties, often represented by insurance companies that seem to have lost the ability to understand the definition of “fair.”

He has worked on almost every type of personal injury claim imaginable, including motor vehicle collisions, product liability claims, slip, trip, and fall claims, premises liability claims, animal-inflicted injury claims, work-related claims, sexual assault claims, and the list goes on. The common theme to all of these claims was that someone was injured and they needed help. Chris’ goal in helping people is twofold: get them better and get them fair compensation. Chris has recovered compensation for his clients 95% of the time. Chris does not shy away from taking on complex liability claims when the injuries are substantial, which is why it is not 100%.

• The National Law Journal Elite Trial Lawyers
• The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trial Lawyers
• Super Lawyers Official Selection, 2016 – 2017
• Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• OC Metro Top Attorney
• BBB Accredited Business
• Avvo Rating: 10 out of 10
• Orange County Trial Lawyers Association
• Consumer Attorneys of California
• Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles

In 1981, Chris earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Long Beach State University, and in 1984 he earned his Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law in San Diego. He has taught business law at the University of California, Irvine, and has taught trial practice at Western State Law School. He is the author of “How Smart People Do Dumb Things to Destroy Their Personal Injury Claims,” a book that focuses on avoiding common mistakes in the claims process after a serious accident or injury.

Chris has been blessed to be married to Helene for 32 years. He has four grown daughters, who, along with his wife, are the loves of his life. His current hobbies are few, as he lives a busy life practicing law, helping his clients, and keeping up with weddings and the college comings and goings of his daughters. When his girls were active in sports, he coached, sponsored, or helped coach more than 50 of their sports teams. When he has spare time, Chris enjoys giving back to the community through activities or events that prevent injuries or honor those injured or killed in accidents. Chris has been a primary sponsor of the Sarah DeMille annual cross-country race, which was established in memory of one of his daughters’ classmates who died tragically in a car crash. Chris is also a primary sponsor for “Swim for Life,” an organization devoted to preventing child drowning, which is still the number one cause of death for children under the age of 5 in Orange County.

Chris is the third of six children, and his youngest brother, John, heads his affiliate office in Northern California, Russell & Philbrick.