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Christopher Lindstrom, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP Photo

Christopher H. Lindstrom

Chair, Litigation Department; Chair, Labor, Employment and Benefits practice group / Boston

Overview

Christopher H. Lindstrom chairs Nutter’s Litigation Department. He also chairs the firm’s Labor, Employment and Benefits practice group. Clients rely on Chris’ broad experience in complex civil litigation matters that have crossed industries ranging from insurance to medical device to telecommunications to healthcare to banking. Clients frequently engage Chris on all aspects of prosecuting and defending against breaches of non-competition and non-disclosure agreements as well as trade secret misappropriation. Chris often advises on the development and implementation of nationwide and local non-compete strategies, including drafting agreements, enforcing restrictions short of litigation, and filing or defending against complaints seeking injunctive relief and damages. Clients rely in particular on Chris’ experience advising on restrictive covenants and other contracts in the context of their distribution and sales networks.

Company executives and human resource professionals turn to Chris for counseling on employment policies and practices in order to promote a successful workplace and to avoid litigation or claims. Chris regularly represents clients when they find themselves facing claims concerning wage and hour laws, discrimination, wrongful discharge, tortious interference with contractual relations, and unfair trade practices, and ERISA. Chris also counsels clients on all aspects of supply chain, with a particular emphasis on the negotiation and analysis of distribution agreements in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. His deep understanding of distribution networks, developed from both litigation and business experience, permits him to advise clients on their contracts for the management of the flow of goods and services.

Notable Experience and Client Impact

  • Represents multiple Fortune 100 companies in non-compete and non-solicit strategies and litigation across the country
  • Advises on supply chain issues, including employment, restrictive covenant, and distribution contracts
  • Secured injunctive relief to enforce non-compete agreements for clients in many sectors, including manufacturing and medical device
  • Obtained summary judgment in favor of client against a former employee who brought claims sounding in disability discrimination, interference with contractual relations, and breach of a stock options agreement
  • Represented government contractor in defending against minority shareholder fiduciary duty claims
  • Earned dismissal of discrimination claims for clients in many commercial segments, including telecommunications, medical device, and food service
  • Represented a medical device company in policing a series of trademarks through several cease and desist letters and negotiations, bringing about very favorable results short of filing in court
  • Defended a biotechnology company against claims of breach of contract and licensing fees relating to the purchase of intellectual property
  • Represented a professional services firm against RICO claims; claims which were dismissed by a federal court in a ruling that was affirmed at the appellate level
  • Capitalizing on his appellate clerkship experience, Chris has appeared before the First, Second, and Seventh Circuits and both levels of Massachusetts appellate courts
  • Secured political asylum for a client who suffered persecution in his home country of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Recognized for his extensive experience in the non-compete and trade secrets field, Chris conducts recurring seminars on employment law topics to non-profit organizations across Massachusetts, regularly presents before industry leaders, and is quoted by media outlets. Chris founded and co-edits Nutter’s Non-Compete Law Blog. In addition, he plays a leadership role in the American Bar Association, currently serving as an editor of the Business Torts Subcommittee Journal.

Chris gained previous experience as a clerk to the Massachusetts Appeals Court and as a litigator at a leading New York law firm. During law school, Chris served as managing editor of the Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems and was honored as both a James Kent and Harlan Fiske Stone scholar.

Experience

Experience

  • Cali’flour Foods

    Nutter advised Cali’flour Foods, the developer and manufacturer of low-carb, gluten-free cauliflower products, in a Series A financing round led by Sunrise Strategic Partners, with participation from CircleUp Growth Partners.

  • Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

    Nutter filed a successful amicus brief on behalf of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce in Calixto, et al. v. Coughlin, et al. that warned against expanding the Massachusetts Wage Act beyond earned wages. According to the brief authors, doing so would have created uncertainty for employers and have had a detrimental effect on distressed businesses.

  • Class of insurance companies

    Nutter represented a class of insurance companies in RICO litigation filed against one of their competitors.

  • Defended a biotechnology company against claims of breach of contract

    Defending a biotechnology company against claims of breach of contract and licensing fees relating to the purchase of intellectual property. Settled on the eve of an arbitration hearing on terms favorable to the client.

  • Obtained summary judgment in favor of a medical device company

    Obtaining summary judgment in favor of a medical device company and against a former employee who brought claims sounding in disability discrimination, interference with contractual relations, and breach of a stock options agreement.

  • Represented an equipment leasing company against claims of breach of contract and tortious interference

    Representing an equipment leasing company against claims of breach of contract and tortious interference claims which the court dismissed before trial.

  • Represented several employers in the defense of employee discrimination claims

    Representing several employers, including manufacturers, retailers, food service distributors, and medical device manufacturers, in the defense of employee discrimination claims before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

  • Represented a professional services firm against RICO claims

    Representing a professional services firm against RICO claims, claims which were dismissed by a federal court in a ruling that was affirmed at the appellate level.

  • Represented individual defendants as part of trial team against claims of breach of fiduciary duty

    Representing individual defendants as part of trial team against claims of breach of fiduciary duty and freeze-out in close corporation. Following a five day hearing, the arbitrator ruled in favor of the clients on all claims.

  • Defense against claims of breaches of non-competition and non-disclosure agreements

    Pursuing and defending against claims of breaches of non-competition and non-disclosure agreements for a diverse group of employers across the country.

  • Fortune 100 insurance company

    Nutter defended a Fortune 100 insurance company in multistate litigation arising out of the hiring of agents from a competitor, including claims relating to non-competes, breach of contract, and tortious interference.

  • Fortune 100 medical device company

    Nutter represented and counseled a Fortune 100 medical device company in non-compete, non-solicit, and trade secret strategy and litigation throughout the country.

  • Fortune 100 medical device company

    Nutter represented and counseled a Fortune 100 medical device company in non-compete, non-solicit, and trade secret strategy and litigation throughout the country.

  • Health insurance plan

    Nutter represented a health insurance plan in a qui tam lawsuit alleging billing improprieties, and prevailed at motion to dismiss stage.

  • Major medical device manufacturer

    Nutter represented a major medical device manufacturer in defending multiple whistleblower claims brought by former employees in several jurisdictions.

  • Medical device manufacturer

    Nutter represented a medical device manufacturer in multiyear non-compete litigation involving significant sales representatives who made multiple moves between competitors.

  • Pharmaceutical company

    Nutter represented a pharmaceutical company in connection with its hiring of a senior researcher. We navigated the non-compete and trade secret issues and obtained a favorable settlement after expedited discovery.

  • Laboratory

    Nutter represented a laboratory in qui tam litigation alleging fraudulent billing practices, and secured a key court opinion favorable to the entire industry.

  • Innovation Associates

    Nutter served as legal counsel to Innovation Associates, the market-leading provider of high-volume pharmacy automation technology and software solutions to the retail, hospital, government, and mail order pharmacy markets, in connection with a consortium of investors led by Greg Wasson, the former Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO, acquiring a majority stake to scale the business and enhance its pharmacy automation offerings.

  • Wealth management group

    Nutter represented a wealth management group in pursuing non-compete and non-solicitation claims against a Fortune 100 company and three former employees. We obtained a favorable pre-litigation settlement.

  • Senior management

    Nutter represented certain senior management in connection with the sale of ZappRx to Allscripts.

News & Insights

News

Speaking Engagements

Publications

Blog Posts

Honors

Honors

  • The Best Lawyers in America, 2025
  • Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, "Go To Employment Lawyer," 2023
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyer Rising Stars, 2009-2017

Education & Admissions

Education

Columbia Law School, J.D., James Kent and Harlan Fiske Stone scholar
Middlebury College, B.A.

Admissions

  • Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

Industry Expertise

Recognized for his extensive experience in the non-compete and trade secrets field, Chris conducts recurring seminars on employment law topics to non-profit organizations across Massachusetts, regularly presents before industry leaders, and is quoted by media outlets. Chris founded and co-edits Nutter’s Non-Compete Law Blog.

Noteworthy

  • The Best Lawyers in America, 2025
  • Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, "Go To Employment Lawyer," 2023-2024
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyer Rising Stars, 2009-2017

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