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Christopher M. Young

Christopher M. Young

Partner
Christopher Young is a very fine lawyer
Chambers USA 2022
About

Christopher M. Young is a Chambers-ranked, experienced trial lawyer and litigator. He concentrates his practice in the defense of consumer class action, product liability, and mass tort litigation. His clients include pharmaceutical, medical device, and other life sciences companies; product manufacturers; food and beverage companies; transportation companies; and others.

Each year since 2020, the respected legal industry publication Chambers USA has ranked Christopher in Band One, as one of the top few litigation attorneys in San Diego, commenting that he regularly takes on significant class actions and product liability matters, and that “Christopher is an experienced, savvy trial lawyer.”

Christopher was also named "Lawyer of the Year" by The Best Lawyers in America in 2023 for Mass Tort and Class Action Litigation in San Diego, and in both 2017 and 2020 for Product Liability Defense Litigation in San Diego, and has been recognized by that publication and others for the past several years for his work in the defense of class action and product liability matters.

Christopher has represented clients throughout California, the US and globally for over 30 years. He acts as a leader of the firm’s global class actions practice, and was for many years the Co-Chair of the firm’s Product Liability and Mass Tort group. He has particular expertise defending consumer class actions coordinated into Multi-District Litigation (“MDL”) proceedings.

Christopher has also been a member and leader of DLA Piper’s Annual Evaluation Committee for many years, and is a member of the firm’s Americas Pro Bono Committee.

 
CourtsAll California state courtsUnited States District Court for the Southern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Central District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Northern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of CaliforniaUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

EXPERIENCE

Class Action Matters
  • Defended TCL North America in consumer class action matters relating to television products
  • Defended Bayer HealthCare in multiple consumer class action matters and MDL proceeding relating to over-the-counter decongestant products.  Member of team recognized in The American Lawyer as "Litigators of the Week:  An Early Knockout Win in the Decongestant MDL”
  • Defended Sanofi Consumer Healthcare in multiple consumer class action matters and MDL proceeding relating to over-the-counter heartburn medication
  • Defended SolarEdge Inc. in consumer class action litigation relating to solar power inverter products
  • Defended Hyundai Mobis Corporation in consumer class action litigation relating to automotive parts
  • Defended Supercuts Inc in consumer class action litigation arising under the federal Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act relating to printed credit card receipts
  • Defended Chattem Inc in consumer class action litigation relating to nutritional supplement products
  • Defended Rite Aid Corporation in consumer class action litigation, commercial litigation, and in response to government investigations relating to regulatory issues
  • Defended Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc in class action litigation relating to marketing of hormone therapy medications
  • Defended American Medical Response Inc and Envision Healthcare Corporation in consumer class action litigation arising from alleged fraudulent marketing practices relating to paramedic training program
  • Defended Olympus Corporation of the Americas in consumer class action proceeding arising from alleged fraudulent marketing of camera products
  • Defended Groupon Inc in nationwide consumer class action litigation arising from alleged fraudulent practices in the marketing and sale of Internet vouchers
  • Defended Chattem Inc in consumer class actions arising from alleged fraudulent marketing of mouthwash products
  • Defended Jamba Juice Co in consumer class actions arising from alleged fraudulent marketing of food and supplement products
  • Defended companies including REI, The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants and Rite Aid Corporation in consumer class action cases relating to refunds of balances on gift cards
  • Defended Bridgepoint Education Inc in nationwide consumer class action litigation arising from alleged fraudulent marketing practices relating to educational institutions
  • Defended the San Diego Union Tribune in consumer class action arising from alleged fraudulent marketing and sale of internet vouchers
  • Defended NextFoods Inc in nationwide consumer class action proceeding arising from alleged fraudulent marketing of probiotic fruit drink product
Product Liability Matters
  • Defended The Clorox Company in false advertising litigation relating to nutritional supplement products
  • Defended GreatCall Inc. as national counsel relating to litigation relating to medical alert devices and services 
  • Defended Medtronic Inc in multiple product liability actions relating to intrathecal pain pump medical device products
  • Defended Olympus America Inc in multiple product liability actions relating to duodenoscope medical device products
  • Defended DJO Global Inc as national counsel in complex mass tort litigation relating to cold therapy medical device products, in consumer class action litigation relating to medical device products, and in various other tort and commercial litigation 
  • Defended Magnolia Medical Technologies in false advertising litigation relating to medical device products
  • Represented BTG International in relation to litigation risk assessments for medical device products
  • Defended Aerophile SA in product liability action relating to tethered helium balloon
  • Defended Novo Nordisk in nationwide complex mass tort litigation arising from diabetes medication
  • Defended Veolia Transportation Inc in complex mass tort litigation arising from commuter rail collision involving 25 fatalities and multiple injuries
Other Litigation Matters
  • Defended Dr. Seuss Enterprises in commercial litigation and copyright infringement litigation
  • Defended Bayer Corporation in false advertising and fraud litigation involving aspirin product. Obtained defense verdict after trial
  • Defended major pharmaceutical companies, including Bayer Corporation and Pfizer Inc in nationwide consumer fraud class action litigation involving vitamin product, consumer fraud class action litigation involving pain reliever product, in mass tort litigation involving COX-2 inhibitor medications, mass tort litigation involving cholesterol-lowering medication and mass tort litigation arising from ingredient in decongestant and appetite suppressant products
  • Defended Southwest Airlines in injury lawsuit arising from incident involving unruly passenger aboard aircraft. Obtained defense verdict after jury trial
  • Defended Southwest Airlines in multiple lawsuits arising from runway overrun incident, defended airlines and manufacturers of aircraft parts in product liability and other aviation-related lawsuits, and defended airports and related entities in injury and property damage lawsuits
Languages
  • Spanish
Education
  • J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law 1992
  • B.A., History, Pomona College 1989
    Phi Beta Kappa
    cum laude

Awards

Chambers USA

  • Band 1, California: San Diego Litigation: General Commercial (2020 – 2025)

The Legal 500 United States

  • Recommended, General Commercial Disputes (2022 – 2023)
  • Recommended, Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Consumer Products (including Tobacco) (2013 – 2018, 2021, 2023) 
  • Recommended, Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions: Toxic Tort - Defense (2017 – 2018) 
  • Recommended, Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Automotive/Transport (2013 – 2014, 2016 – 2018) 
  • Recommended, Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices - Defense (2013 – 2019)
Additional Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America®

  • Lawyer of the Year, San Diego Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants (2023)
  • Lawyer of the Year, San Diego Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2017, 2020)
  • Ranked, Mass Torts / Class Actions (2012 – 2025)
  • Ranked, Product Liability Litigation (2012 – 2025)
  • Ranked, Personal Injury Litigation (2012 – 2025)

Pro Bono

  • DLA Piper New Perimeter Trial Advocacy Program for the National Agency for Legal Aid (NALA), Banjul, The Gambia, February 1-4, 2023
  • Represented class of all incarcerated persons in San Diego County Jail facilities in litigation seeking redress relating to jail conditions, medical care, care for disabled persons, mental health care, and other issues
 

Publications

 Co-author, “California Bill Barring Privacy Protections in Litigation Would Have Significant, Negative Consequences,” Law.com Legaltech News, August 8, 2022

Seminars

  • Speaker, “An Epidemic of Product Liability: How Globalisation is Spreading Claims,” DLA Piper Global Class Actions Summit, London, June 17, 2024
  • Moderator and Speaker, “Recent Developments in Global Class Actions,” DLA Piper Global Class Action Summit, Palo Alto, December 6, 2023
  • Moderator and Speaker, “Recent Developments in Global Class Actions and the EU Collective Redress Initiative,” DLA Piper Global Class Actions Summit, New York, October 20, 2022 
  • Speaker, “The Emerging European Landscape for Class Actions,” DLA Piper Global Class Actions Client Summit, London, June 21, 2022
  • Speaker, “Consumer Class Actions:  Demystifying Trends, Developments, and Legal Challenges,” The Knowledge Group, May 13, 2021
  • Speaker, "The Rise of Global Class Actions," Major Developments in Class Action Litigation, DLA Piper Webinar, July 16, 2019
  • Speaker, Global Class Actions and Collective Redress seminars, June 11, 12 and 13, 2018, Paris, London, and Cologne 
  • CLE Event: Class Action and Collective Redress Update, May 18, 2017
  • Speaker, "Class Actions, Mass Torts & Products: Perspectives from the US and Australia," DLA Piper Insurance Symposium 2017, Sydney, Australia, February 23, 2017
  • Speaker, "Product Liability: Trial Examinations and Outlines," ABA Section of Litigation Roundtable, June 2016
  • Speaker, "Class Actions and Mass Tort Trends," Bridging Borders Seminar, Melbourne, Australia, October 16, 2014
  • Speaker, "Class Actions and Mass Tort Trends," Bridging Borders Seminar, Sydney, Australia, October 14, 2014
  • Speaker, "Defending Against the Pernicious 'No Injury'" Class Action Lawsuit, American Conference Institute, Consumer Products Regulation and Litigation, June 2014
  • Speaker, "Minimizing Company Harm from No-Injury Class Actions", American Conference Institute, Consumer Products Regulation and Litigation, June 2013

Civic and Charitable

  • Board Member and Governance Committee member, San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program
  • Member of Executive Committee and MCLE Coordinator, Louis M. Welsh Inn of Court
  • Senior Sponsor, DLA Piper Global Scholarships Program
  • Alumni mentor volunteer, University of California, Berkeley School of Law
  • Advisory Board Member and past Chair of Fundraising Committee, ABA Immigration Justice Project of San Diego

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Defense Research Institute (DRI)
  • Master, American Inns of Court, Louis M. Welsh Inn
  • San Diego County Bar Association

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