Practice Focus:
Christian is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer who focuses his practice on the defense of medical and dental malpractice, construction site accidents, products liability, toxic tort and general insurance defense. He has successfully tried dozens of cases throughout Western New York State and in Federal Court on behalf of hospitals, municipalities, corporations and individual insureds. He has argued and won appeals in the Appellate Division and New York State Court of Appeals.
Christian also maintains a significant labor and employment law practice. He has defended EEOC and NYS Division of Human Rights investigations, discrimination lawsuits, FLSA wage and hour lawsuits and civil rights lawsuits on behalf of municipalities, sheriff's departments, school districts and private corporations. He represents municipalities in Civil Service Law §§ 72 and 75 proceedings, General Municipal Law 207-c proceedings, arbitrations and collective bargaining negotiations and is a member of the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association.
Christian joined Osborn, Reed & Burke, LLP in 1996, after practicing with an insurance defense firm in Buffalo, New York. He was elected a partner in 2000 and is currently the firm's financial partner. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer® since 2012.
Monroe Community College, AS, 1990
State University of New York at Buffalo, BA, Summa Cum Laude, 1992
State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, JD, 1995
Court Admissions:
United States District Court for the Western District of New York, 1996
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, 2004
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2004
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2005
Awards & Commendations:
New York Super Lawyers®, (2012-present)
Best Lawyers® in New York, as published in Best Lawyers in America (2016-present)
Judge Matthew J. Jasen Appellate Practice Award for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy
Western New York Trial Lawyers Association Robert J. Connelly Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy
Senior National Trial Team
Buffalo Environmental Law Journal, Citation and Note Editor
Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society
Golden Key National Honor Society
New York State Sherriff's Association Award
Professional/Civic Activities:
New York State Bar Association
Monroe County Bar Association
National Public Employer Labor Relations Association
Lecturer, Rochester Legal Nurse Network Annual Meeting, Topic: "When Workers' Compensation and Medical Malpractice Collide" (July 11, 2007)
Speaker, The University of Rochester, National Risk Management/Property Maintenance Seminar- "Premises Liability Law and Contractual Indemnification" (November 23, 2010)
Guest Instructor, "Ethics and Law in Medicine", Eastman Dental School, Residency Program (2010-present)
Numerous hospital and nursing home risk management seminars
ccc@orblaw.com
When You Fail to Mitigate Your Loss; an Insurance Perspective
The Third Department in Binghamton Precast & Supply Corp. v Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company holds that the defendant raised a triable issue of fact as to whether the plaintiff mitigated its losses relative to a business interruption policy.
Protect Your Objections – Timely Objections to Inadequate Expert Disclosure
The Court of Appeals' decision in Rivera v Montefiore Medical Center (2016 NY Slip Op 06854 [October 20, 2016]) concerned the adequacy of defendant's expert disclosure and the timeliness of plaintiff's objection to the same.
Osborn, Reed & Burke, LLP Celebrates 100 Years
On May 2, 2016, the Firm celebrated its centennial with a party at ORBs...
The Daily Record's Excellence in Law Awards
Osborn, Reed & Burke, LLP is pleased to announce that partner, Jennifer M. Schwartzott, Esq., was a winner of The Daily Record's Top Women in Law award for 2016 and associate, Jennifer B. Tarolli, Esq., was a winner of The Daily Record's Up & Coming Attorney award for 2016...
Woman of Distinction
Osborn Reed & Burke, LLP is proud to announce that Aimee L. Koch, a partner at the firm, has been named by the Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) as a Woman of Distinction...
Fast Food & You: Taking the Temperature of the New Minimum Wage
"'A merry Christmas, Bob,' said Scrooge, with an earnestness that could not be mistaken, as he clapped him on the back. 'A merrier Christmas, Bob, my good fellow..."
More Team Members
Kevin D. Walsh
Of-Counsel
Walter R. Capell