Christopher Davis
Founder and CEO
Christopher Davis is a business litigation lawyer and trusted advisor to companies throughout Virginia and across the country. He represents businesses in complex commercial disputes in state and federal courts, handling matters ranging from contract and trade secret disputes to high-value, “bet-the-company” litigation.
Chris frequently litigates in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia — the E.D.V.A. “Rocket Docket,” often cited as the fastest federal court in the country. His experience includes trade secrets, franchise disputes, government contracts, commercial leases, business torts, and trademark matters. He has also defended multidistrict litigation (MDL) claims involving alleged damages exceeding one billion dollars.
In addition to trial work, Chris has substantial appellate experience, including matters before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fourth and Second Circuits, the Supreme Court of Virginia, and the Virginia Court of Appeals.
Entrepreneurial Foundation
Before founding the firm, Chris served for seven years as in-house litigation counsel for a publicly traded company headquartered in Virginia Beach. In 2014, he left to establish Davis Law, PLC (now Davis, Burch & Abrams) to focus exclusively on representing business owners and companies in high-stakes commercial matters.
The firm has since expanded its reach, representing businesses across Virginia and in matters throughout the United States.
Prior to practicing law, Chris worked in the technology sector as Chief Information Officer of an Internet Service Provider in Buffalo, New York, specializing in internet and network security. That background informs his approach to technology disputes, cybersecurity issues, and data-related litigation.
Leadership & Teaching
Chris serves as an adjunct professor at Regent University and sits on the boards of the Life Enrichment Center and the Radiance Foundation. He is a graduate of the 2019 LEAD Hampton Roads class and a member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association.
He has been recognized as a “Rising Star” (2016–2020) and “Super Lawyer” (2021–2026) by Super Lawyers. He has also been repeatedly named “Legal Elite” by Virginia Business and recognized as a “Top Lawyer” for Business Law by Coastal Virginia Magazine. In 2026, he was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America.
Bold Advocacy in the Rocket Docket
If you need a business litigation trial lawyer with a track record of high-stakes success in national trial courts and the E.D.V.A. “rocket docket,” contact Christopher Davis at Davis, Burch & Abrams today.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Outcomes depend on the specific facts and legal circumstances of each matter.
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- Supreme Court of the United States
- J.D. & MBA, Regent University School of Law and School of Business
- Graduate Study in International Politics, Hertford College, Oxford University
- Undergraduate Study in Biblical Studies, Elim Bible Institute
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- Contract & Business Tort Litigation
- Shareholder & Partnership Disputes
- Trade Secrets & Restrictive Covenants
- Trademark & Intellectual Property Disputes
- Franchise Litigation
- Real Estate Litigation
- Government Contracts Litigation
- Technology & Cybersecurity Disputes
- 2025 – $9.57 Million Jury Verdict | Statutory Conspiracy, Trade Secrets & Fiduciary Duty
(Second-Largest Jury Verdict in Virginia in 2025 – Virginia Lawyers Weekly)
In J. Park & Associates v. Rue et al. (Hanover County Circuit Court), Chris secured a $9,573,963.94 verdict arising from the sale of an accounting and tax practice in Mechanicsville, Virginia. After the sale, the seller and his daughters—who remained employed—were accused of secretly launching a competing business and copying the company’s server to transfer staff, files, and clients.During discovery, defendants denied involvement and claimed no responsive text messages existed. A third-party subpoena revealed those representations were false, leading the court to order a forensic review of cell phones and computers. The evidence confirmed active participation in the conspiracy. The court entered an adverse inference against two defendants and permitted enforcement of the non-compete under a “closely related parties” theory.The jury found all defendants jointly and severally liable, awarding $8,835,677.99 in damages. The court added $738,285.95 in attorneys’ fees, costs, and forensic expenses, bringing the total judgment to $9,573,963.94.Virginia Lawyers Weekly ranked the verdict as the second-largest jury verdict in Virginia for 2025. - 2025 – Trial Court Loss Reversed on Appeal | Commercial Lease & Fraud Claims
In NB 333 W. Cork Street, LLC v. Greenfield Holdings, LLC, Chris represented a commercial landlord in a high-stakes dispute arising from a build-to-suit assisted living facility lease. The trial court struck the client’s breach of contract and fraud claims, holding that the lease was an unenforceable “agreement to agree” and that the evidence was insufficient to establish fraud.Chris appealed. In a detailed written opinion, the Court of Appeals of Virginia reversed the trial court in full and remanded the case for further proceedings. The appellate court held that the lease contained sufficiently definite and enforceable terms, including workable pricing mechanisms, and that the landlord had presented sufficient evidence to proceed on claims of fraud and fraudulent inducement based on alleged concealment of material financial information.The decision reinstated the landlord’s multi-million-dollar claims and clarified important principles under Virginia law regarding contract enforceability and fraud by nondisclosure in complex commercial transactions. - 2022 – $1 Million Settlement | Business Torts & Government Contracts
Chris secured a settlement valued at approximately $1 million for a business client in a dispute involving business torts and government contracts. The resolution included $500,000 in cash, $200,000 in debt forgiveness, and the transfer of securities. - 2022 – Supreme Court of Virginia Victory | $3M+ Wage Claim Defeated
In Cornell, et al. v. Benedict, et al., Chris successfully defended a former board member and consultant against claims exceeding $3 million in alleged unpaid wages under Virginia Code § 40.1-29(J).The plaintiffs, licensed therapists, sought to hold two former board members personally liable as “joint employers” following the financial collapse of their employer. They argued that Virginia’s wage statute should be interpreted in line with the broader definition of “employer” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which can impose liability on individuals acting in the interest of a company.Chris argued that Virginia’s statutory language is narrower and reflects a deliberate legislative decision not to adopt the FLSA’s expansive definition. Both the circuit court and, on appeal, the Supreme Court of Virginia agreed. In a published opinion authored by Chief Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn, the Court held that Code § 40.1-29(J) excludes individuals from joint employer liability for unpaid wages when acting on behalf of a corporate employer. The Court emphasized the General Assembly’s use of the term “entity” rather than “person,” concluding that individuals are not subject to joint liability under the statute.The ruling affirmed dismissal of the claims and prevented a significant expansion of personal liability exposure for corporate officers and directors across the Commonwealth.The decision was reported by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (VLW 022-6-046). The Virginia Pilot also reported on the case. - 2021 – $256,650 Jury Verdict | Employment Agreement Dispute
In Vera v. Allied Research Technology, Inc. (Norfolk Circuit Court), Chris secured a $256,650 jury verdict after a four-day trial involving an executive equity buy-out dispute.Chris represented a former executive whose “Equity Grant Agreement” provided for payment of his 5% vested ownership interest if he was terminated “without cause.” The company claimed he was terminated “for cause,” alleging failure to appear during certain working hours. Chris demonstrated that, given the executive’s management role, his schedule was discretionary and did not constitute grounds for “for cause” termination under the agreement.At trial, Chris presented expert valuation testimony supporting the full buy-out amount owed. The jury found that the company breached the Equity Grant Agreement and adopted his expert’s valuation in full, awarding the exact amount requested — $256,650.The matter was later reported by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. - 2021 – Motion to Dismiss Defeated | Franchise Area Developer Litigation
Chris represented area developers in a high-stakes federal franchise dispute against Liberty Tax in the Eastern District of Virginia. Liberty moved to dismiss all claims, including wrongful termination, failure to pay royalties, and improper refusal to renew long-term Area Developer agreements.Chris successfully defeated the Rule 12(b)(6) motion in its entirety. The federal court held that his clients had plausibly alleged breach of contract claims relating to renewal rights, royalty calculations (including e-filing fees), and termination provisions. The ruling preserved claims exceeding $2.7 million and allowed the case to proceed through discovery and litigation in the Rocket Docket.Road King Development, Inc. v. JTH Tax, LLC, No. 2:21-cv-55, 2021 WL 5441503 (E.D. Va. Nov. 19, 2021) - 2021 – Motion to Disqualify Denied | Federal Court (E.D. Va.)
In Road King Development Inc. v. JTH Tax LLC d/b/a Liberty Tax (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division), Chris successfully defeated a motion to disqualify him from representing plaintiffs in a franchise dispute against his former employer.Liberty Tax sought disqualification under Rule 1.9 of the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct, arguing that Chris’s prior six-year tenure as in-house counsel created a conflict because he had access to confidential information regarding area development (AD) agreements and franchise disputes. To prevail, Liberty was required to demonstrate that the current litigation was “substantially related” to matters Chris handled during his prior representation.The court held that Liberty failed to meet its “high burden” of showing a patently clear and substantial relationship between the prior representation and the issues in the present case. The agreements at issue were entered years after Chris left the company, the plaintiffs were not clients or counterparties during his tenure, and the dispute centered on contract interpretation governed by state law. The court further found that general knowledge of litigation strategy or application of state law does not constitute confidential information sufficient to warrant disqualification.The motion to disqualify was denied, allowing the plaintiffs to proceed with their chosen counsel. The decision was reported by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (VLW 021-3-259). - 2019 – Multi-Million Dollar Government Contractor Dispute
Chris resolved a multi-million-dollar dispute involving a government contractor in which no written contract existed to support the plaintiff’s position. The case required expert testimony to establish industry standards and course-of-dealing principles. While the settlement terms remain confidential, the matter concluded with a favorable six-figure resolution for the client. - 2018 – $255,500 Jury Verdict | Restaurant Litigation
Chris defended a Virginia Beach restaurant owner in a seven-figure lawsuit and reversed the posture of the case by defeating the plaintiff’s claims and obtaining a $255,500 jury verdict for the defendant as counterclaimant. The matter was reported by The Virginian-Pilot. - 2018 – $657,434 Jury Verdict | Contract & Fraud Claims
In Multi Textiles Inc. v. Tidewater Area Central Hospital Laundry Inc. (Portsmouth Circuit Court), Chris secured a $657,434.80 jury verdict after trying a long-term commercial dispute involving custom-manufactured textile goods.
For more than 30 years, Multi Textiles supplied specialized hospital textiles manufactured to the defendant’s unique specifications. Under an oral agreement, the company procured goods from overseas manufacturers and maintained a four- to six-month inventory supply in a dedicated 22,000-square-foot warehouse leased specifically for the defendant’s needs. When new management took over, the defendant ceased purchasing goods it had committed to buy.Chris presented evidence establishing breach of a subsequent written agreement governing the purchase of remaining inventory and demonstrated that the defendant’s representations regarding its intent to purchase the goods were fraudulent. After trial, the jury returned a $657,434.80 verdict in favor of his client.The case was reported by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. - 2017 – $3.8 Million Jury Verdict | Tortious Interference in Federal Government Contract Bid
(Second-Largest Jury Verdict in Virginia in 2017 – Virginia Lawyers Weekly)In Heard Construction, Inc. v. Waterfront Marine Construction, Inc., et al. (Chesapeake Circuit Court), Chris secured a $3.8 million jury verdict after a four-day trial involving a contested federal government contract at Little Creek Naval Base in Norfolk.Chris represented a HUBZone-certified contractor entitled to a 10% pricing preference under 48 C.F.R. § 19.1307 — but only if the competing bidder was classified as a “large” business at the time of bidding. The defendant represented itself as a “small” business, which prevented application of the HUBZone preference and resulted in the contract award.After uncovering evidence that the competitor did not meet the applicable federal size standard, Chris pursued tortious interference claims not only against the bidding entity but also against its former principals and related parent companies. The case required navigating federal procurement regulations, SBA size determinations, and complex corporate structures — and presenting that framework clearly and persuasively to a state-court jury.
The jury returned a $3.8 million verdict in favor of Chris’s client.Virginia Lawyers Weekly ranked the verdict as the second-largest jury verdict for Virginia in 2017. - 2010 – “Adult Hotline” Dispute | Federal Preemption Defeated in Toll-Free Number Case
In Creative Technologies v. Paetec Communications of Virginia Inc. (Chesapeake Circuit Court), Chris represented a Virginia business that had successfully marketed its product for years through a well-known vanity toll-free number. After a contractual dispute, the defendant released the number back into the publicly available pool, where it was acquired by a phone sex hotline — severely damaging the company’s brand and customer goodwill.Chris brought claims for breach of contract, fraud, fiduciary duty, and related business torts arising from the wrongful release of the number. When the defendant moved to dismiss, arguing that the Federal Communications Commission had exclusive jurisdiction and that federal telecommunications law preempted the claims, Chris successfully opposed the motion and defeated the federal preemption defense.By persuading the court that the claims arose under Virginia common law rather than federal statute, Chris preserved the case in state court and allowed it to proceed with the full damages sought — more than $1.7 million, plus punitive damages.The decision was reported by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (VLW 010-8-035). - 2010 – Forum Clause Enforced & Case Re-Transferred to Virginia (JTH Tax v. Mahmood)
In JTH Tax, Inc. v. Mahmood (N.D. Miss.), Chris secured enforcement of a mandatory forum selection clause in a franchise agreement when the federal court ordered the case re-transferred to the Eastern District of Virginia. After Liberty Tax’s original suit in Virginia had been transferred to Mississippi, the defendants filed a separate suit in state court in Mississippi in contravention of the agreed Virginia forum. The Mississippi federal court concluded that the original purposes of the first transfer had been frustrated by remand of a related action and found that transfer back to Virginia was appropriate under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a) because the franchise agreement contained a mandatory forum selection clause and the dispute could have been brought in Virginia. The court emphasized the parties’ contractual choice for Virginia and the convenience of witnesses and justice interests in returning the case to that agreed forum.The re-transfer vindicated the enforceability of exclusive forum clauses and underscored that contractual venue stipulations can prevail even after an intervening transfer, consolidation attempt, and remand — an outcome that is rare in complex, multi-forum litigation.
JTH Tax, Inc. v. Mahmood, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 54389 (N.D. Miss. May 27, 2010). - 2010 – Jury Waiver Enforced & Damages Testimony Upheld (Sherman Street Associates)
In Sherman Street Associates, LLC v. JTH Tax, Inc. (D. Conn.), Chris secured multiple favorable rulings in complex franchise litigation involving procedural and evidentiary disputes. He successfully moved to strike the plaintiffs’ jury demand based on enforceable jury waiver provisions in the franchise agreements, with the court holding that the waiver was knowing and voluntary under both federal and state law.Chris also defeated a motion in limine seeking to exclude damages testimony from the business owner and manager. By demonstrating that the lost profits and valuation analysis were grounded in personal knowledge and company records rather than improper expert opinion, he preserved the client’s ability to present fact-based damages evidence at trial.Sherman Street Associates, LLC v. JTH Tax, Inc., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29402 (D. Conn. Mar. 22, 2010) & 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113318 (D. Conn. Oct. 25, 2010). - 2009 – Fourth Circuit Affirms Judgment & Permanent Injunction
Successfully defended a federal judgment and permanent injunction on appeal in a franchise enforcement action. The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court’s entry of judgment and injunctive relief requiring compliance with post-termination obligations, including non-compete and trademark restrictions.JTH Tax, Inc. v. Fein, 352 F. App’x 766 (4th Cir. 2009). - 2007 – Civil Contempt Granted | Non-Compete & Trademark Injunction Enforced
Obtained a civil contempt ruling enforcing a permanent injunction against a former franchisee who continued operating in violation of post-termination obligations. The court ordered compliance with non-compete and trademark restrictions and imposed coercive daily monetary sanctions until compliance was achieved.JTH Tax, Inc. v. Lee, 540 F. Supp. 2d 642 (E.D. Va. 2007).