Chris Pace has extensive experience in the areas of employment litigation, counseling, and investigation. He represents management in all variety of employment disputes before federal and state courts and administrative agencies with a particular emphasis on representing employers in class and collective action matters. Chris also manages the firm’s Litigation Support Group, which assists clients with the design and implementation of efficient collection, review and processing methodologies for electronically stored information.
Experience
Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Chris served as lead in house employment litigation counsel to a Fortune 50 company where he led a group of professionals tasked with defending domestic and international employment litigation and administrative claims. While in house, Chris directed the defense of scores of class and collective actions, defended hundreds of employment lawsuits and administrative claims, first-chaired scores of arbitrations of labor and employment disputes, prosecuted and defended covenant not to compete matters and advised senior executives and HR personnel on reductions in force, HR policy and other employment issues.
For the last decade, Chris has concentrated his practice on the defense of class and collective actions. He has extensive experience with the defense of FLSA off-the-clock and misclassification cases, age discrimination collective action matters, and Title VII class and pattern or practice claims.
Kansas
Missouri
U.S. District Court, District of Kansas
U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia
United States Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth and Tenth Circuits
Education and Honors
- AV rated by Martindale Hubbell
- Super Lawyer for Kansas and Missouri (2008)
- Staff Member, Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy
- Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award, Professional Responsibility
- Member, National Moot Court Team and Moot Court Counsel
- Dean's Honor Roll
Professional Activities
- The Kansas Bar Association
- Missouri Bar
- Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar - "The Life Cycle of a Wage & Hour Class/Collective Action" - Chicago - May 11, 2011
- Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar - "How to Avoid The Court’s Wrath (Emerging Best Practices in E-discovery)" - Las Vegas - May 6, 2010 - May 7, 2010
- Ogletree Deakins Seminar - "What Keeps In House Counsel Up At Night? Panel discussion regarding hot issues in employment law for in-house practitioners" - Kansas City - February 18, 2010
- Ogletree Deakins Seminar - "Update on Employment Law, Best Practices in Reductions in Force" - Kansas City - June 2009
- Ogletree Deakins Seminar - "You’ve Conducted a Reduction in Force—Now What? Best practices for preparing for RIF-related litigation" - Kansas City - April 16, 2009
In The News
- November 9, 2010 - Ogletree Deakins Publication - "E-Discovery Preservation Obligations in Class and Collective Actions"
- December 1998 - 4 Kan. Assoc. Def. C. Leg. Letter - "The State of the Joint Defense Privilege in Kansas"
- Winter 1995 - 4 Kan. J. L. Pub. Pol. 79 - "The Role of the Americans with Disabilities Act in Determining Damages for Loss of Earning Capacity in Personal Injury Actions"
