Hire Chris Vernon as an Expert Witness

Mr. Vernon handles the litigation and arbitration of complex business and financial disputes, with an emphasis on securities fraud and securities arbitration, throughout the United States. He currently holds an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell (which is the highest peer review rating available to an attorney) and has been repeatedly recognized by Florida Super Lawyers (2006-2022) and The Best Lawyers in America (2009-2022) in multiple categories (Commercial Litigation, Securities/Capital Markets Law, and Bet-the-Company Litigation). The firm is ranked by U. S. News & World Report Best Lawyers’ as Best Law Firms for 2020. Mr. Vernon has also been recognized by and is a member of the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 trial lawyers.

Areas of Expertise  

• Testimony and Litigation support in Federal Court, State Court, Arbitration, and Mediation
• Trust, Fiduciary, Best Interest, Suitability, and standards of care
• Prudent Investor, allocation, concentration, and diversification
• Product and strategy risk analysis
• Investment Professional competence and ethics
• Liability of Gatekeepers
• Conflicts of Interest and commission junkies
• Alternative Investments
• Misrepresentations and Omissions
• Scams and Ponzi schemes
• Registration and Licensing issues
• Variable and Equity Index Annuities
• State and Federal Securities Violations

COURT ADMISSIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS:

• United States Supreme Court
• United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
• U. S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court Mediator 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Private practice in Naples and Orlando, Florida
• Prosecution intern, Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office

EDUCATION:

• Law: J.D., Stetson University College of Law
• Undergraduate: B.S., cum laude, Finance, Florida State University

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND AWARDS (Past and Present):

• Member, Society of Trust and Estate practitioners (STEP)
• Twentieth Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission (Gubernatorial Appointment)
• Thomas S. Biggs American Inns of Court (President)
• Collier County Bar Trial Lawyers Section (Board of Directors)
• Continuing Education for board certified trust and estate and business litigation lawyers
• throughout the state of Florida (Instructor)
• Continuing Education for CPAs, CFPs, and CFAs throughout Florida (Instructor)
• American Association for Justice (Speaker)
• Unlicensed Practice of Law Standing Committee for the Florida Bar (Vice Chair)
• Stetson College of Law Alumni Association (Executive Council and Board of Directors)
• Stetson College of Law: Scholarship recipient; Outstanding Alumni Award
• Stetson Law Review
• Advanced Arbitrator Training for FINRA (Instructor)
• Mr. Vernon is or has been qualified as an arbitrator for American Arbitration Association (AAA),
• Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) (formerly, NASD and NYSE), National Futures
• Association (NFA), and approved arbitrator for the 20th Judicial Circuit of Florida