Babbitt, Christopher E.

Year Joined Organization: 2007

Lawyer Overview

Christopher Babbitt is a partner in the firm's Litigation/Controversy and Regulatory and Government Affairs Departments; he is also a member of the Government and Regulatory Litigation and Antitrust and Competition Practice Groups. He joined the firm in 2007.

Practice

Mr. Babbitt focuses his litigation practice on government and public policy litigation and strategy. His practice encompasses all phases of litigation before US district courts, the federal courts of appeals, and the Supreme Court. He has significant civil litigation experience under the False Claims Act, the Sherman Act, and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. In addition, Mr. Babbitt regularly advises corporations, universities, non-profit organizations, and individuals on compliance with the federal lobbying disclosure laws, the government ethics laws, and the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Recent Highlights

False Claims Act Litigation

Represented pharmaceutical company alleged to have made false marketing claims in violation of the False Claims Act. The district court dismissed the case and the Fourth Circuit affirmed, holding that the general release of claims the relator signed upon leaving the company barred the relator’s subsequent qui tam suit.

Represent student loan company in qui tam suit challenging industry-wide practice of recycling student loan proceeds to purchase additional loans entitled to fixed-rate special allowance payments (SAPs) from the Department of Education.

Represent government contractor in DOJ investigation related to work performed in Iraq.

Other Litigation

Represented international maritime shipping company in litigation regarding the availability of class arbitration under the Federal Arbitration Act. The Supreme Court held that class arbitration may not be imposed on parties that have not consented to class proceedings, a victory for WilmerHale’s client.

Represented public international organization in litigation implicating the immunities provided by the Bretton Woods Agreements Act and the International Organizations Immunities Act. In a published decision, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia held that the client organization was absolutely immune from judicial process under the Acts.

Represented major foreign airline in litigation alleging price-fixing conspiracy on transatlantic and Europe-Japan routes. The cases were dismissed by the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Eastern District of New York.

Represented patent-holder in component of DVD technology in civil antitrust litigation challenging licensing practices of joint venture comprised of client and other DVD patent-holders. The Ninth Circuit held that the practices did not violate the Sherman Act.

Represented California inmate in litigation under Section 1983 and RICO following orchestrated attack during prison lockdown. Negotiated a $210,000 settlement with the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation on behalf of injured inmate.

Professional Activities

Mr. Babbitt served as a board member of the Bay Area Lawyers Chapter of the American Constitution Society and is a member of the American Bar Association.

Areas of Practice

• Litigation/Controversy
• Government and Regulatory Litigation
• Regulatory and Government Affairs
• Antitrust and Competition

West Practice Categories

Antitrust & Trade Regulation, Bankruptcy Litigation, Class Actions, Complex Litigation, Federal Appellate Practice, Federal Claims Court, Federal Trial Practice, International Trade Litigation, Litigation & Appeals, Multidistrict Litigation, Patent Litigation, State Appellate Practice, State Trial Practice, Tax Litigation, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, US Supreme Court

Bar Admissions

• District of Columbia
• California

Education

• Harvard Law School, 2002
  JD
  Honors: cum laude
• Stanford University, 1999
  MA, Religious Studies
• Stanford University, 1998
  BA, Religious Studies

Published Works

• The Supreme Court's Schindler Elevator Decision on the False Claims Act's "Public Disclosure" Bar, 2011
• FCC Initiates Rulemaking on VoIP Carriers' 911 and E911 Rights and Obligations, 2008

Address

1875 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Phones

+1 202 663 6681 (Business Phone)

Faxes

+1 202 663 6363 (Business Fax)

Emails

Contact Us (Business Email)

Websites

http://www.wilmerhale.com