Christopher J. Leavell

Christopher is a commercial litigator and bankruptcy attorney whose practice focuses on creditors’ rights, restructuring, and complex business disputes. He represents clients in and outside of bankruptcy, including institutional lenders, commercial landlords, receivers, trustees, shareholders, distributors, and other businesses in contested matters and distressed situations.

Christopher began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Bruce I. Fox, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. As a member of the firm’s Appellate Litigation group, Christopher has been involved in appeals before the Pennsylvania Supreme and Superior Courts and the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third and Seventh Circuits. Notably, he successfully argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in a shareholder case presenting an issue of first impression under the Pennsylvania Securities Act, resulting in a unanimous ruling in his client’s favor.

Christopher works from the firm’s Philadelphia and New Jersey offices and lives with his husband and their two children in Central New Jersey.

Outside his practice, Christopher serves on the board of Project 440, a nonprofit that helps students in creative fields develop the professional and entrepreneurial skills needed to build successful careers. He also serves on the vestry of historic Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton. A classically trained musician, Christopher studied viola performance at The Juilliard School while completing his undergraduate studies at Columbia University. He also speaks conversational Spanish.

Press Release, “Christopher Leavell Joins Board of Directors for Project 440,” June 2, 2025

Co-author, “United States v. Miller: SCOTUS Holds the Sovereign Immunity Waiver Does Not Apply to State Law Claims Brought Under 11 U.S.C. 544(b),” April 2, 2025

Co-author, “Supreme Court Strengthens Insurance Carriers’ Right To Be Heard In Chapter 11 Cases,” June 27, 2024

Press Release, “Klehr Harrison Receives Favorable Decision in Securities Fraud Case from Pennsylvania Supreme Court,” July 25, 2023

Author, “Under Financial Pressure, Colleges Face a Complex Balancing Act in the Weeks Ahead,” August 14, 2020

Author, “NJ Now Prohibits the Use of Confessed Judgments in Financing Agreements Targeted at Garden State Businesses,” June 20, 2020

Author, “Using PPP Proceeds as Collateral for Other Loans—Implications for Borrowers and Secured Lenders,” April 17, 2020

• Briefed and argued an issue of first impression in the Commonwealth before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court of whether a plaintiff in a Pennsylvania securities fraud action has the obligation under section 1-401(b) of the Pennsylvania Securities Act to plead and prove intentional misrepresentation, resulting in a favorable decision for the client.
• The bankruptcy trustee in liquidation of Atlantic City casino.
• International real estate holding company in lease workouts throughout Pennsylvania.
• Multiple bank clients as creditors in business and consumer bankruptcies and in loan workouts.
• Insurer in a bankruptcy proceeding involving a $30 million fraud recovery.
• National self-storage company as a creditor in bankruptcies throughout the United States.