Christopher Lavorato
Partner
Practice Areas:
Christopher Lavorato is a partner at Howry Breen & Herman, where he practices civil litigation. He focuses on a variety of complex civil matters including claims of catastrophic injury, wrongful death, products liability, commercial transit accidents and construction defect.
Chris received his B.A. in Communications from the University of San Francisco in 1992. He graduated as the Distinguished Military Graduate from ROTC and became a commissioned officer in the United States Army, serving honorably as a platoon leader, S2, and company commander, and as a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot until 1999. After his military service, he earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Santa Clara School of Law in 2002. Chris is licensed to practice law in the states of Texas and California.
After law school, Chris practiced on the Monterey Peninsula and the Bay Area of California, focusing on complex civil litigation and criminal law. He was a member of a co-lead counsel team of lawyers for Economic Loss Class Plaintiffs in the Toyota Unintended Acceleration case which successfully resulted in a substantial settlement on behalf of class members. Other examples of his cases include securing multi-million dollar settlements representing clients with traumatic brain injuries, drowning victims, dog bite victims, people who are injured by defective products, sexual abuse victims, victims of commercial airline crashes, as well as personal injuries related to negligent automobile and truck drivers. He also has extensive experience in construction defect cases. Recently, attorneys Sean Breen and Glen Wilkerson of Howry Breen & Herman secured a full and fair settlement on behalf of hundreds of condominium owners in a construction defect case here in Austin.
Chris has a broad range of courtroom experience, including both bench and jury trials, representing individuals, as well as corporate and governmental entities. As an FAA-certified commercial pilot, he brings real-world experience to our team in the acquisition of key evidence related to aviation accident investigations, processes and procedures of regulatory agencies, including procedures of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Chris enjoys providing pro-bono services to those in need, as well as service to numerous non-profit boards. He believes in giving back to our communities. For his efforts, Chris has been selected by his peers for inclusion as an AV® Rated lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell®, recognized for holding the highest degree of legal competency and ethical standards. He has also been selected as a “Top 100 National Trial Lawyer”, Northern California Super Lawyer® and Texas Super Lawyer®, by Thomson Reuters.
When Chris is not representing his clients, he enjoys spending time with his family, physical fitness, and volunteering for Texas Search and Rescue. He also provides instruction to our legal community as adjunct professor at Austin Community College in its paralegal department. Chris is a firm believer that education is a vital ingredient of freedom.
Looking for a reliable lawyer in Austin? Call Howry Breen & Herman at (512) 430-4844 to schedule a complimentary case evaluation today.
Education
- J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law, 2002
- Bachelor of Arts, University of San Francisco, 1992
Military Education
- Commercial Rated Rotary Wing Pilot (VFR/IFR)
- United States Army Airborne School
- United States Army Air Assault School
- Held Top Secret Clearance (SCI) while serving in the Army
- Military Intelligence Officer Advanced Course
Other
- FAA Certification for Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drone) Operations
Presentations
- Nationwide Webinar Co-Presenter of: “Winning at Trial: Essential Trial Preparation Techniques” (May 2022), Lorman Educational Services
- Nationwide Webinar Co-Presenter of: “Personal Injury for Paralegals ” (January 2022), Lorman Educational Services
- Nationwide Webinar Co-Presenter of: “Effective Use Of Evidence To Bolster Your Client’s Case ” (August 2021), Lorman Educational Services
- Nationwide Webinar Co-Presenter of: “Low Impact Soft Tissue Cases” (July 2021), Lorman Educational Services.
- Nationwide Webinar Co-Presenter of “Buyer’s Guide to Product Recalls and Product Liability” (May 2020), Lorman Educational Services
- Nationwide Webinar Co-Presenter of “Key Evidence to Bolster Your Client’s Case” (February 2020), Lorman Educational Services
- Nationwide Webinar Co-Presenter of “Understanding Admissibility of Digital Evidence”, Lorman Educational Services
- Legislative Update on Drones (Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems) (2017), Austin Bench/Bar, Austin Bar Association
- Know the Law: Family Law (2013), San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association
- Where Criminal Law Meets Tort Law (2013), Consumer Attorneys of California Conference
- Expert Witnesses (2012), Consumer Attorneys of California Conference
- Ethical Considerations in the Courtroom (2009), Monterey County Bar Association
- Ethical Considerations in the Courtroom (2007), Consumer Attorneys of California Conference
Publications
- The Balance of Effective Drone Regulation (2/5/2015), San Francisco Daily Journal
- Helping Veterans Stand Down (2014), San Mateo County Daily Journal
- Howell and the Cost of Future Care for Medicare Recipients (2014), The Advocate Vol. 41, No.6
Awards
- Attorney Intel: Top 50 Attorneys of Austin, 2022
- The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Civil Plaintiff, 2021
- AV Preeminent® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, 2014-2021
- Honored as one of “Austin’s Top Lawyers” by Austin Monthly Magazine, 2019
- Recipient of California’s Top 100 Settlements for 2019, by The Recorder and VerdictSearch
- Texas Super Lawyers List®, by Thomas Reuters, 2015-2018
- Northern California Super Lawyers, 2015
- Perfect “10” rating by Avvo.com, since 2017
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award for Evidence (Santa Clara University School of Law)
- Outstanding Oral Argument (Santa Clara University School of Law)
- Past Director and Secretary of San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association
- Past Director and Executive Committee Member of Monterey County Bar Association
Licenses/Admissions
- State Bar of Texas
- State Bar of California
- U.S. Federal District Court of Texas: Western, Southern, and Northern Districts
- U.S. Federal District Courts of California: Northern and Central Districts
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Texas Bar Foundation (Fellow)
Community Involvement
- Member of Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Pro-Bono Volunteer for Austin Bar Veteran’s Clinic
- Adjunct Professor at Austin Community College (Paralegal Dept.)
- Past Board of Director (Monterey County Free Libraries, The Palma School, San Mateo Trial Lawyers Assoc., Monterey County Bar Association)
- Past Member of Board of Governors - Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC)
- Past Board Member for “The Playful Child.org” promoting healthy children (Georgetown Texas)
- Co-Founder and past President of Veteran Lawyers of San Mateo County
- Monterey County Free Libraries’ Philanthropist Honoree, 2009
