Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Class Actions and Mass Torts

Partner - Litigation and Investigations

Global Practice Group Leader - Class Actions and Mass Torts

Christopher J. Schmidt is a trial and class action lawyer whose practice focuses on defending class actions, complex business disputes for financial institutions, and professional and collegiate sports litigation. Chris is the lead lawyer for a number of national clients, including major financial institutions, Fortune 200 companies, professional sport franchises in the NHL, MLB and NBA, prominent universities, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT & HONORS Recognized nationwide in Chambers USA 2022 as one of the best lawyers in the country in the area of Sports Law. Recognized as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" by his peers. One of three lawyers in the State of Missouri to be named as a "Legal Champion" in 2017. Numerous national television appearances as an expert on international child abductions, including appearances on NBC's Nightly News, CNN, and Fox News. Received recognition and awards from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the US Department of State. Received the Justice Award from The Foundation for Improvement of Justice for his commitment to protecting children from international child abduction.

Chris co-leads BCLP’s Sports Litigation Practice and is known for his representation of sports organizations at the collegiate (NCAA) and professional (NHL) levels regarding novel neurodegenerative claims. He is national coordinating counsel for the NCAA’s nationwide sports injury claims. In addition to the NCAA, Chris served as lead counsel for all of the clubs in the National Hockey League MDL concussion/CTE litigation. He maintains an active commercial disputes practice and serves as lead trial counsel in connection with sports-related arbitrations, including representing professional sports franchises in major ownership disputes, executive disputes, player arbitrations, and termination of professional athlete arbitration agreements. Chris also handles other commercial disputes for the firm’s sports clients, including professional stadium disputes, top-tier lease disputes, and other third-party disputes involving various aspects of their businesses.

CLASS & MASS ACTIONS

Chris has defended clients in multiple high-stakes class action matters across industries. His experience encompasses all aspects of class and mass actions, including opposition to class certification, dispositive motions, critical depositions, expert strategy, class certification hearings, trial, complex settlement strategies and administration in state and federal courts around the country.

Chris is especially adept at distilling complex expert issues and conveying evidence-based opinions in the courtroom. Chris knows that cases are not won on the experts alone, and invests time early in the case to learn and tell his client’s fact-based story.

PRO BONO, CIVIC & FIRM SERVICE COMMITMENT

Chris has maintained an active pro bono practice throughout his career and has been lead trial counsel on a wide variety of high-profile cases, including an asylum case for a victim of human sex-trafficking, the successful defense of a young man accused of murder, and numerous international child abduction cases. He leads the firm’s commitment to helping children who are victims of international child abduction and serves as the firm’s primary contact with the U.S. State Department.

Chris is committed to making a difference by serving on various charitable boards, including the Great Rivers Greenway Foundation where he is co-leading the firm’s pro bono effort to build the Brickline Greenway in St. Louis. This project has been recognized as one of the most ambitious, inclusive efforts to remake the core of an American city in decades.

Chris has a long history of firm service. In addition to leading the Firm’s Class Action & Mass Torts Practice Group, he has served on the firm’s Project Advance advisory group, Partner Advisory Board, and the Recruiting Committee, where he worked to expand recruitment of the best and brightest diverse talent in the country.