Profile

Chris Harnett draws on 34 years of defense litigation and trial experience to achieve excellent results for his clients, including self-insured corporations, governmental agencies and insurance carriers.   He defends lawsuits involving catastrophic personal injury as well as commercial business and property loss. 

Focused on Complex Litigation for California Clients and Industries

He represents public agencies, national automotive parts retailers, heavy equipment dealerships, and other industrial clients. He represents them in accidental loss, premises liability, governmental tort, product liability and environmental/toxic tort lawsuits. Chris also guides insurance carriers in the investigation of difficult and questionable first-party claims. 

Experienced with Vehicular and Heavy Machinery Mechanics

Chris’ extensive defense litigation experience includes complex litigation against public transit agencies, municipalities, trucking companies, railroads, automotive repair garages, a large chemical manufacturer, excavation contractors, an elevator company and, national automotive parts retailers. He also defends direct actions against insurance carriers. 

His services are often enhanced by a comprehensive practical knowledge of mechanics as applied to vehicles and machinery including industrial, agricultural other forms of heavy equipment.

Long-Term Administrative Law Hearing Officer

Since the mid-1990s, Chris has served as a Hearing Officer for large municipalities in administrative law proceedings.  In this capacity, he decides complex medical-legal issues in pension law cases.  He was also an ALJ Pro Tem, in the Office of Administrative Hearings of the State of California, presiding over Business and Professional license discipline cases.