Christopher Banys started Banys, A.D.R. with the goal of helping litigants manage their risk and effectively resolve their disputes without the cost and uncertainty of trial. With decades of experience serving clients at every level of the legal system in a wide variety of cases, from the seemingly simple to the extremely complex, Mr. Banys brings deep experience and hard-won insights to help parties take control and resolve their disputes. Mr. Banys has settled hundreds of cases on terms ranging from millions of dollars to a handshake and an apology. Regardless of the dispute, Mr. Banys will bring his creative wisdom and experience to help you settle your case.
Mr. Banys’ record in the courtroom speaks volumes. In 2015 alone, Mr. Banys served as lead trial lawyer in five trials and won all five. The following year, Mr. Banys won three trials, including a $12.5 million jury verdict for breach of contract against Qualcomm in San Diego, among the 30 highest verdicts statewide that year. In June 2020, Mr. Banys argued a case before the California Supreme Court. Overall, his tenacity has resulted in recovering tens of millions of dollars for his clients, as well as winning several defense victories.
This dedication to helping his clients has earned Mr. Banys recognition from his peers and the press. The National Trial Lawyers Association named Mr. Banys among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers from 2012–2020. The Recorder named Mr. Banys a Lawyer On The Fast Track in 2012, one of only 50 lawyers in California to receive that honor. SuperLawyers named Mr. Banys a Super Lawyer from 2014–2026 and a Rising Star from 2011–2013.
Mr. Banys’ commitment to justice includes extensive pro bono work on behalf of those who cannot afford legal help. His efforts have earned recognition including an Equal Justice America fellowship, multiple law firm honors, the Legal Services for Children’s 2008 Pro Bono Advocate Award, and a Certificate of Appreciation from the Northern District of California’s Silicon Valley Pro Bono Project. In 2018, Super Lawyers featured Mr. Banys in the article “The Human Part of It”, highlighting his pro bono service.
Christopher Banys first became well known for representing inventors against patent infringers of all sizes and served as lead trial lawyer in scores of patent infringement cases nationwide. Due to his experience and reputation, Mr. Banys was invited to debate proposed patent legislation in the U.S. Senate and submitted congressional testimony. He also presented at the international Cloud Law Summit in London.
Mr. Banys has extensive experience litigating complex business disputes, including class actions, construction defect, employment, catastrophic personal injury, and defective medical product cases in federal, state, and administrative-law courts and in arbitration.
Cases include:
- SAI v. QUALCOMM (San Diego Superior Court): $12.5 million jury verdict for breach of contract.
- Freeny v. Murphy Oil (E.D. Tex.): $9.25 million jury verdict in a patent infringement action.
- Paton v. AMD (Santa Clara Superior Court): $5.4 million class-action settlement for over 1,700 employees.
For over a decade, Mr. Banys headed his own law firm and served as lead trial lawyer in cases nationwide. Previously, he founded and led the Palo Alto office of a national trial firm and ran its intellectual property practice.
Mr. Banys earned his law degree from Boston University School of Law, where he was a Dean’s Scholar. He later studied at Oxford University and earned his undergraduate degree in Spanish and Portuguese from the University of California, Berkeley.
Mr. Banys founded the Intellectual Property Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice and remains active in several legal associations.
Mr. Banys is a husband and father, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and instructor, and a commercially rated pilot serving as a lieutenant-volunteer with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Aero Squadron.
Christopher Banys is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Federal and Ninth Circuits, all California state courts, and numerous federal district courts nationwide.
