Christopher J. Caryl
- vCard
- vcard
Chris Caryl is a trial lawyer focusing on product liability, mass tort, and commercial litigation.
Chris has more than 20 years of experience defending manufacturers of industrial and consumer products in product liability cases. He serves as national and local counsel for many companies in asbestos, toxic tort, and serial litigation. Chris has conducted and defended hundreds of depositions of experts in asbestos and toxic tort cases and is well known for his deep knowledge of toxicology, mineralogy, and other scientific disciplines that are called upon in the defense of these cases. Chris works closely with industrial hygienists, physicians, product engineers, and other company witnesses to formulate winning strategies. He is recognized for developing innovative legal theories that have been shown to reduce client risks.
A believer in giving back to the community, Chris served as the partner in charge of the Tucker Ellis Pro Bono program from 2012 to 2023, where he oversaw the firm’s pro bono docket and assignments. He has built homes with Habitat for Humanity and represented indigent clients for the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.
Outside of work, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife, three children, and two dogs. Most weekends, Chris is fishing, biking, skiing, or improving his skills on the charcoal grill – even during long, cold Cleveland winters.
- Education
- Cleveland State University College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1998); Editor, Journal of Law & Health
- Muhlenberg College (B.A., cum laude, 1993)
- State Admissions
- Ohio, 1998
- Pennsylvania, 2007
- Federal Admissions
- United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio
- Service Areas
- Mass Tort & Product Liability
- Business Litigation
- Industries Represented
- Chemical
- Consumer Products
- Hospitals
- Legal Services (Law Firms)
- Machinery Manufacturing
- Medical Devices
- Medical Professionals (Doctors & Nurses)
- Pharmaceutical & Medicine
- Spectator Sports
- Transportation Equipment
- Utilities
- Developed and defended the original corporate representative for contract manufacturing defendant resulting in a dismissal
- Won a defense verdict for manufacturer of automotive brake products following 3-week jury trial in take home/secondary exposure case
- Won a defense verdict for HVAC manufacturer against claim that alleged aerosolized particle exposure caused personal injury
- Obtained favorable settlements during trial in cases alleging mesothelioma from asbestos exposure
- Negotiated favorable settlement for client facing multimillion-dollar default judgment based on personal jurisdiction defense
- Contributed to summary judgment win for equipment manufacturer in fire subrogation matter with damages in excess of $30 million
- Developed and implemented successful strategy that client had no legal duty to plaintiff for alleged asbestos exposure from packaging material resulting in summary judgment
- Briefed and argued prevailing motion for summary judgment on punitive damages for manufacturer of asbestos-containing products in Ohio
- Successfully briefed and argued summary judgment for automotive brake products manufacturer in case with undisputed product identification based on lack of exposure
- Successfully argued before Court of Appeals in affirming summary judgment for large equipment manufacturer in paralysis case involving a 20-year-old plaintiff
- Prepared and argued winning summary judgment motions based on successor liability and sophisticated purchaser
Publications
- “Distinguishing the Sophisticated User from the Sophisticated Intermediary Defense,” Inter Alia (February 2011)
- “Mining for Metadata: Is It Ethical to Search for Information Protected by the Attorney-Client Privilege?”, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal (June 2008)
- “A Lawyer’s Notary Responsibilities: Pay Attention to the Details and Avoid the Cavalier Attitude,” Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal (2006)
Media
- “Pro Bono Spotlight: Tucker Ellis,” Poetic Justice, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Volume 21, Issue 3, Fall 2024 (October 2024)
- Access to Justice Award, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland (2015)
- Defense Research Institute
- American Bar Association
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Ethics Committee
- Ohio State Bar Association
- Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
- Time Well Spent Honor Society
- Community Commitment Honor Society
- Habitat for Humanity
- Mayfield Soccer Club
- Tucker Ellis Pro Bono Program, Partner in Charge (2012-2023)
