Attorney Christopher Boots represents clients in claims involving wrongful death, personal injury, products liability, medical malpractice, and other complex civil litigation matters. Prior to joining Berman & Simmons in 2018, Chris was an associate at both the Boston and San Francisco offices of Ropes & Gray LLP, a large national law firm, where he handled a variety of high-stakes litigation.

An experienced trial attorney, Chris takes great satisfaction in giving a voice to clients who are in difficult circumstances and in need of an advocate. Chris’ client-focused philosophy was instilled in him at a young age, while being raised by two attorneys. “I grew up seeing that as an attorney, it’s your job to help real, everyday people with real problems. That’s why I went to law school.”

Wrongful Death Attorney

Chris frequently handles claims brought under Maine’s Wrongful Death Statute, with experience guiding families with compassion through the legal complexities that can follow the loss of a loved one. Through his work with the Maine Trial Lawyers’ Association, Chris successfully advocated to the Maine Legislature for a 2023 amendment to the Wrongful Death Statute that raised the statutory cap on non-economic wrongful death damages from $750,000 to $1,000,000. Chris has represented the estates of numerous individuals killed in motor vehicle collisions, and the estate of a prisoner who died due to inadequate medical care while incarcerated.

Truck and Car Accident Attorney

Chris maintains a practice focusing on complex motor vehicle collisions, including cases involving the following:

• Trucking and other commercial vehicle crashes
• Multi-vehicle crashes
• Fatal crashes
• Federal Tort Claims Act cases involving postal truck collisions
• Motorcycle accidents
• Uber, Lyft and other rideshare accidents
• Car crashes resulting in serious injury or disability

Personal Injury Attorney

Chris handles a broad range of personal injury cases, representing Mainers who were severely injured by defective products, falls at dangerous properties, dog attacks, snowmobile and ATV collisions, and ski area injuries involving defective chair lifts or third-party negligence. Chris also has substantial experience in “dram shop” claims brought under the Maine Liquor Liability Act.

More About Chris Boots

A native of Maine, Chris graduated from the University of Chicago and earned his law degree from Stanford Law School. At Stanford, he was active in the Community Law Clinic, advocating for low-income clients in housing, employment, Social Security disability, and criminal record expungement practices. Chris was co-president of the Stanford Law Association – the law school’s student government – and worked as a research assistant for Professor Justin Driver. He also spent a summer as a law clerk in the office of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar in her capacity on the Senate Judiciary Committee. After law school, Chris served as a law clerk to the Honorable Jon D. Levy on the United States District Court in Portland, Maine.

Chris currently serves as the Legislative Committee Co-Chair for the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and on the MTLA’s board of governors.

Notable Verdicts and Settlements

• $1.5 Million settlement for injuries caused by pharmaceutical error
• $810,000 settlement for pedestrian struck by car
• $750,000 settlement in contested liability premises claim involving icy slip and fall at restaurant
• $750,000 wrongful death settlement for delay in diagnosing fatal infection
• $542,957 settlement after negligent service of alcohol under the Maine Liquor Liability Act led to catastrophic crash
• $147,922 judgment, after bench trial, on Federal Tort Claims Act case involving traumatic brain injury sustained in motor vehicle collision