Chris S. Pacetti joined the The Ryan Firm in 2023. For over 20 years, Mr. Pacetti has concentrated his practice on representing and counseling partnerships, entrepreneurs, small businesses, Fortune 500 corporations, and high net worth individuals in both state and federal courts throughout California and other states. He has extensive experience advising clients in transactional matters and litigating complex business, real estate, insurance, products liability and employment matters. Mr. Pacetti’s litigation experience includes handling bench and jury trials, binding arbitrations, and all aspects of the appellate process. His achievements include several multimillion-dollar verdicts and favorable settlements involving individual and class action claims.

 

Mr. Pacetti graduated magna cum laude from UC Riverside with a degree in Business Economics, and received his J.D. from the University of Virginia where participated in the William Minor Lile Moot Court Competition and clerked for an AMLAW 100 firm. Following law school, Mr. Pacetti practiced at a business litigation boutique in Los Angeles representing businesses and entrepreneurs in matters related to employment, contracts, partnership disputes, and real estate. Of his accomplishments, he obtained a seven-figure verdict representing minority shareholders in a shareholder squeeze out case involving the sale of a major haircare corporation. Mr. Pacetti also successfully defended a company in a “whistleblower” employment action brought by several plaintiff-employees, obtaining a defense verdict after a jury trial.

 

Mr. Pacetti was then recruited by a national firm that specializes in insurance coverage and complex litigation. His practice focused on the handling of complex litigation matters, including the litigation of insurance coverage and related extracontractual claims, construction claims, and commercial/business claims, and in providing opinions regarding insurance related matters.

 

Mr. Pacetti subsequently joined a notable trial firm representing major tire and automobile manufacturers in products liability actions. During his tenure, he was a member of a trial team that obtained a unanimous defense verdict in a wrongful death trial against an off-highway manufacturer. Mr. Pacetti also represented a Fortune 150 oil refining and marketing company in a multimillion dollar fraud and breach of contract dispute with a fuels wholesaler. His perseverance and diligence also earned him an award by The Daily Journal for a Top 10 Verdicts of 2011 by Impact.

 

Mr. Pacetti returned to his passion of counseling small businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate investors and partnerships when he was recruited by a prestigious westside boutique. There, he prosecuted and defended against multimillion dollar claims involving alleged breach of partnership, intellectual property, RICO, copyright and employment. Mr. Pacetti also has extensive experience representing individuals and Fortune 500 companies in class actions involving banking, antitrust, and products defect.