Chris Mills focuses in civil and complex commercial litigation and trial practice, with an emphasis on business, contract, and financial disputes. He has litigated cases of all sizes, with up to $1.4 billion at stake. Chris welcomes challenging cases, and has accepted clients from prior counsel when matters grew more sophisticated than originally anticipated.
An accomplished trial attorney, Chris prepares every case as if it were going to trial—not because it will, but because that preparation lays the groundwork for reaching the best outcome no matter how achieved. He practices before federal and state trial and appellate courts, and in arbitration proceedings.
Chris handles every aspect of civil litigation, including dispositive motions practice and electronic discovery management in document-intensive cases. His broad case experience includes breach of contract, corporate, fraud, COCCA, bid-rigging, Uniform Commercial Code, trade secret, securities, lease, tort, employment, civil rights, constitutional, administrative, and intellectual property disputes. Chris has represented creditors and individuals in receivership and thrives when encountering new areas of law.
Representative Matters
- Representing a technology company on breach of contract, promissory estoppel, trade secret, and tortious interference claims against a Fortune 1000 company. Chris prevailed on multiple dispositive motions, including a motion for summary judgment and motion for terminating sanctions. He then took the case to trial before a jury in federal court, resulting in a verdict in favor of his client and the award of damages.
- Representing a concessionaire in connection with a corrupt bidding process for an eight-figure contract with a public entity, including a successful appeal before the Colorado Supreme Court.
- Defending a Fortune 500 company in a high-value matter involving commodities contracts going back decades. Chris primarily drafted a successful Colorado Appellate Rule 21 Petition before the Colorado Supreme Court—a tiny percentage of which prevail—on a discovery dispute. The resulting order established new discovery law applicable to all civil cases in Colorado state court.
- Defending a Fortune 500 company in a breach of contract dispute that went to arbitration.
- Defending a Fortune 500 company in a high-value commodities contract dispute, reaching a favorable settlement.
- Representing an individual in a lease dispute, taking the case to a court trial, resulting in a complete verdict in favor of Chris’ client with full damages awarded.
- Representing a trade group in litigation against a federal agency, obtaining a nation-wide injunction against the agency’s policy.
- Prevailing on a motion to dismiss and recovering attorney’s fees in a Premises Liability Act and negligence case for a commercial landlord.
- Representing creditors in asserting equitable claims in receivership, including successfully defending against challenges by the receiver.
- Representing an individual defending a securities enforcement action by the Colorado Department of Securities and defending the same individual in receivership against civil claims by the receiver.
Representative Published Opinions
- DIA Brewing, Co., LLC v. MCE-DIA, LLC, et al., 2020 COA 21; 2021 CO 4M
- DCP Midstream, LP v. Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, et. al., 2013 CO 36; 303 P.3d 1187 (Colo. 2013)
Prior Professional Experience
- Prior to joining Jones & Keller, Chris litigated at small- and medium-sized firms, and worked for a large law firm in Washington, D.C.
Clerkship
- Honorable Percy Anderson, United States District Court for the Central District of California, 2007-2009
Publications
