Christopher A. Corpus, Associate cacorpus@wegmanlaw.com Wegman, Hessler & Vanderburg Suite 200 6055 Rockside Woods Boulevard Cleveland, Ohio 44131 Telephone: (216) 642-3342 Facsimile: (216) 520-0145

Practice Area Activities
 

• Defense of product manufacturers in product liability and consumer actions.
• Extensive experience in the doctrine of corporate successor liability.
• Litigation experience includes business and commercial disputes and the defense of product manufacturers at trial in numerous federal and state courts.
• Extensive experience in the removal of State Court actions to Federal Court.

Representative Matters
 

• Successful prosecution of summary judgment against the State of Ohio in proving that the acquisition of a sole proprietor’s assets through inheritance does not create a successor entity for outstanding sales tax liabilities.
• Assist manufacturing client in its dealings with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) pertaining to Consumer Incident Reports and Freedom of Information Act Request (FOIA).
• Obtained a jury defense verdict in federal district court in Michigan in favor of a manufacturer of a two-stage snow thrower.  The plaintiff sought damages exceeding $1,000,000 for injuries to his right hand, when the snow thrower allegedly malfunctioned.
• Obtained a non-suit in a Pennsylvania state court in favor of a manufacturer of a riding lawn mower.  The plaintiff sought damages exceeding $150,000 for a fire to his home when the riding lawn mower allegedly malfunctioned.
• Obtained summary judgment on the theory of successor liability in federal district court in Pennsylvania in favor of a manufacturer of a wide area walk-behind lawnmower.  The plaintiff was claiming damages exceeding $150,000 for injuries to his right hand. 
• Obtained summary judgment in that plaintiff’s actions were the sole proximate cause of his injuries in federal court in Illinois in favor of a manufacturer of a riding lawn mower.  The plaintiff was claiming damages in excess of $1,000,000 for injuries to his left foot. 
• Obtained summary judgment in that plaintiff’s modifications to a two-stage snow thrower were both unforeseeable and a proximate cause of his injuries in New York state court in favor of a manufacturer of the snow thrower.  The plaintiff was claiming in excess of $500,000 in damages. 

Bar Admissions

• Ohio, 2000
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, 2002
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, 2004
• U.S. District Court of Appeals, Sixth District, 2003
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 2003

Education

• Case Western Reserve University (J.D. 2000)
• B.S. Business Administration, Ashland University, Summa Cum Laude, 1993

Memberships / Honors / Awards

• Ohio State Bar Association
• Lutheran Cemetery Association - Legal Consultant (4/2004 to present)
• Lutheran Home - Member of Board of Trustees (2005 to present)
• Lake Erie Nature and Science Center - Member Board of Directors (11/2009 to present)