Christopher L. Messa

Christopher L. Messa is a partner at Berger M^cDermott and is the head of the firm’s Corporate and Business Transactions practice group. He has significant expertise rendering advice and legal opinions for financings and other commercial transactions, and he concentrates his practice on the formation and use of Delaware entities, including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and trusts. Chris’ clients include borrowers, investors, managers, boards of directors, investment funds, banks, and other lenders, and he provides counsel on a diverse range of commercial transactions, including securitizations, structured financings, asset sales and purchases, mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions, and secured transactions.

In addition, Chris focuses his practice on general corporate matters involving Delaware entities, including advice related to fiduciary duties, interested transactions, asset sales and purchases, general corporate governance matters, ratification of defective corporate acts, and dissolution. He regularly acts as Delaware counsel assisting both start-ups and established companies, and aims to help his clients achieve their strategic and transactional goals in all stages of the business lifecycle, from start-up through maturity and exit transactions. Chris’ clients work in a broad variety of industries, ranging from biotech start-ups to multinational real estate companies. Chris also represents clients in connection with corporate bankruptcy–related transactions and debt restructurings, including Section 363 asset purchases.

Chris has significant expertise in Delaware’s alternative entity statutes and sits on the Alternative Entity subcommittee of the Delaware State Bar Commercial Law Section. This subcommittee is responsible for drafting the annual amendments to Delaware’s alternative entity statutes. Chris also has notable expertise in the Delaware Uniform Commercial Code and sits on the Uniform Commercial Code subcommittee of the Delaware State Bar Commercial Law Section.

Chris is a recurring contributor to several publications, providing state-of-the-art analysis of emerging issues relating to corporate and commercial law. He is also frequently asked to present seminars on topics such as limited liability companies, series limited liability companies, legal opinions, and the Uniform Commercial Code.

Chris is active in the local community and works as a guardian ad litem with the Office of the Child Advocate.