Christopher Francis Moriarty

Christopher Moriarty litigates securities fraud and other complex litigation in the United States and consults institutional investors on opportunities to seek recovery in securities-related actions. His securities fraud class action practice encompasses every aspect of litigation, from case-starting to settlement.

Notable securities fraud class actions in which he served as part of the lead counsel team include:

In re Twitter Inc. Securities Litigation, No. 16-cv-05314-JST (N.D. Cal.) ($809.5 million recovery*);
In re Barrick Gold Securities Litigation, No. 13-cv-03851 (S.D.N.Y.) ($140 million recovery*);
City of Brockton Retirement System v. Avon Products, Inc., 11 Civ. 4655 (PGG) (S.D.N.Y.) ($62 million recovery*);
Hill v. State Street Corp., No. 09-cv-12136-GAO (D. Mass.) ($60 million recovery*);
In re Hewlett-Packard Co. Securities Litigation, No. 11-cv-1404 (RNBx) (C.D. Cal.) ($57 million recovery*);
KBC Asset Management NV v. 3D Systems Corp., No. 15-cv-02393-MGL (D.S.C.) ($50 million recovery*);
In re Medtronic, Inc. Securities Litigation, No. 0:13-cv-0168 (D. Minn.) ($43 million recovery*);
Forsta AP-Fonden and Danske Invest Management A/S v. St. Jude Medical, Inc., Civil No. 12-3070 (JNE/HB) (D. Minn.) ($39.25 million recovery*);
Ross v. Career Education Corp., No. 12-cv-00276 (N.D. Ill.) ($27.5 million recovery*); and
KBC Asset Management NV v. Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., No. 14-cv-10105-MLW (D. Mass.) ($22.25 million recovery*).

Christopher has also represented investors in direct actions under federal securities laws, in shareholder derivative litigation, and in antitrust class actions; whistleblowers in proceedings before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and relators in qui tam litigation. In the international context, Christopher serves as U.S. counsel to the Stichting Petrobras Compensation Foundation in the Netherlands, which represents the interests of investors who traded in Petrobras securities outside the United States and who suffered losses as a result of an alleged long-running fraud and bribery scheme perpetrated by Petrobras and certain of its related entities and former executives.

In addition to his securities practice, Christopher represents dozens of governmental entities in litigation against several pharmaceutical drug manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies in connection with the opioid epidemic. As part of that, he served as one of Washington State’s litigation and trial counsel in its action against the “Big Three” distributors of prescription opioids that resulted in a $518 million settlement after trial. He also successfully briefed and argued the oppositions to numerous motions to dismiss in the State of Alaska’s action against numerous opioid manufacturers.*

As part of his pro bono practice, Christopher has drafted amicus curiae briefs in approximately 20 constitutional law cases before the U.S. Supreme Court (which has cited his work) and the federal courts of appeal. Outside of his legal practice, Christopher serves on the Board of Directors of Operation Sight, a non-profit that provides free cataract surgery and other services to those in need.

Christopher was called to the Bar in England and Wales by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in 2008.

* Please remember that every case is different. Any result we achieve for one client in one matter does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.

SELECT PUBLICATIONS:
Christopher F. Moriarty, Supreme Court Rules That Securities Act Time Bar Is Not Subject to American Pipe Tolling, Class Action & Derivative Suits Newsletter, American Bar Association (Oct. 3, 2017)

SELECT PRESENTATIONS:
Panelist, Experts: Communicating Complex Ideas and Issues in Litigation Consistent with Messaging Trends, American Bar Association Litigation Section Annual Conference (May 6, 2022)

Awards, Accolades & Recognitions

Super Lawyers

2016-2021 South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars list
Securities litigation

Blog Posts

February 9, 2026

The impact of product recalls on shareholder wealth Causes, Not Just Cases

by: Christopher Moriarty

October 4, 2017

Supreme Court ruling threatens investors’ potential ability to recover in securities fraud class actions Causes, Not Just Cases

by: Christopher Moriarty

News

April 28, 2025

The history and legacy of Workers’ Memorial Day

by:
M. Nolan Webb

July 2, 2024

Motley Rice litigation teams and attorneys claim honors in four different legal awards

by: Motley Rice