Chris Fontan joined Brunini in 2006 in one of the Firm's Litigation Departments. He received his Bachelor's degree, summa cum laude in Business Administration from Mississippi College in 2001. Chris received his J.D., summa cum laude from the Mississippi College School of Law in 2006, where he served as the Managing Editor on the Board of the Mississippi College School of Law Review.

Chris has extensive labor and employment litigation experience including workers compensation defense.  In addition and, as part of his employment practice, Chris does training for employers on such topics as sexual harassment, Title VII, Family and Medical Leave Act, EEOC Compliance, Wage & Hour Compliance.  Chris also advises employers on corporate employment compliance, including internal policy audits and employee handbook review.

Representative Matters

• In a convoluted discrimination complaint, obtained summary judgment on the non-confessed claims of gender and age discrimination. United States District Court Judge Lee found, in part, that the plaintiff failed to provide sufficient evidence to support a "finding that Tyson's legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for its challenged employment decision was a pretext for age or gender discrimination." Prideaux v. Tyson Foods, Inc.
• Obtained summary judgment along with Scott Singley from U.S. District Court for Southern District of Mississippi on behalf of Georgia Gulf Chemicals & Vinyls, LLC.  Employee sued Georgia Gulf wrongful termination asserting he had been fired after he reported that another employee had assaulted him. The District Court held that since there was no evidence that the employer authorized or ratified the assault or that it occurred in the scope of employment then the termination was not wrongful as no exception to Mississippi’s employment-at-will doctrine had been demonstrated. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the United States District Court of Southern Mississippi’s dismissal. Hall v. Georgia Gulf Chemicals & Vinyls, LLC, 2010 WL 5333690 (S.D. Miss. Dec. 21, 2010), aff’d 2011 WL 2078597 (5th Cir. May 25, 2011)
• Obtained summary judgment along with Trey Jones on behalf of a major lending institution in a lawsuit in which two plaintiffs sought compensatory and punitive damages based on the bank's alleged breach of a loan agreement and other wrongful acts in connection with a residential construction project. Following discovery, Jones and Fontan were successful in obtaining dismissal of all claims in favor of the bank. Rushing v. Trustmark National Bank, 2011 WL 287447 (Miss. Ct. App. 2011) 
• Obtained a defense verdict on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. in employment retaliation case.  In the case, the plaintiff alleged that the company had terminated his employment in retaliation for reporting alleged violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act. The two day jury trial was in United States District Court before Judge Tom Lee. Prideaux v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 387 Fed. Appx. 474 (5th Cir. 2010) 
  
  • Omnova Solutions, Inc. v. Lipa, 44 So.3d 935 (Miss. 2010)
  • Price v. Omnova Solutions, Inc., 17 So.2d 104 (Miss.Ct.App. 2009)
  • Rentrop v. Trustmark National Bank, 2008 WL 3992649 (S.D. Miss. Aug. 22, 2008)
  • Daniels v. Peco Foods of Mississippi, Inc., 980 So.2d 360 (Miss.Ct.App. 2008)
  • DeJean v. DeJean, 982 So.2d 443 (Miss. Ct. App. 2007)

Community & Professional Activities

• Mississippi Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Jackson Young Lawyers Association
• Habitat for Humanity/Metro Jackson; Advisory Board Member (2011)