Overview
Christopher B. Hopkins is a member of McDonald Hopkins LLC, a business advisory and advocacy law firm. He has more than 20 years of trial and appellate experience representing businesses and families in the areas of commercial, ethics, fraud investigation, legal/medical malpractice, and probate litigation.
In addition to his work in the courtroom, Christopher’s practice involves a wide range of emerging technologies such as cybersecurity, data breach, OSINT investigations, e-discovery, Internet crimes, policy/terms-of-service drafting, privacy, and social media discovery. Christopher’s work in these areas permits him to protect client data as well as effectively target discovery and investigation of other parties.
Christopher is a frequent speaker on litigation issues and has written over 100 articles as well as an iPhone app. He is a circuit civil mediator, qualified arbitrator, and is admitted to practice in Florida, New York, Washington DC, and Colorado.
He was a member of the Leadership West Palm Beach Class of 2018 and is a Trustee of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches.
Christopher has a law degree from Tulane, a master’s degree from Wesley Theological Seminary, and a bachelor’s from the University of Richmond.
Representative Cases & Matters
- Concerning condominium dispute: Pennymac v. Ocean Place at Silver Beach Association, Inc. & FPR Force, LLC, 4th DCA 2018
- Concerning RICO claims: Vibe Micro, Inc. et al. v. Cardplatforms LLC et al.,11th Cir. 2018
- Concerning computer contract: Adventech v. Madison Green Golf Course,15th Jud. Cir. Court
- Concerning will contest: Kenneth Winter v. Joan Frazee / Est. of Winter, 3d DCA 2016
- Concerning unlicensed practice of law: Scharrer v. Fundamental Administrative Services, 176 So.3d 1273 (Fla. 2015)
- Concerning juror misconduct: Hillsboro Management, LLC v. Pagono PR of Est. of Tremblay, 112 So.3d 620 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013)
- Concerning attorney's fees in probate case: Geary v. Butzel Long, P.C., 13 So.3d 149 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009)
- Concerning summary judgment in negligence case: Spatz v. Embassy Care, Inc., 9 So.3d 697 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009)
- Concerning fraud on the trial court: Howard v. Risch, 959 So.2d 308 (Fla. 2d DCA 2007)
- Concerning arbitration in nursing home admission: Est. of Orlanis v. Oakwood Terrace Skilled Nursing and Rehab. Center, 981 So.2d 811 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007)
- Concerning HOA director immunity: Berg v. Wagner, 935 So.2d 100 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006)
- Concerning arbitration in nursing home admission: Prieto v. Health Care and Retirement Corp. of America, 919 So.2d 531 (Fla. 3d DCA 2005)
- Concerning arbitration in nursing home admission: Lacey v. Healthcare and Retirement Corp. of America, 918 So.2d 333 (Fla. 4th DCA 2005)
- Concerning arbitration in nursing home admission: Romano ex rel. Romano v. Manor Care, 861 So.2d 59 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)
- Concerning arbitration in nursing home admission: Consolidated Resources Healthcare Fund I, Ltd. v. Fenelus, 853 So.2d 500 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)
Honors & Recognition
Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rated
Trial Advocate Quarterly Award, Florida Defense Lawyers Association (2012)
Florida Trend's Legal Elite, Listed for Civil Trial (2012)
Florida Trend's Legal Elite, Listed for Appellate Practice (2005-2010)
Florida Defense Lawyers Association, James Lawless ADR Award (2008)
Credentials
Education
Tulane University Law School
Wesley Theological Seminary
University of Richmond
Admissions – Court
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- All Michigan State Courts
Admissions – State
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- New York
- Colorado
Professional & Civic
Professional Activities
Trustee, Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches
Leadership West Palm Beach, Member - Class of 2018
Lifeboat Foundation, Advisory Board (2014-present)
Florida Defense Lawyers Association, Member (current), Board of Directors (2011-2012)
Palm Beach County Bar Association, Member (current), Technology Committee Chairman (2010-2012)
Accreditation
Florida Supreme Court, Circuit Civil Certified Mediator
Florida Supreme Court, Qualified Arbitrator
News & Insights
External News & Publications
"Protect the Privacy of Your Data on iOS Devices,” Palm Beach Bar Association Bulletin, June 2018
“Kindred Nursing Centers v. Clark: U.S. Supreme Court Continues to Support Arbitration, “ Trial Advocate Quarterly, Summer 2017
“Social Media Discovery in Florida After Nucci v. Target,” Palm Beach Bar Association Bulletin, July 2017
“Can Your Clients Be Convicted for Threats on Social Media?” Palm Beach Bar Association Bulletin, Nov 2016
“ISIS in Florida,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, June 2016
“Podcasts for Lawyers,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, April 2016
“U.S. Supreme Court’s 2016 Abortion Case,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, Feb 2016
“How Jurors Use Technology in 2016,” “Podcasts for Lawyers,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, Jan 2016
“Nine Ways That Companies Get Hacked,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, Nov 2015
“The Government Can Sue Your Company for Negligent Cybersecurity,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, Oct 2015
"Ten Steps to Obtain Facebook Discovery in Florida," Trial Advocate Quarterly, Spring 2015
“The U.S. Supreme Court’s Facebook Case,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, March 2015
“Drone-Acquired Evidence in Civil Cases,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, February 2015
“Can Your Client Legally Fly a Drone?,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, January 2015
“Florida Lawyer’s Guide to Marijuana Laws,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, October 2014
"Can a Florida Lawyer Advise a Client About Medical Marijuana?," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, September 2014
"One Year After Snowden: How Secure Are Your Calls and Emails?," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, July 2014
"What is Bitcoin: Currency, Property...or Tulips?," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, June 2014
"Tor Anonymizer for Lawyers," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, April 2014
"GPS Surveillance Since U.S. v. Jones," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, February 2014
"Using iPads in Deposition," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, January 2014
"Can the Government Compel Your Client to Decrypt a Hard Drive?," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, July 2013
“Can They Search Your iPad or iPhone at the Border?,” Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, May 2013
"Defendants Want Social Media, Plaintiffs Want E-Discovery," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, April 2013
"What Does a Child Pornography Case Tell You About Computer Evidence?," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, November 2012
"In-House Counsel in the Cloud—Can You Trust Online Storage," Association of Corporate Counsel North Florida Focus, Q3 2012
"PDF Documents Are Modifiable—Learn to Sign Electronically," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, October 2012
"Lawyers in the Cloud," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, July/August 2012
"Discovery of Facebook Content in Florida Cases," Trial Advocate Quarterly, Spring 2012
“The Supreme Court, GPS Darts, & George Orwell,” Trial Advocate Quarterly, 2011
“Will You Law Firm Accept Bitcoin?,” Trial Advocate Quarterly, 2011
“Using iPhone Location in Data Discovery,” Trial Advocate Quarterly, 2011
"Digital Photos Have Metadata Too,” Trial Advocate Quarterly, 2011
“Building a Better Proposal for Settlement,” Trial Advocate Quarterly, 2008
“Eyewitness Reliability: JFK Assassination & Simmons v. Florida,” Trial Advocate Quarterly, 2007
“Emerging Trends and Conflicts in the Enforcement of Arbitration,” Trial Advocate Quarterly, 2006
“Peril’s of Enforcing ‘Favored’ Arbitration,” Trial Advocate Quarterly, 2005
“Googling Your Clients,” Florida Bar News, 2003
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Events
Speaking Engagements
"Cybersecurity & Data Breach for Mediators," Florida Dispute Resolution Center Annual Conference, 2019
“Social Media Discovery,” Federal Bar Association, 2018
“Anatomy of a Data Breach Lawsuit,” ASIS International (Broward), 2018
“Probate Litigation,” National Business Institute (NBI), 2018
“Combating Rambo Litigators,” National Business Institute (NBI), 2018
“Social Media Discovery,” Palm Beach Bar Assn, 2018
“Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email & Smartphone Evidence,” National Business Institute, 2018
“E-Discovery Terminology for Mediators,” Florida Dispute Resolution Center Conference, 2018
“Cyber Security and Data Breach for Mediators,” Florida Dispute Resolution Center Conference, 2018
“Anatomy of a Data Breach Lawsuit,” ASIS International (Palm Beach), 2018
“First Amendment,” University of Miami Law School, 2018
“Application of Existing Laws on Emerging Technology,” Florida Atlantic University, 2018
“Ethics in Estate Administration,” NBI CLE, 2018
“Use of Technology in Mediation,” Palm Beach Bar Association, 2017
“Anatomy of an Internet Defamation Case,” University of Miami Law School, 2017
“Social Media Discovery,” Palm Beach Bar, 2017
“Mediation in Florida,” National Business Institute (NBI), 2016
“Aerial Drones in the Workplace,” Florida Public Risk Managers Assoc., 2016
“Anatomy of an Internet Defamation Case,” University of Miami Law School, 2016
“Data Breach & Cyber Security Law,” Florida Atlantic University, 2016
“Apps for Mediators,” Florida Dispute Resolution Conference, August 2015
“Start-Up Panel,” Inside Bitcoins Conference NYC, April 2015
"Bitcoin Litigation," Bitcoin Consumer Fair, April 2015
"Apps for Florida Lawyers," The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Webinars, April 2015
“Regulatory Panel,” North American Bitcoin Association Conference, January 2015
“Rules of Evidence,” NBI Seminars, 2015
"NSA Mass Surveillance—How Secure Are Your Calls and Emails?," Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, April 2014
"Electronic Spying & Tracking in Divorce Cases," Strafford Publications, February 2014
"Palm Beach Inquest—JFK Assassination," Palm Beach County Bar Association Bulletin, December 2013
"Spying Spouses: Social Media & E-Discovery," Palm Beach Bar, November 2013
"Apps for Business Professionals," Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, June 2013
“E-Discovery Seminar,” Palm Beach Bar, February 2013
"Student Internet Safety," Rosarian Academy, February 2013
“E-Discovery Survival Guide,” ACC South Florida Conference, September 2012
“CYA (Cover Your Apps)—App Development for In-House Counsel,” ACC South Florida Conference, September 2012
"iPhone & iPad Apps for Lawyers," Palm Beach County Bar Association, June 2012
“Legal Ethics in Florida,” NBI, 2010
“Social Network Sites and Jury Selection,” Florida Defense Lawyers Association, 2009
“Internet Research for Lawyers,” Florida Defense Lawyers Association, 2007
“Assassination of JFK: Origin of Conspiracy Theories,” Governor’s Club, 2005
“Advanced Internet Research for Lawyers,” Lorman, 2005
“Making Objections at Trial,” NBI, 2004
“Trial Advocacy in Florida,” NBI 2004
“Keys to Effective Expert Cross-Examination,” NBI 2004
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