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Christopher  G.  Lazarini
Member
Memphis
P:(901) 543-5702
F:(866) 422-6479
E-mail Christopher G. Lazarini
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Education
Memphis State University - J.D., 1992
Louisiana State University - B.S., 1989

Court Admissions
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, 2007
U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit, 2006
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi, 1996
U.S. Supreme Court, 1995
U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee, 1993
U.S. Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit, 1993

Bar Admissions
Tennessee, 1992

Memberships
Memphis, Tennessee and American Bar Associations

Honors & Distinctions
Listed in Best Lawyers®

Publications
"Retail Broker Hiring Considerations," Thomson Reuters' News & Insight Securities Law blog (June 16, 2011)



Chris Lazarini joined Bass, Berry & Sims as a Member in the Firm’s Broker-Dealer and Financial Products Litigation Group in 2007. Prior to joining the firm, Chris was a founding partner of Tate Lazarini Brady & Davis, PLC in Memphis. He focuses his practice on the representation of broker-dealers, financial institutions and investment advisers and their registered representatives and agents. A significant amount of Chris’ practice is devoted to representing independent contractor firms and their representatives in arbitration and in civil and regulatory matters. Chris also counsels clients and individuals in matters relating to recruitment of registered representatives. Chris has lectured at national and local conferences at the request of clients.

Chris received his law degree from the University of Memphis School of Law. He is listed in Best Lawyers® under the category of Alternative Dispute Resolution and is AV® Peer Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is admitted to practice in Tennessee and before the United States Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeal for the Sixth and Ninth Circuits, and various federal district courts.

Representative Matters include:
  • Obtained Summary Judgment against plaintiff who alleged that her limited partnership investments were unsuitable. The award was confirmed on appeal to the Sixth Circuit, and the plaintiff’s efforts to seek certiorari before the U.S. Supreme Court were denied.
  • Served for many years as primary outside counsel to an independent contractor firm, working with the firm’s principals on matters such as defending customer complaints and arbitration claims, responding to regulatory inquiries and handling internal investigations and employee relations.
  • Defended multiple regional broker/dealer firms and independent contractor firms in matters involving selling away activities by their registered representatives.
  • Defended multiple investment advisers against claims of breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, misrepresentation and other alleged wrongdoings.
  • Represented multiple clients in employee transition and raiding matters, including representation of a broker-dealer in the prosecution of a raiding claim that resulted in an award to our client of over $6 million in damages, $2 million of which were punitive damages.
  • Appeared before FINRA, AAA and CFTC arbitration panels on behalf of broker-dealers, investment advisers and their registered representatives in matters involving claims such as suitability, churning, fraud, misrepresentation, selling away, overconcentration, failure to supervise and violations of federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations.  

Chris is a contributing blogger to Thomson Reuters' News & Insight Securities Law blog.