Christian E. Bredeson

SUMMARY

Christian E. Bredeson is a trial attorney and Partner at the firm’s Inland Empire office. Mr. Bredeson’s legal practice revolves around the representation of individuals and businesses in a variety of disputes including construction defect, environmental, pollution, mechanic’s liens and foreclosure actions, general and professional liability, and contractual liability claims. Mr. Bredeson regularly represents architects, engineers, lawyers, and other professionals in malpractice lawsuits. Mr. Bredeson also focuses his time defending private entities in civil litigation matters involving wrongful death, property damage, serious personal injury, and allegations of breach of contract, negligence, and intentional misconduct. Mr. Bredeson also represents businesses, including property owners, tenants, and property managers, in toxic exposure and environmental contamination cases in State and Federal Courts, as well is in remediation actions by Regional Water Boards. In addition to his extensive litigation and dispute resolution activities, he works with his clients to improve their contracts, and analyze prospective contracts in order to find ways to limit the potential risks of an agreement or transaction.

Mr. Bredeson is a member of legal and construction industry organizations, including Riverside County Bar Association, the American Institute of Architects, and the American Society of Civil Engineers, and he writes and is published on a variety of legal topics.

Mr. Bredeson obtained his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Carthage College and went on to graduate from Dale E. Fowler School of Law (Chapman University) in Orange, California with his Juris Doctor in  2005, where he received an Emphasis Certificate in Environmental, Land Use, and Real Estate Law.

EXPERIENCE

Summary Judgment Victory for Land Surveyor: Mr. Bredeson represented a professional land surveyor for breach of fiduciary duty and alleged errors and omissions that led to a homeowner’s property being smaller than reported on title and therefore too small to subdivide into multiple lots without violating local zoning requirements. Through a motion for summary judgment, Mr.Bredeson prevailed in defending the surveyor on all claims and also obtained an award of litigation costs in favor of his client against the plaintiff.

International Geotechnical Engineer Dismissed by General Contractor Without Contribution to Global Settlement of Case: Mr. Bredeson defended his client, a large internationally based geotechnical engineer, for work the engineer performed on a microtunneling project in Orange County. After the contractor initiated a claim for nearly $20 million, Mr. Bredeson was able to demonstrate not only that his client had no liability, but his defenses caused the contractor to pay the owner approximately $12 million in settlement for remediation of property damages caused during tunneling activity.

Defended General Contractor from Environmental and Breach of Warranty Claims: Mr. Bredeson represented and defended a general contractor under an environmental insurance policy against claims by a Southern California water agency in excess of $1 million where it was alleged that a chemical leak at a desalination facility in Southern California killed marine life and required extensive repair and replacement.

Defense of Architect of Basketball Facility in Personal Injury Case: Mr. Bredeson defended an architect client that was sued for its design of a basketball facility after plaintiff suffered lacerations to his hand. Mr. Bredeson brokered a favorable settlement of the matter amongst all parties involved.

Automatic Sliding Door Repair Contractor Defended After Elderly Woman Struck by Closing Door at Airport: Mr. Bredeson represented a contractor sued for personal injury caused by a malfunctioning sliding glass door. Mr. Bredeson successfully extracted the client from the case for a nuisance value settlement.

C+C Prevails on its Motion for Summary Judgment (MSJ) for Civil Engineer  on Claims Stemming from the Release and Management/Containment of Naturally Occurring Asbestos on Catalina Island Project and Recovers Litigation Costs and Interest After Multiple Appeals Were Denied by Ninth Circuit:

Mr. Bredeson successfully defended his civil engineering client in federal court from a lawsuit seeking millions in damages after a substantial release of naturally occurring asbestos on Catalina during the re-development of a multi-acre ranch in the center of the Island.   Prior to trial, Mr. Bredeson and his team filed an MSJ challenging all of the Plaintiffs’ claims against the civil engineer, including claims based on CERCLA and the California Hazardous Substances Account Act (HSAA), breach of contract and negligence.  After the motion was fully-briefed, the Judge granted the MSJ in its entirety, finding that there was no genuine dispute of any material fact and that Mr. Bredeson’s client was not liable under CERCLA/HSAA, had not breached its contract and was not professionally negligent.  Plaintiffs subsequently appealed the Court’s ruling on two different occasions.  After briefing and oral arguments, Mr. Bredeson’s client prevailed by convincing the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the trial court’s ruling.  Mr. Bredeson was also able to obtain a substantial cost award against Plaintiffs and recovered all of it costs inclusive of interest for its civil engineer client.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
  • State Bar of California
  • American Institute of Architects (AIA)
  • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
  • Professional Liability Underwriting Society
  • Riverside County Bar Association
PUBLICATIONS/SEMINARS
  • Let the Payments Flow –United Riggers and Erectors v. Coast Iron & Steel
  • Design-Build – Shifting Roles
  • Protecting Your Legal Right to Payment
  • Frack Attack: Fallout from $3 Million Judgment in Fracking Trial
  • Do I Observe, Supervise, or Inspect When I Step Foot Inside the Construction Zone?
  • The Must-Haves and Should-Haves of Engineering Contracts
  • Hydraulic Fracturing in California: Boom or Bust?
  • Legal Side of Engineering II: Construction Phase Services
  • SB 496 – Some Relief for Design Professionals in Indemnity Law!