Christine A. Vaporean

Principal
Bank of America Plaza
800 Market Street
Suite 1100
St. Louis, MO 63101-2501
314-242-5337
314-242-5537

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Ms. Vaporean is a principal in the firm’s St. Louis office, practicing in the areas of health care provider liability defense and employment practices defense. Her experience in the defense of health care providers ranges from obstetrics malpractice cases to nursing home care. Ms. Vaporean also represents employers at all stages of employment matters, from pre-incident policy preparation to the investigation and defense of charges filed with administrative agencies to the litigation phase, including trial if necessary. She has spoken at several professional seminars on medical and nursing liability matters and has authored many publications on issues affecting both health care providers and employers.

Favorable Jury Verdicts and Arbitration Results

Daniel Rapp v. Asbury Automotive St. Louis (arbitration, August 2021)
Andrew Choate v. Asbury Automotive Group (arbitration, August 2022)
William Van Oyen v. MSH Chevrolet Cadillac, Inc. (Summary Judgment, July 2021)
Kaylene Irvine (Gray) v. Asbury Automotive St. Louis (arbitration December 2019)
Herbert Williams v. Asbury Automotive St. Louis (arbitration November 2018)
Sherry Hubbard v. The Washington University (February 2017)
EEOC v. Audrain Heath Care, Inc. (April 2016)
Morgan v. Plaza Motor Co. 
(January 2016)
Chariton Valley Services Corp. v. Mannon 
(May 2015)
Strahan v. Rottnek 
(February 2015)
Carlson p/r Harris v. Saint Louis University 
(November 2014)
Mitchell v. Kardesch
 (February 2008)
Ni v. Washington University and Garcia (October/November 2007)
Klos v. Koenig (August 2006)
Blank v. PRORehab (April 2006)
Leslie v. Chehval (retrial, February 2006)
Buscher v. Mattaline (May 2005)
Leslie v. Chehval (March/April 2004)

Community Activities

BWORKS, past member of the Board of Directors

More About Chris

Education

  • Saint Louis University (J.D., 1998)
  • Saint Louis University (M.A., Public Administration, 1998)
  • Saint Louis University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1994)

Bar Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Illinois
  • U.S District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Recent Achievements

  • Best Lawyers, Litigation - Labor and Employment, The Best Lawyers in America (2023-2024)
  • Super Lawyers - Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Defense, Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers (2013-2022)
  • Rising Stars - Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice, Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers (2008, 2010-2012)

Professional Affiliations

  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
  • Women Lawyers' of Greater St. Louis

Publications

  • "Missouri Supreme Court Holds Alternative Theory of Causation Testimony from Defense Expert Admissible," ALFA Business Litigation Newsletter (February 2022)
  • Medical Malpractice From A-Z: “Ethical Traps to Avoid” and “Dealing with Medical Liens with Settlement - Medicare, Medicaid and ERISA” (2011)
  • "Missouri Supreme Court Issues Opinion on Constitutionality of MedMal Caps," The Firm Inquiry (Spring 2010)
  • "Medicare and Medicaid Liens - An Overview and Update for Defense Counsel, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers Newsletter," (Spring 2009)
  • "Medicare Liens - An Overview and Update for Defense Counsel, Current Issues in Medical Liability and Health Care Law," Defense Research Institute (Fall 2009)
  • "Theories of Hospital Liability After Tort Reform: Negligent Credentialing," The Firm Inquiry (Summer 2008)

Speaking

  • “Employment Practices Update,” MIRMA Spring Seminar (April 2019)
  • "Finding the Rainbow Atop a New Volcano: Best Practices in the Developing Legal Landscape of Managing LGBT Employees," ALFA International 2017 Labor and Employment Seminar (July 2017)
  • “Employment Law Issues: Harassment, Bullying and Retaliation in the Workplace,” MIRMA City Clerk’s Annual Conference/Spring Institute (March 2017)
  • "Employment Law Issues,” MHAPCI Member Training Seminar (May 2017)
  • “Medicare for Mediators: Satisfying Liens in Settlements,” USA&M Mediators’ training (October 2016)
  • “Employment Practices Update,” MIRMA Spring Seminar (May 2016)
  • “Managing the LGBT Workforce,” ALFA International International Client Seminar (March 2016)
  • "Defending the Plaintiff's Blackboard of Special Damages," Brown & James Law Symposium (January 2016)
  • "Medicare Reporting - Are you complying?" Brown & James Law Symposium (January 2013)
  • Medical Malpractice From A-Z: “Ethical Traps to Avoid” and “Dealing with Medical Liens with Settlement - Medicare, Medicaid and ERISA” (2011)
  • St. Louis Association of Healthcare Risk Managers - Legal Bases for the Use and Arrangement of Set Aside Trusts in Resolving Claims Involving Medicare Beneficiaries. The presentation covered both the application of and legal bases for the use of Set Aside Trusts in non-work comp liability cases involving Medicare claimants as well as an update to Section 111 reporting requirements (2010)
  • The Simon Law Firm Seminar to Benefit Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc. - Current Issues in Medicare and Medicaid (2009)
  • The Missouri Bar, Hospital Liability, Thinking Outside the Box (2008)
  • National Business Institutes, Avoiding Medical Malpractice: Preventing and Defending Accusations, Section Author for Documentation and Communication Among Members of the Care Team and the Process of Informed Consent (2008)
  • National Business Institutes, Getting the Results You Want: Successful Missouri Medical Malpractice, Section Author for Trial Tips and Techniques for Trying the Medical Malpractice Case (Prosecution and Defense Perspectives) (2005)
  • St. Louis Chapter of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Nurses, Nursing Malpractice Law (2003)