Chris has been representing clients in litigated workers’ compensation matters throughout the State of New Jersey for 27 years. During that time, he has handled literally thousands of workers’ compensation cases involving everything from car accidents to multi-respondent occupational disease claims. He has a reputation for obtaining the absolute best results for his clients.
Chris has a vast amount of experience as a workers’ compensation trial lawyer. Accordingly, he is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Workers’ Compensation Law Attorney which is a designation held by only 120 lawyers state-wide. In Camden County, Chris is one of only twenty-two lawyers who hold that designation. He also has a wealth of appellate experience and helped shape the law in New Jersey in reported decisions such as Stroka v. United Airlines, 364 N.J. Super. 333 (App. Div. 2003), cert. denied, 179 N.J. 313 (2004).
He is admitted to practice in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Chris co-founded Pietras Saracino Smith & Meeks, LLP in 2003. Chris partnered with Attorney, Jim Pietras, to form the firm limiting their practice to workers’ compensation litigation.
Chris grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and is a graduate, cum laude , of Villanova University (1993), and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law (1996).
Prior to entering private practice, Chris served as a law clerk to the Honorable Anthony J. Parillo, J.S.C. and Rosemarie R. Williams, J.S.C. in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division in Mercer County. Following law school, Chris was employed by a large South Jersey law firm specializing in workers’ compensation claims where he appeared in every District Office in the State of New Jersey.
Other significant cases that Chris has personally litigated include:
Chiumento v. Camden County, Docket No. A-0613-04T50613-04T5 (App. Div. July 31, 2006);
Huntoon v. Borough of Clementon, Docket No. A-0956-09T3 (App. Div. July 28, 2010); and
McGlinsey v. George H. Buchanan Co., Docket No. A-4653-08T3 (App. Div. September 30, 2010), cert. den. 205 N.J. 102 (2011).
Chris has been a featured lecturer on workers’ compensation law with the New Jersey Association of Justice, Lorman Education Services, and the Council for Education in Management in addition to numerous in-house seminars and classes. He also has a vast amount of experience handling claims on behalf of public entities and has served as a lecturer on issues involving the interplay between New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Law and accidental and ordinary disability pensions in public employment (PFRS, TPAF & PERS). He also has significant litigation experience with claims filed under the Thomas P. Canzanella Twenty First Century First Responders Act, N.J.S.A. 34:15-31.2 and the Essential Employees Act, N.J.S.A. 34:15-31.11. He is a member of the American Bar Association, New Jersey State Bar Association (Workers’ Compensation Section), Burlington County Bar Association, and the Camden County Bar Association.
Chris has been recognized in the field of workers’ compensation litigation by various publications, including being selected as a “Top Attorney” in the area of Workers’ Compensation Law by SJ Magazine several years in a row.
Outside of work, Chris enjoys spending time with his children and at the Jersey Shore. He is an avid Philadelphia sports fan.
As a Certified Workers’ Compensation Attorney, Chris pays referral fees for all New Jersey Workers’ Compensation cases to referring attorneys pursuant to R. 1:39-6.
