Christian L. Connell, P.C.

Christian L. Connell

 

Founder & Principal Attorney

 

Christian L. Connell is an accomplished litigator with over three decades of legal experience. He centers his practice on employment law, complex civil litigation, and criminal defense.

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🎓 Education & Credentials

 

• J.D., William & Mary Law School (1992)

 

• Order of the Coif 

• William & Mary Law Review

• Book Awards: Contracts and Criminal Procedure

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• B.A., Harvard College (1985)

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• Graduated cum laude

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💼 Professional Experience

 

Christian L. Connell, P.C. | Norfolk, VA

 

Sole Practitioner & Owner (2000–Present)

 

Mays & Valentine, LLP | Virginia Beach, VA

 

Litigation Associate (1996–2000)

 

Hunton & Williams, LLP (now Hunton Andrews Kurth, LLP) | Norfolk, VA

 

Litigation Associate (1993–1996)

 

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

 

Law Clerk to the Hon. Rebecca Beach Smith (1992–1993)

 

🏛️ Admissions & Memberships

 

Bar Admissions: Virginia State Bar (Active since 1992)

 

Court Admissions: All Virginia State & Federal Courts, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court

 

Pro Hac Vice admissions in New York and Washington, D.C.

 

Professional Associations: Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association

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Past Leadership: Former President and Treasurer of the I'Anson Hoffman Inn of Court

 

📋 Representative Wage & Hour Cases

 

Mr. Connell has an extensive track record representing both plaintiffs and defendants in wage, hour, and overtime disputes. Notable matters include:

 

Major Collective Actions:

 

Epps v. Waco Equipment Co. (Lead Plaintiffs' Counsel) – Secured a $365,000 settlement in an 80+ member FLSA collective action for unpaid overtime.

 

Fox v. Agape Counseling & Therapeutic Services (Plaintiffs' Counsel) – Secured a $270,000 settlement in a 50+ member FLSA collective action for unpaid overtime.*

 

Carroll v. Northampton Restaurants, Inc. (Plaintiffs' Counsel) – Represented 50+ members in an FLSA collective action concerning minimum wage and tip credit violations.

 

McNeil v. Faneuil, Inc. & Robinson v. Ballard Fish & Oyster – Served as counsel in large-scale FLSA collective actions for unpaid overtime.

 

Single-Plaintiff & Defense Matters:

 

Defense Counsel Success: Successfully defended clients against unpaid overtime claims in Mann v. Riddle’s Farm, LLC.

 

Misclassification Claims:

 

Represented workers denied overtime due to misclassification in Smith v. Q.E.D. Systems, Mullin v. Atlantic Foundations, and Hall v. Innovative Product Achievements.

 

Breach of Contract & Overtime:

 

Maintained dual FLSA and state law breach of contract actions, including Franklin v. HSBC Finance Corp.

 

Additional FLSA Representation: Served as counsel in Mackey v. Macsons, Inc., Gaskill v. Vinings Marine Group, and Thomas v. Henry’s Tires.-💡