Christopher J. Hug

Partner

  • Overview

    Biography

    Chris Hug focuses exclusively on dispute resolution, including arbitration, mediation, and  litigation. He handles a range of disputes, with a focus on those arising in construction, commercial lending, commercial contract, municipal contracting, trusts and probate, and insurance contexts. He has more than three decades of experience as a trial lawyer, and he practices in both Connecticut federal and state courts as well as in the Southern District of New York.

    Business Litigation

    Chris represents various private and public entities in business disputes.  He is particularly experienced at handling disputes that involve commercial transactions, system failure analysis, manufacturing and/or processing defects, environmental issues, financial disputes, and creditors' rights. Chris’s cases typically involve the coordination of multiple experts. His most recent experiences include shareholder disputes, Freedom of Information disputes, First Amendment issues, software/hardware installation and design contracts, manufacturing defects, boiler design and installation, wastewater treatment plant disputes, foreclosure, and lender liability defense.

    Probate Litigation

    Chris also has a very active probate litigation caseload. He represents institutions and individuals, healthcare providers, charities, and various beneficiaries in disputes in probate and courts of general jurisdiction. Typical cases include: will contests, instrument interpretation, breach of fiduciary duty, accountings, conservatorship appointments and representation, heir determination and psychiatric commitment hearings.

    He participated as a member of the Connecticut Probate Practice Book Advisory Committee and assisted in drafting the new Rules of Practice for Connecticut Probate Courts, effective July 1, 2013. He has appeared as a faculty member describing and explaining various aspects of probate law to the Connecticut Probate Judges and Connecticut Bar industry groups. Chris is a senior adjunct professor of law at Western New England University School of Law, where he has taught a course on probate litigation since 2007.

    Construction Litigation

    Since shortly after joining the firm in 1989, Chris has had an active construction litigation practice and has experience in many different areas.  Chris represents owners, contractors, engineers, and  property insurers in disputes arising from the construction of various projects, such as schools, laboratories, energy plants, industrial and commercial buildings, nuclear power, athletic facilities, wastewater treatment, and landfills. He is well-versed in industry contracts and specialized damages claims, including, but not limited to, loss of productivity claims.

    He is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry and Connecticut Bar Association Construction Law Section.

    Insurance Litigation

    Chris represents insurers in large-loss property insurance disputes, particularly as it relates to heavy engineering and physical damages. He also represents insurers in commercial general liability disputes arising out of defective construction, design, and workmanship. He has represented insurers in connection with natural disasters such as hurricanes, and major construction projects. 

     

  • Experience
    • Experience

      Experience

        Business Litigation

      • Represent co-owner in shareholder dispute.

      • Conducted two-week arbitration of environmental claims, employment claims, CUTPA claims, and breach of contract claims arising out of the sale of a scrap metal processing facility.

      • Representation of the solid waste authority in administrative disputes concerning disposal of solid waste.

      • Successfully contested commercial foreclosure for national investment company. 

      • Successfully represented a global provider of mobile solutions in a contract claim.  

      • Represented commercial lender in defense of Retail Installment Sales Financing Act (RISFA)/UCC claims in connection with creditor's rights, specifically, lending and repossession practices. Handled replevin matters relating to equipment financing or leasing. In many instances, our firm assists the creditor utilizing Connecticut’s prejudgment remedy procedure, which allows the creditor to seize the equipment first, and prove-up their right to the equipment in a later court proceeding. Such procedure often leads to timely and favorable results.

      • Serve as expert in professional liability dispute.

      • Probate Litigation

      • Successfully defended will against undue influence and incapacity claims. 

      • Successfully represented a Connecticut-based tree service company in a Trust language construction action.

      • Successfully defended individual’s estate plan concerning health care and financial management in the event of incapacity.

      • Successfully obtained conservator for patient who suffered a traumatic brain injury. 

      • Counsel and represent fiduciary concerning investment choices.

      • Serve as temporary administrator, guardian ad litem, and other court appointments.

      • Construction Litigation

      • Represented the contractor hired to decommission the Connecticut Yankee nuclear power plant, in a dispute over how to address contamination at the site. 

      • Successfully defended a construction company against a loss of productivity claim concerning a school construction project. 

      • Prosecution and defense of delay claim in a high-rise condominium complex.

      • Defense of municipal owner in litigation over construction of a landfill.

      • Defense of construction claim related to lateral support wall at a university athletic facility.

      • Successful bid protest defense of school construction project.

      • Defense of general contractor in large HVAC dispute at large laboratory facility.

      • Represented a wastewater treatment facility in arbitration of claims related to faulty design and construction of energy recovery reuse facility against engineering procurement and construction contractor. 

      • Insurance Litigation

      • Representation of insurer against claimant for extensive property loss. Claim involved separating water versus flood damage, damages versus betterment, and pricing issues.

      • Defense of insurer against claimant for demolition and hazardous materials remediation costs. Claim involved extensive overcharging.

      • Defense of insurer concerning $80 million coverage issue related to a deep rock tunnel built 100 meters underground through difficult geological conditions. The case involved issues relating to design defects, workmanship, and remedial costs as well as experts in tunnel boring, grouting, hazardous chemicals, and construction engineering/management.

      • Defense of numerous Katrina-related insurance and construction issues in New Orleans.

      • Representation of an insurance company and its insured to liquidate $100 million in claims from approximately 70 claims against insured. Through mediation, the $100 million in claims was reduced to approximately $20 million and 100 percent of cases settled out of court.

      • Representation of insurer in defense of litigation from construction defects from the "Big Dig" project in Boston. Specifically, the matter involved the failed installation of an underwater tunnel segment, resulting in flooding and movement of a large concrete tunnel segment. The issues included both design and workmanship concerns.

      • Successfully represented an insured party accused of providing defective architectural stone masonry.

      • Negotiated favorable settlement on behalf of an insurer, in a case involving coverage following water damage at an apartment complex which was under construction. 

      • Defense of insurer in arbitration and state court proceedings in Florida for $300 million property damage, business interruption, and consequential damage claim brought by owners of Miami Beach resort because of Hurricane Andrew.

      • Other Experiences

      • Appointed fiduciary to handle estate of public figure. 

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    • Professional Associations

      Professional Associations

      American Bar Association
      Business Law Section (1992 - present)
      Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (1992 - present)
      Forum on the Construction Industry (1996 - present)

      Connecticut Bar Association
      Construction Law Section (1996 - present)

      Connecticut Construction Industry Association (1997 - present)

      Associated General Contractors of America (1997 - present)

      Construction Institute (2003 - present)

      Hartford County Bar Association
      Board of Directors (2017 - present)
    • Honors + Awards

      Honors + Awards

      Connecticut Bar Foundation, James W. Cooper Fellow, 2013

      Robinson+Cole Mentor of the Year Award Recipient, 2021

      Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the area of Litigation-Construction for 2022.

    • Community Involvement

      Community Involvement

      Connecticut Swimming, Inc.
      General Chair of the Board of Directors (2010 - 2012)
      Vice Chair of the Board of Directors (2006 - 2010)
  • NEWS + PRESS
    • Presentations

      Presentations

      "Exploring Unsupervised Probate," a symposium presented by the Connecticut Bar Foundation James W. Cooper Fellows and the Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal (4/20/2018)
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      "Discovery in Probate Courts and Hearing Management Conferences," at the joint meeting of the Connecticut Bar Association and Connecticut Probate Assembly. (11/29/2017)

      "Rules of Evidence in Probate," at the Connecticut Legal Conference, held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford (6/12/2017)
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      "Rules of Evidence and Hearing Management Conferences," co-presented with Edward J. Heath, at Hot Topics in Probate Court CLE in Cromwell, Connecticut (12/2/2015)
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      "Workshop on Rules for Contested Hearings," at the Probate Judges Institute, at Central Connecticut State University. (3/19/2013)
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    • News

      R+C in the News

      • July 30, 2021

        Robinson+Cole Presents Annual Awards for Outstanding Contributions

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      • October 24, 2018

        Robinson+Cole Lawyers Attend Interval House's Annual Breakfast With Champions

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      • August 20, 2018

        52 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2019

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      • April 24, 2018

        Chris Hug Offers Insight on Exploring Unsupervised Probate

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      • June 13, 2017

        Robinson+Cole Lawyers Present at 2017 Connecticut Legal Conference

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      • December 15, 2015

        Hartford Lawyers Participate in CBA/Probate Judicial Joint Meeting

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      • April 23, 2015

        Robinson+Cole Successfully Defends Connecticut Municipality in Construction Contract Case

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      • April 17, 2013

        Chris Hug Presents Workshop at Judges Institute

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      • May 26, 2010

        Robinson & Cole Attorney Elected General Chair of Connecticut Swimming, Inc.

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      R+C News Releases

      • August 18, 2022

        74 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2023

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      • August 19, 2021

        65 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022

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      • August 20, 2020

        61 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021

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      • August 15, 2019

        57 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020

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      • August 15, 2017

        Fifty-Nine Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018

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      • March 13, 2017

        Chris Hug Elected to Hartford County Bar Association’s Board of Directors

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      • August 15, 2016

        Robinson+Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Lawyer Count in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017

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      • August 18, 2015

        Robinson+Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Lawyer Count in The Best Lawyers in America® 2016

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      • August 19, 2014

        Robinson+Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Lawyer Count in Best Lawyers National Peer Review Survey

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      • August 16, 2013

        Robinson & Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Attorney Count in Best Lawyers National Peer Review Survey

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      • March 1, 2013

        Robinson & Cole Lawyers Selected as James W. Cooper Fellows of the Connecticut Bar Foundation

      • August 28, 2012

        Robinson & Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Attorney Count in Best Lawyers National Peer Review Survey

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