Christine Niemczyk

Christine Niemczyk's entire career as a litigator has focused on the aviation industry, primarily defending commercial and cargo airlines against wrongful death, personal injury, and property damage claims and assisting those clients in navigating through the extensive legal and regulatory issues that arise out of domestic and international air travel operations. She defends airlines against a wide variety of claims from pre-litigation through trial and has obtained favorable verdicts, summary judgments, and dismissals on behalf of clients in state and federal courts throughout the country. Christine has also successfully defended several favorable trial court rulings on appeal in multiple jurisdictions.

In addition to zealously advocating for her clients in litigation, Christine has assisted in the development of alternate dispute resolution programs for the successful mediation of large aviation catastrophic injury cases to resolve over a hundred claims prior to active litigation.

Christine also has extensive experience in aviation contract arrangements and obligations, as well as risk allocation and management, and has supported aviation clients in pursuit of their contractual rights inside and outside the courtroom. She completes extensive insurance coverage and business strategy analyses to advise her clients in their defenses.

In addition to her work with airlines, Christine represents aviation component manufacturers in complex product liability claims involving aviation accidents worldwide. She prepares and argues pleadings, motions, and appeals in U.S. and foreign jurisdictions on behalf of manufacturers, airport operators, and maintenance facilities.

Christine also has broad experience handling liability claims involving professionals, directors and officers, homeowners and condominium associations, and nonprofit corporations.

• American Bar Association
• Chicago Bar Association
• Illinois Bar Association

• With co-counsel, successfully tried and received a favorable verdict for the defense in a passenger injury claim seeking in excess of $10 million against an international commercial airliner.
• Obtained early dismissal in state court for commercial airline in a passenger tort claim based on international treaty and prevailed on appeal to affirm trial court ruling.
• Prevailed in federal court on motion for summary judgment in favor of a commercial airline based on limitations to common carrier duty of care to passengers.
• Obtained summary judgment for a commercial airline in state court on a passenger personal injury claim involving premises liability and successfully defended trial court ruling on appeal.
• Part of a team that successfully developed a comprehensive ADR program for the resolution of over 100 passenger injury claims arising out of commercial aircraft runway uncontained engine failure.
• Prepared foreign appeal on behalf of an avionic manufacturer in Spanish litigation arising out of an international mid-air collision.