Previously an in-house attorney at a major title insurance company, Christopher Deal represents title insurers and their insureds, lenders, escrow companies and developers in litigation involving real estate, business and corporate disputes. A partner in Best Best & Krieger LLP’s Irvine office, Chris’s practice focuses on litigation involving title and escrow liability, lien priority disputes, mechanic’s liens, boundary disputes and lender liability. Chris is also an experienced insurance coverage practitioner who handles complex insurance coverage investigations, issues insurance coverage opinions and litigates insurance “bad faith” disputes involving title insurance, commercial general liability, premises environmental (pollution) and crime/fidelity coverage. He is a qualified expert witness and regularly consults and testifies about title searching and constructive notice issues.
 
Chris’s in-house experience as a title insurer gives him unique insight into the industry. He has worked closely with underwriters, title officers and operations managers and is familiar with all aspects of the business. Chris’s clients benefit from his deep understanding of the nuts and bolts of title insurance transactions, and appreciate his ability to tackle issues efficiently. In addition to handling litigation for the insurer, Chris provided regulatory and pre-litigation counsel to title, escrow and operations units.
 
Chris lives in Laguna Niguel with his wife and two daughters. Chris is admitted to all the California districts of the U.S. District Court.
 
Education

• Loyola Law School, J.D.
• University of California, San Diego, B.A., political science

Admissions

• California

Memberships

• Orange County Bar Association
• California Land Title Association, 2005-2016
• California Land Title Association Legislative, Litigation and Forms and Practices Committees, various dates 2006-2011