Christian M. Gunneson

Christian is senior counsel in WSHB’s Florida offices, where his practice concentrates on assisting London market insuring and reinsuring syndicates and companies with various coverage matters and coverage litigation. He has experience litigating disputes arising under first and third party commercial general liability coverages, products-completed operations hazard coverages, and professional liability policies. Specifically, Christian has litigated and analyzed coverage issues arising under class action products liability claims, Telephone Consumer Protection Act claims, construction defect claims, and sexual abuse claims. Christian also provides coverage advice to clients to assist them in avoiding disputes without the need for litigation.

In addition to his coverage practice, Christian has experience representing businesses in employment litigation and wrongful termination defense matters, harassment and retaliation claims, Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) claims, Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) claims, and Florida Minimum Wage Act (“FMWA”) claims. He also represents attorneys and insurance brokers and agents in professional liability matters, and has represented businesses - including some of the country’s largest insurance brokerages - in trade secret, non-compete, and intellectual property litigation.

Christian is a magna cum laude graduate of the Quinnipiac University School of Law, where he was the publication editor of the Quinnipiac Health Law Journal and President of the Mock Trial Society. While in law school, Christian was a research assistant for Professor Stephen Gilles and was a judicial extern for the Honorable Dominic J. Squatrito of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut and the Honorable Howard T. Owens Jr. of the Connecticut Superior Court. Christian received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Providence College.

He is a current member of the 2019-2020 Leadership Institute Class of the Hillsborough County Bar Association. The HCBA Bar Leadership Institute identifies and develops young attorneys of diverse backgrounds who have the potential to grow into future leaders. The program is comprised of an educational series as well as a community service project that is selected, managed and completed by the leadership class.

Community Activities

Volunteer “Guide”, The Resolution Project

Awards & Accomplishments

Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2016 - 2020

Trial & Appellate Results

Brown & Brown v. Gelsomino, 262 So. 3d 755 (Fla. 4th DCA 2018) (reversing and remanding trial court’s finding that the statutory abrogation of joint and several liability did not apply retroactively).

Rodriguez v. Clark, No.: CV-13-6020248-S (Conn. Super. Ct. 2014), aff’d 162 Conn. App. 785 (2016)(striking plaintiff’s claims by finding inapplicable the motor vehicle exception to Connecticut’s workers’ compensation exclusivity scheme).

Canelli v. North Branford Board of Commissioners, et al., 3:13-cv-01235 (D. Conn. 2013) (dismissing plaintiff’s procedural due process claim).

Publications

•Why Fast Food Bans are the Wrong Solution to Address America’s Obesity Problem and What Should Be Done Instead, 15 Quinnipiac Health Law Journal 209 (2012).