Christian Stegmaier

Christian Stegmaier is a shareholder of Collins & Lacy with experience in appellate advocacy, retail and hospitality defense, complex litigation, premises liability, white-collar criminal defense, and state healthcare regulatory issues.  Prior to joining Collins & Lacy, Christian served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ralph King Anderson, Jr., Judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals. 

Practice Focus/Trial Experience

• Appellate, representing clients in state and federal appellate venues in civil and criminal matters.  Building on the experience as an appellate law clerk and appearing numerous times before appellate tribunals as counsel, representation includes pre-briefing review and analysis of the case - including candid advice concerning the chances for favorable outcome, careful research and briefing, and appearing at oral argument
• Retail and Hospitality Defense, defending some of the largest national retail and hospitality-related corporations doing business in South Carolina in claims alleging premises liability, food adulteration, third party torts, dram shop, and shoplifting.  Also involved in matters pertaining to licensure and other administrative decisions of state regulatory agencies
• Premises Liability, including foreign substance and static defect litigation, along with negligent design and failure to warn claims.  Also involved in negligence security claims
• White-Collar Criminal Defense, defending persons accused by federal and state authorities of violations of securities and tax laws.  Representation includes alternative dispute resolution, as well as trial and appellate work
• State Healthcare Regulatory Issues, involving healthcare provider disputes with the Department of Health & Environmental Control and other state agencies in matters pertaining to Certificate of Need, licensure, and other administrative decisions

Professional, Civic, and Community Involvement

• Defense Research Institute
• Appellate Advocacy Section and Food Law Specialized Litigation Group
• Global Alliance of Hospitality Attorneys
• Hospitality Association of South Carolina
• South Carolina Association of Convenience Stores
• South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys Association 
• South Carolina Bar
• Richland County Bar Association
• International Society of Primerus Law Firms

Papers, Presentations and Publications 

•  Defending the Food Liability Claim, Sixth Annual Hospitality Law Conference, February 11-13, 2008, Houston, Texas
• The Dangers of YouTube to Your Company’s Branding Message, Hospitality News, February 2008, at 10
• Don’t Be the Hero: Training Team Members to Avoid Confrontation with Robbers, Rhode Island  Hospitality and Tourism Association, Hospitality at a Glance Newsletter, January 16, 2008, available at http://www.rihospitality.org/backup/doc/jan16.doc
• Don’t Be the Hero: Training Team Members to Avoid Confrontation with Robbers, Primerus Defense Institute – Defensively Speaking (Internet Newsletter), Winter 2008
• The Dangers of YouTube to Your Company’s Branding Message, Hospitality News, January 2008, at 10
• Let Civility Ring! Cut Out the Catty Language, Primerus Paradigm, Winter 2008
• California Court of Appeal Outlines Standard for Allergen Claims, Sysco Today, Fall 2007, at 50
• Controlling Claims with Kindness, In The Mix, Fall 2007, at 76
• Food Safety and the Law: Defending and Preventing a Coffee Burn Lawsuit, Food Safety Solutions, Fall 2007, at 52
• Let Civility Ring! Cut Out the Catty Language, For The Defense, August 2007, at 76
• Responding to the Dangers of Employee Blogging, Best Western H.E.L.P. Guide, 2007, at 81
• Franchisor Not Responsible for Hotel Guest’s Death, Best Western H.E.L.P. Guide, 2007, at 83
• South Carolina Court of Appeals Reviews Landowner Duty of Care to Trespassers Injured on Undeveloped Commercial Property, Hospitality News, May 2007, at 19
• General Assembly Amends Procedures for DHEC Staff Decisions, Hospitality News, April 2007, at 19
• South Carolina Association of Convenience Stores – Spring 2007 Legal Update, March-April-May 2007
• Food Safety and the Law: Getting Tough with Food Claims, Spring 2007, Food Safety Solutions, at 54
• Think Carefully Before Pointing Swords at Your Customers: A Review of the Law of “Dangerous Conditions,” Hospitalitylawyer.com Monthly Newsletter, April 2007
• South Carolina Supreme Court Issues Ruling on Social Host Liability, Hospitality News, March 2007, at 19
• Franchisor Not Responsible for Hotel Guest’s Death, Hospitality News, February 2007, at 17
• Defending the Food Liability Claim, Fifth Annual Hospitality Law Conference, February 8-9, 2007, Houston, Texas
• Inside the Judge’s Chambers: The Honorable Ralph King Anderson, Jr., The Defense Line, Fall 2006, at 11
• Federal District Court Gives Teeth To The "Open And Obvious" Defense in Inclement Weather Slip and Fall Cases, The Defense Line, Summer 2006
• Presentations in 2003, 2004, and 2005 for Lorman Educational Services relating to the Confidentiality of Psychiatric and Drug Treatment Records in Litigation
• Romero v. Rodriquez, 365 S.C. 80, 610 S.E.2d 488 (2005) 
• Hamilton v R& L Transfer, 361 S.C. 286, 604 S.E.2d 397 (Ct. App. 2004)
• Charleston Dry Cleaners & Laundry Inc. v. Zurich American Insurance Co., 355 S.C. 614, 586 S.E.2d 586 (2003)

Speaking Engagements

• Christian Stegmaier to Speak at RIMS Southeastern Educational Conference, September 10, 2008, Hilton Head Island, SC
• Christian Stegmaier to Speak at Hospitality Law Conference, February 11, 2008, Houston, TX