Meier Watkins Phillips Pusch LLP Secures $8 Million Defamation Verdict for Philanthropist and Investor Christopher Chandler

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After a week-long jury trial in federal court, the trial team at Meier Watkins Phillips Pusch LLP (MWPP) achieved a landmark $8,000,001 defamation verdict in favor of their client, Christopher Chandler, chairman and founder of the global investment firm Legatum Group.

The case, Christopher Chandler v. Donald Berlin and Investigative Consultants, Inc., Case No. 1:18-cv-02136-APM, centered on a 2003 dossier containing explosive false allegations that were repeated by Members of Parliament and the British press beginning in 2017. After the federal court weighed the evidence and found that those allegations were false, an 8-person jury unanimously concluded that the investigator responsible for the dossier knew or recklessly disregarded the truth about Mr. Chandler.

Before filing suit in 2018, Mr. Chandler offered to settle his defamation claim for a retraction and apology. When no retraction or apology were forthcoming, he pursued and won the multi-million-dollar award, which he intends to donate to charity.

This verdict sends a powerful message about the legal consequences of spreading and refusing to retract malicious falsehoods.

MWPP’s trial team was led by founding partners Daniel Watkins and Megan Meier, with critical support from of counsel Mark Thomson, senior associate Amy McCann Roller, and litigation professionals Kayla Mozier, Alexis Chandler, and Kayla Bussert.

"We're elated that the jury cut through the web of deceit and delivered a verdict that will echo through the halls of justice for years to come. This is more than just a win — it's a statement, loud and clear, that the truth still prevails," said Mr. Watkins.

“We hope that the jury’s unanimous verdict sends a clear message to everyone who sells defamatory lies for profit,” added Ms. Meier. “Accountability is coming.”

This victory underscores MWPP’s reputation as a leader in high-stakes defamation and reputation defense cases, reinforcing their commitment to securing justice for clients whose reputations have been unfairly attacked.