Profile

Christopher E. Kentra is a partner at Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C. in Chicago. Chris has represented clients in a wide variety of commercial, insurance, and complex litigation matters for almost thirty years. His trial and litigation practice focuses on complex commercial matters, insurance recovery, construction, professional liability, and employment law. He also has considerable experience counseling business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs on matters that include new venture formation and acquisitions, as well as taking action to protect trade secrets and related matters.

Chris' commercial litigation experience includes the successful resolution of contract, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty claims, defense of actions against condominium and real estate developers, and disputes involving restrictive covenants. He regularly represents clients on employment related issues, including the defense of discrimination claims and litigation concerning restrictive covenants. Chris' professional liability litigation experience includes both the prosecution and defense of suits against insurance producers, managing general agents, and attorneys. He also has successfully litigated insurance coverage disputes, particularly related to general liability, professional liability, worker's compensation, and construction related claims. Finally, Chris has argued numerous appeals in intermediate appellate courts and Supreme Courts in Illinois and other states.

The author of several articles, Chris has addressed issues that include representing financially troubled and insolvent clients, insurance recovery for U.S. Department of Labor investigations related to ESOP transactions or employee plan participant suits, and attorney-client privilege in the context of corporate investigations.  He has presented on topics that include professional liability, changes in employment law, avoiding workplace violence, sexual harassment prevention, construction related issues, and insurance bad faith claims.

For more than 20 years, Chris has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois. Chris is also a longtime member of the Chicago Inn of Court, an organization that promotes ethical conduct and civility among attorneys.

Experience

Honors & Awards

  • Martindale Hubbell rated AV® Preeminent
  • Illinois Super Lawyer 2015-2023
  • Chicago Magazine, Illinois Top Lawyer, 2019

Professional/Community

  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Chicago Inn of Court
  • Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Indiana

Insights

Speaking Engagements

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Education

IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law (J.D.,with honors, 1992); Moot Court Society, American Jurisprudence Award recipient in Trial Advocacy, recipient of the Irene V. McCormick Scholarship for Academic Excellence

Miami University in Ohio (B.S., Finance, 1989)

Fenwick High School (1985)

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