Mr. Hoare specializes in legal malpractice, construction accident, NY Labor Law, construction defect, railroad defense, trucking/transportation liability, and medical malpractice litigation. Before becoming an attorney, he worked in railroad track construction and safety training at Conrail as well as a Legal Claims Agent for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). For 19 years, he has represented his clients in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in legal malpractice, premises liability, transportation, trucking, and construction accident litigation (including NY Labor Law) cases. Chris also represents all sizes of railroads in cases involving FELA defense, premises liability, and grade crossing collision litigation. His practice also includes defense of cases involving amusement and indoor water parks, carnival ride manufacturers, food and beverage retail establishment owner/operator liability (dram shop), and premises liability matters. Mr. Hoare is the Chair of Capehart’s Litigation and Professional Liability Departments. A significant area of practice for Chris is professional negligence, including defending pharmacists and medical care providers from suits involving medical malpractice. Through Capehart’s upstate office in Elmira, N.Y, Chris also has developed a specialty in the field of representing companies related to the oil exploration and gas fracturing (“fracking”) industries. He has tried dozens of cases to verdict in federal and state courts in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Publications
Transportation Newsletter, a newsletter which highlights transportation litigation relating to railroads and the trucking industry, Co-Editor and Contributing Author, 2009-present.
USDC-DNY Dismisses FELA Suit: Accident Not Forseeable to Railroad and Inadmissible Expert Opinion, February 2014.
Transportation Broker Not Liable Under Carmack Amendment for Injuries Caused by Truck Driver, 2014.
FELA Preempts State Law: FELA Worker Not Eligible for New York’s No Fault Insurance Benefits, February 2014.
New Jersey State Court Enforces Water Park Liability Waiver, April 2013.
Affidavit of Merit is Key to Defense of Legal Malpractice Claim, Capehart Scatchard Practice Tip, April 2011.
New Jersey Supreme Court Affirms Sovereign Immunity for Injuries on Public Property, Legal Alerts, February 2011.
“New Jersey Supreme Court Affirms Sovereign Immunity for Injuries on Public Property,” Capehart Scatchard Legal Alert, February 2010.
Liability Waivers Remain Enforceable In New Jersey, Litigation Quarterly, October 2010.
Wage Continuation Versus Advancements In Controlling FELA Injury Claims, Transportation Newsletter, June 2009.
“New York Supreme Court Decision Affirms ‘Recalcitrant Worker’ Defense,” Capehart Scatchard Legal Alert, March, 2009.
Related News
Significant Expansion of New Jersey’s Program That Uses Seafood Shells Recycled From Restaurants for Creation of Oyster Reefs
November 11, 2025
Laurel B. Peltzman Rejoins Capehart Scatchard’s Employment & Labor Department
November 10, 2025
Capehart Scatchard Earns Best Law Firms Rankings
November 6, 2025
Diversity And Inclusion Committee Hosts CLE On Tribal Law In New Jersey
November 5, 2025
November 3, 2025 Designated ‘One Health Day’ in New Jersey by Governor Phil Murphy
October 30, 2025
Professional Awards & Honors
Was selected to 2011 list of AV Preeminent lawyers. This award is conferred by Martindale-Hubbell.
•A description of the selection methodology may be obtained by clicking on the following link: https://www.martindale.com/ratings-and-reviews/attorneys/
•No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Classes & Seminars
“Anatomy of a Jury Trial: From Answer to Verdict,” Capehart Scatchard in-house CLE, November 2023.
“Understanding the FELA - An Overview of the Federal Employers Liability Act FELA,” Gemini Underwriters, December 2018
“Federal Preclusion Applied to Track Appliance in FELA Case - a Case Study,” National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, October 2018
“Commercial Vehicle Claims Update,” MaidenRe, September 2017
“Amtrak Derailment - Train 188 - May 12, 2015,” Iron Shore / Liberty Mutual Insurance Underwriters, June 2017
“Multi-District Litigation in the context of a Passenger Train Derailment,” New Jersey Transaction Conference, April 2017
“Multi-District Litigation- Response to Amtrak Train #188 Derailment,” National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel Winter Meeting, March 2017
“Understanding the FELA: An Overview of the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (“FELA”), New Jersey TransAction Conference 2016, April 2016
Business Law 101: Entity Selection, Formation, Organization, Governance - A Refresher & A Primer, New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2013
