Christopher G. Browning, Jr.

Chris Browning is a highly experienced litigator with a strong background in appellate practice, complex commercial litigation, business torts and governmental relations and leads the firm’s Appellate team.

Mr. Browning joins Williams Mullen after serving seven years as the first Solicitor General for the State of North Carolina. In this capacity, he argued four times before the United States Supreme Court and has multiple arguments before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the North Carolina Supreme Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Mr. Browning established the policies and procedures for the Office of Solicitor General and the process for that office’s review and management of all civil appeals involving the State of North Carolina. Additionally, he served as an adviser to the North Carolina Attorney General with respect to appellate issues and other policy matters. As Solicitor General, Mr. Browning worked closely with virtually every Division and Section within the North Carolina Department of Justice, as well as numerous general counsel and agency heads within the executive branch of North Carolina state government. In recognition for his service as Solicitor General, Governor Perdue awarded Mr. Browning the Order of the Long Leaf Pine (the highest honor that the State of North Carolina can bestow on a civilian).

Chris Browning is a highly experienced litigator with a strong background in appellate practice, complex commercial litigation, business torts and governmental relations and leads the firm’s Appellate team.

Mr. Browning joins Williams Mullen after serving seven years as the first Solicitor General for the State of North Carolina. In this capacity, he argued four times before the United States Supreme Court and has multiple arguments before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the North Carolina Supreme Court and the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Mr. Browning established the policies and procedures for the Office of Solicitor General and the process for that office’s review and management of all civil appeals involving the State of North Carolina. Additionally, he served as an adviser to the North Carolina Attorney General with respect to appellate issues and other policy matters. As Solicitor General, Mr. Browning worked closely with virtually every Division and Section within the North Carolina Department of Justice, as well as numerous general counsel and agency heads within the executive branch of North Carolina state government. In recognition for his service as Solicitor General, Governor Perdue awarded Mr. Browning the Order of the Long Leaf Pine (the highest honor that the State of North Carolina can bestow on a civilian).

Prior to working for the State, Mr. Browning was a partner at Hunton & Williams where his practice focused on complex litigation matters. While at that firm, he was part of a trial team handling one of the longest war crimes proceedings in history – a case tried in the Hague, Netherlands before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Mr. Browning is among the first attorneys certified as a specialist in appellate law by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. He is licensed to practice in North Carolina and Georgia. Mr. Browning served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable James C. Hill of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Mr. Browning is the past-chair of the Appellate Rules Committee for the North Carolina Bar Association. He currently serves on the Appellate Practice Specialization Committee of the North Carolina State Bar and also serves as North Carolina's representative to the Fourth Circuit's Advisory Committee on Rules and Procedures. Mr. Browning is a frequent speaker before bar associations and other organizations on issues relating to appellate practice, complex litigation and original actions before the United States Supreme Court.

He earned his bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of North Carolina and his juris doctor degree, with honors, from the University of North Carolina School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Browning was research editor for the North Carolina Law Review.

Representative Cases

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: THE RESULTS OF ANY LEGAL MATTER DEPEND ON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH MATTER. PAST RESULTS DO NOT PREDICT OR GUARANTEE SIMILAR RESULTS IN ANY FUTURE MATTER.

U.S. Supreme Court Arguments

• Graham County Soil & Water Conservation District v. United States ex rel. Wilson, 130 S. Ct. 1396 (2010) (interpretation of public disclosure bar of the federal False Claims Act)
• South Carolina v. North Carolina, 130 S. Ct. 854 (2010) (action seeking equitable apportionment of Catawba River)
• Bartlett v. Strickland, 129 S. Ct. 1231 (2009) (construction of Section 2 of Voting Rights Act)
• Graham County Soil & Water Conservation District v. United States ex rel. Wilson, 545 U.S. 409 (2005) (statute of limitations for retaliatory discharge action under federal False Claims Act)

• North Carolina ex rel. Cooper v. Tennessee Valley Authority, 615 F.3d 291 (4th Cir. 2010) (nuisance action relating to excess air emissions from TVA’s coal-fired power plants)
• H.B. Rowe v. Tippett, 615 F.3d 233 (4th Cir. 2010) (defense of constitutional challenge to North Carolina Department of Transportation’s minority contractor program)
• North Carolina ex rel. Cooper v. Tennessee Valley Authority, 515 F.3d 344 (4th Cir. 2008) (nuisance action relating to excess air emissions from TVA’s coal-fired power plants)
• Giovani Carandola, Ltd. v. Fox, 470 F.3d 1074 (4th Cir. 2006) (defense of First Amendment challenge to state statute regulating adult entertainment establishments)
• United States v. Wilson, 262 F.3d 305 (4th Cir. 2001) (challenge to prosecution for escape)
• United States v. Wilson, 205 F.3d 720 (4th Cir. 2000) (en banc) (Fourth Amendment challenge to search and seizure)
• Goldston v. State, 364 N.C. 416, 700 S.E.2d 223 (2010) (state constitutional challenge to Governor’s authority to transfer funds during budgetary crisis)
• North Carolina Insurance Guaranty Assoc. v. Guilford Technical Community College, 364 N.C. 102, 691 S.E.2d 694 (2010) (sovereign immunity)
• State ex rel. Cooper v. Ridgeway Brands, 362 N.C. 431, 666 S.E.2d 107 (2008) (veil piercing claim)
• Skinner v. Preferred Credit, 361 N.C. 114, 638 S.E.2d 203 (2006) (personal jurisdiction)
• Myers v. McGrady, 360 N.C. 460, 628 S.E.2d 761 (2006) (public duty doctrine)
• James v. Bartlett, 359 N.C. 260, 607 S.E.2d 638 (2005) (election law dispute)
• Prosecutor v. Kordic, Case No. IT-95-14/2-T (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) (Trial Chamber III) (judgment available at www.un.org/icty) (one of the longest war crime trials in history; trial conducted in the Hague, Netherlands)