Christopher Bagley

“Whistleblowers perform a vital service for all Americans: taxpayers, citizens who are kept safe by a prudently funded military, and all those whose lives benefit from government programs. My firm and I are committed to trying to ensure that they are rewarded for that service.”

Chris Bagley litigates whistleblower cases, consumer protection cases, mass torts, and class actions. He became an attorney, in large part, because he wanted to directly serve clients with tangible and pressing needs.

Leaning towards the law

Before becoming an attorney, Chris spent 12 years in business journalism. As a reporter in 2007, Chris wrote two series of articles on mortgage fraud in Southern California that piqued his interest in law. Investigating the real estate schemes involved digging into court documents, tax records, and a database of local foreclosures. He reported on the fraud’s impact on the surrounding neighborhoods and recognized that the only recourse for many homeowners and renters was through the legal system.

Chris points to a specific dinner conversation back in 2010 that sparked his initial interest in the federal False Claims Act (FCA) – the primary law at issue in whistleblower cases – and in law as a potential career. Chris’s attorney friend was in the midst of defending an FCA case. Chris was fascinated by the high stakes involved for all parties: the government (failure to hold organizations liable can embolden the actions of others); the defendant (liability typically leads to triple damages); and the whistleblower (risking his or her career to pursue righting a wrong). Chris was hooked.

The path to becoming an attorney

Chris’s journey to the legal profession was circuitous. He attended Davidson College in North Carolina where he earned a B.A. in Economics. He then moved to Japan where he taught English for two years and became proficient in Japanese (one of the three foreign languages he speaks). Upon his return to the States, he wrote for several newspapers and then further fine-tuned his craft by earning a Master of Journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.

After 12 years writing and reporting on both coasts, Chris attended the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill and earned a J.D. Combining his writing and legal skills, Chris served as an editor and executive board member of UNC Law’s North Carolina Journal of International Law and received the Seymour Wurfel Award for outstanding contributions to the journal. He joined the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin in 2017 and has performed extensive research on the federal and North Carolina False Claims Act.

An activated attorney

Chris is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for both the Middle District and Eastern District of North Carolina, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. From 2020-2024, Best Lawyers in America recognized him on its “Ones to Watch”⁵ list for Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Plaintiffs, and Super Lawyers has listed him as a “Rising Star”⁵ in 2021 and 2022.

A committed advocate for others, Chris contributes his time and talents to several community organizations.

Riding for a reason

Chris is an avid cyclist who leads rides for a Research Triangle-based cycling club that raises money to support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He is also a board member of Triangle Bikeworks, a local nonprofit group that organizes week-long bicycle tours of historic regions with young adults from underserved communities. At home, Chris is an amateur chef and a proud uncle to three nieces and a nephew.

⁵ For more information regarding the standards for inclusion for the “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list, visit: www.bestlawyers.com. For more information regarding the standards for inclusion for the “Rising Stars” list, visit www.superlawyers.com.