Demetra Arapakis Christos is the Managing Partner of Foley Mansfield’s Chicago office. Demetra joined Foley Mansfield in its Detroit office in 2001 and relocated in 2007 to help launch the firm’s Chicago office, maintaining a robust practice in both states as well as in New York. She is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and is chair of the firm’s Professional Liability Practice Group.

Demetra is a fierce advocate for her clients and strives to achieve the very best results for them —always keeping her clients’ ultimate goals at the forefront. She is a commercial and civil litigator with more than twenty years of experience successfully defending businesses and select individuals. Her areas of focus include toxic tort litigation (asbestos, talc and silica), employment disputes, professional liability (Errors & Omissions and Directors & Officers), complex coverage matters, and construction defect. As both a litigator and trained mediator, Demetra provides creative solutions to help her clients achieve their goals, manage risk and effectively minimize the stress and unnecessary expenses associated with litigation.

Demetra’s vast and diverse litigation experience includes representing clients through all phases of toxic tort trials, while   serving as both National Coordinating Counsel for product manufacturers and premise owners and local counsel for product manufacturers, premise owners, suppliers, distributors, and retailers.

In employment matters, Demetra represents clients in disputes involving wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower, compensation, and other employment-related claims. In related professional liability matters, she defends professionals and companies against D&O and E&O claims ranging from simple negligence to complex malpractice.

Demetra devotes many hours providing pro bono legal services. In 2010, she co-chaired a first-degree murder case in which she successfully argued and won a bond motion that had previously been denied five times. Demetra also has handled select family law cases involving divorce and custody issues.

Demetra is active in the Chicago Bar Association and serves as a volunteer judge for the Annual Moot Court Competition.