K&L Gates Adds Experienced Corporate Partner in Seattle Office

Seattle - Global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes Christopher Bellavia as a corporate partner in the Seattle office. Bellavia recently served as general counsel and corporate secretary for consumer goods and lifestyle brand company Bulletproof 360, Inc., following general counsel and assistant general counsel roles with Fisher Communications, Inc., and Washington Mutual, Inc., respectively. 
 
At Bulletproof 360, Bellavia established and managed the company’s internal legal function, supporting key areas such as corporate finance, regulatory compliance, commercial contracts, domestic and international trademark portfolio management, real estate leases, M&A transactions, and ongoing litigation matters. During his time with Bulletproof, he helped the company raise approximately USD $60 million in two priced venture capital and debt financing rounds.

Previously, Bellavia served as general counsel, corporate secretary, senior vice president, and a member of the executive management team of NASDAQ-listed broadcast media, news and entertainment company Fisher Communications, Inc. – where he managed the legal, regulatory, and governance functions and led the transaction team for the company’s successful sale in 2013 – and was a first vice president, assistant general counsel, and securities and M&A attorney with Fortune 100 financial services company Washington Mutual, Inc. He also provided corporate and business law representation and general counsel advisory services on matters including commercial contracts, seed round investing, and other business transactions to companies and individuals through his own private practice. Bellavia began his career as a corporate, securities, and M&A lawyer with several national law firms.

“We are excited to welcome Chris to the Seattle office,” said Pallavi Mehta Wahi, K&L Gates’ co-managing partner, United States, and managing partner of the firm’s Seattle office. “His corporate governance, securities, and M&A background, together with his significant work as senior in-house counsel to companies at all stages of development, from start-up to Fortune-listed, will provide our clients with valuable experience and deep insight and understanding of how their legal departments operate.”

Bellavia’s arrival follows the additions of environmental, land and natural resources partner Robert Smith to the Seattle office in January as well as fellow corporate partners Steven Olenick and Jason Murray in the New York and Miami offices, respectively, in recent weeks.

K&L Gates’ corporate practice is one of the most substantial in the legal industry, with more than 500 lawyers in offices on five continents assisting clients in the structuring, financing, and completion of domestic, international, and cross-border transactions. Recently, the practice helped to earn K&L Gates the distinction of corporate “Law Firm of the Year” in U.S. News-Best Lawyers’ annual “Best Law Firms” report and recognition from Forbes as one of America’s top corporate law firms.