Chad Messier

Practice Areas

Commercial Litigation, Insurance Defense, Products Liability, and Aviation Law

Career

Mr. Messier was recruited by Dudley Newman Feuerzeig LLP in 1993 from Vanderbilt Law School, where he served as Managing Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. After working as an Associate, Mr. Messier became a partner in 2000 and served as Managing Partner from 2003 through 2018. Mr. Messier works within the firm’s litigation department, managing complex cases for the firm’s largest clients. Throughout the course of his employment at the firm, Mr. Messier has specialized in general commercial litigation, insurance defense litigation, products liability defense, and aviation law. Representative published cases include:

• Helman v. Marriot Int’l, Inc., 2022 WL 3444931 (D.V.I. Aug. 17, 2022). Defeated motion for class certification brought by owners of fractional condominium interests at the Ritz-Carlton Destination Club on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

• R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company v. Gerald, 76 V.I. 656 (V.I. 2022), Part of appellate team that successfully reduced personal injury and wrongful death jury verdicts against tobacco manufacturer by more than $134 million.

• In re Murray, 2022 WL 19394 (D.V.I. Jan. 2, 2022). Succeeded in dismissing appeals brought by claimants against major commercial airline based, in part, upon airline’s confirmed Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan.

• Bracy v. Pfizer, Inc., 2018 WL 2025294 (D.V.I. May 1, 2018)(obtained summary judgment in products liability suit against international pharmaceutical manufacturer and successfully defended summary judgment on appeal).

• Torchin v. Blue Shore Grill, LLC., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123491 (D.V.I. Aug. 30, 2012). Successfully defended fine dining restaurant and hotel property from liquor liability claim of first impression in the Virgin Islands.

• Olive v. DeJongh, 2012 V.I. LEXIS 39 (Super. Ct. Aug. 3, 2012). Successfully obtained dismissal of taxpayer and Section 1983 lawsuit against Governor of the Virgin Islands alleging misuse of public funds.

• Virgin Islands v. AT&T of the Virgin Islands, Inc., 274 F. Supp. 2d 731 (D.V.I. App. Div. 2003). Successfully litigated and defended on appeal challenge by large commercial taxpayers to government construction of Virgin Islands franchise tax statute.

• Berne Corp. v. Virgin Islands, 262 F. Supp. 2d 540 (D.V.I. 2003). Successfully litigated on behalf of timeshare/hotel developer challenge to the legality of the Virgin Islands property tax system. The case was successfully defended on appeal.

Mr. Messier is admitted to the District Court of the Virgin Islands (1994), the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (1994), the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands (2007), the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (1994) and the United States Supreme Court (2003).

Finally, Mr. Messier is active in professional organizations. He is an elected member to the American Law Institute and is a member of the Defense Research Institute and the Aviation Insurance Association. Mr. Messier previously served on the Virgin Islands Bar Association Ethics and Grievance Committee, the Lawyers Advisory Committee of the District Court of the Virgin Islands, and the Lawyers Advisory Committee of the Judicial Council of the Third Judicial Circuit by appointment from the Chief Judge of the Third Circuit from 2007 through 2010, and as Chairman of the Merit Selection Panel for the U.S. Magistrate Judge position in the District Court of the Virgin Islands in 2010. Lastly, Mr. Messier has an AV Preeminent ® peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell ® and is ranked by Chambers and Partners.

Professional Memberships

American Law Institute

Defense Research Institute

American Bar Association

Clients

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Marriott International, Inc.

American Airlines, Inc.

Pfizer, Inc.

The Monsanto Company

Beam Suntory

Genentech

Sompo International Insurance

Generali

Education