Chris Watkins

Columbia Missouri Attorney at Law

Chris, a 5th generation attorney, was born in Columbia and raised in St. Joseph, Missouri. After graduating from St. Joseph Central High School in 1988, Chris attended the University of Missouri on academic scholarship. He graduated magna cum laude from the MU College of Business in 1992 with majors in Finance and Real Estate. After graduation, Chris continued his studies at the University of Missouri School of Law, where he earned his J.D. in May, 1995.

Chris has spent most of his professional career in Kansas City. After working as a law clerk at the Missouri Court of Appeals, Chris joined his father’s law firm. His practice primarily involved representing small to medium-sized businesses in various business transactions, estate planning, and health care regulatory law. In 2002, the firm merged with a large Kansas City based firm, Shughart, Thomson & Kilroy (now called Polsinelli Shughart), where Chris expanded his business practice to include commercial finance and securities law.

Chris, his wife, Amy, and their two young daughters moved back to Columbia in August, 2007. Amy, also a Mizzou graduate, spent several years working in the Liberty School District as both a teacher and an elementary school principal.  She has now assumed the role of Principal at Parkade Elementary School.  Chris enjoys camping, kayaking, biking, and other outdoor activities, and of course, Mizzou football.  He is also a youth soccer coach with the Columbia Soccer Club.

JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS: Worked under the Honorable Victor C. Howard of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District of Missouri.

MEMBERSHIP & ACHIEVEMENTS: The Missouri Bar; Boone County Bar Association; Mid Missouri Estate Planning Council; The Rotary Club of Columbia, MO; Youth Empowerment Zone (Treasurer and Board member); and the Columbia Networking Club.  Chris is also an Eagle Scout and a graduate of the Columbia Police Department’s Citizen’s Academy.

PRACTICE AREAS:

• New business startup, including choice of entity and formation
• Sales and purchases of existing businesses (mergers and acquisitions)
• Business succession planning and implementation
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts
• Estate planning (wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, health care directives)
• Probate administration