University of Michigan Law School,
J.D., magna cum laude, 1992
Order of the Coif
Contributing Editor, Michigan Law Review
Georgetown University,
A.B., magna cum laude, 1990
Phi Beta Kappa
Illinois
Missouri
American Bar Association
The Missouri Bar
The Illinois Bar
The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Advantage Capital Partners
Ascension Ventures
BioGenerator
Capital Innovators
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company
Euphrates Vascular
Hermann Capital
Hoverfly Technologies
Hungry Planet
Kultevat
Lindbergh Technology Fund
Mobius Therapeutics
PierianDx
Pluton Biosciences
Prolog Ventures
Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®, 2011-2025 (by BL Rankings)
Selected for inclusion in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers, 2010-2017 (by Thomson Reuters)
Named Lawyer of the Year for Venture Capital Law in St. Louis by "Best Lawyers®", 2014, 2022 (by BL Rankings)
Thompson Coburn LLP
Partner, 2001-Present
Associate, 1993-2000
FamilyForward
Current Governance Board President
Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
Member of the Board of Directors, 2001-2007
Catholic Charities Refugee Services
Mentor, Refugee Employment Mentoring Program
USA Junior Olympic Volleyball
CAP II Accredited Volleyball Coach
Chris is a valued strategic partner to emerging companies and the institutions and individuals that invest in them. He serves as primary counsel to entrepreneurs and venture capital funds, including extensive work in the technology and life sciences sectors.
Chris provides reliable guidance at each stage of investment, and has led financings ranging from small seed equity rounds to equity financings in excess of $50 million.
Drawing on his significant corporate and securities experience, Chris works closely with entrepreneurs to come up with practical solutions to their key legal problems: Structuring financing rounds, hiring, incentivizing and managing employees, and building strong relationships with directors, customers, vendors and other key stakeholders. He also frequently counsels executives on issues outside the legal realm, including financing strategies, supplier and customer management, and stockholder relationships. As one client remarked to the St. Louis Business Journal, "Chris operates like an entrepreneur. He's creative, sharp and responsive."
In his investor-side work, Chris represents institutional and angel investors looking to invest in companies across the country. He has advised investors on a wide variety of financings, from traditional preferred equity financing rounds to convertible note financings and SAFEs, and everything in between.
Having worked through a number of business cycles, particularly in the start-up and venture world, Chris has experience guiding clients through all types of fundraising environments. He looks for win-win solutions and leads transactions in a calm, constructive manner that reduces friction and results in highly efficient deals.
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