Chris was born in New Bern, N.C., on September 15, 1970. Chris graduated from Davidson College in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish. He attended the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University and received his law degree in 1996. Chris received his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in taxation from the Villanova University School of Law in 1997.
Chris is licensed to practice before all North Carolina State Courts, as well as the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Although currently on inactive status due to the location of his practice in North Carolina, Chris is also licensed to practice in the state of Georgia. He is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Eighth Judicial District Bar Association and the Georgia State Bar.
Chris's practice is concentrated in the areas of tax, qualified retirement plans, estate planning, estate administration, business planning, corporations and limited liability companies. He was awarded the Certified Pension Consultant (CPC) credential through the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA) in November of 2008. Chris was selected to North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2009.
Chris was a featured speaker at the 2010 Trust Advisors forum in Pinehurst, NC. The forum is held annually and sponsored by the Trust Education Foundation, Inc. of Campbell University.
Away from his practice, Chris enjoys playing and coaching soccer and long-distance running. He has the law firm’s best coin collection.
Recent cases/transactions of note:
• Assisted beneficiary of estate in petitioning Clerk of Court for hearing to remove executor for default and misconduct.
• Assisted executor of estate in preparing and filing Form 706 United States Estate Tax Return and Form A-101 North Carolina Estate Tax Return.
• Assisted medical practice in setting up safe harbor §401(k) plan and maintaining plan in document compliance, including amendment of plan's allocation formula for cross-testing.
• Assisted medical practice in termination of retirement plan including submission of Form 5310 Application for Determination Upon Termination of Plan to Internal Revenue Service.
• Assisted medical practice with revision of stock purchase and redemption agreement and shareholder-physician employment agreements.
• Assisted numerous clients with the drafting of wills (including estate tax planning), durable powers of attorney (including gifting powers), health care powers of attorney and living wills.
