Christopher P. Porter

Founding Partner

About Me
I spent a significant part of my career sitting where many clients sit now – building businesses, managing people, evaluating risk, navigating disputes, trying to maintain margins, and making difficult decisions where there is rarely a perfect answer. Before I became a lawyer, I owned and operated businesses in the construction and real estate development fields. That experience shaped the way I practice law today because it taught me what business owners and executives actually desire from their attorneys: practical judgment, responsiveness, strategic thinking, and solutions that make business sense.

My experience as a business owner was what ultimately led me to law school. Upon graduation I joined a boutique law firm focused on disputes within the securities broker-dealer industry where I was fortunate enough to immediately begin representing both individual and institutional investors in claims against financial services firms ranging from small entities to some of the largest financial institutions in the world. I also represented registered representatives and financial professionals in employment and contractual disputes with many of those same large financial institutions. That experience gave me a deep understanding of high-stakes litigation, negotiation, regulatory risk, and the realities clients face when legal issues threaten operations, reputations, and the bottom line.

After years of practice, I made the decision to return to business ownership, spending additional years in construction and real estate development before eventually entering the mortgage industry. Over time,
I served in sales, management, and executive leadership roles, culminating in my role as General Counsel for one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing independent mortgage companies.

My path gave me something many lawyers never have the opportunity to acquire, which is the perspective that comes from spending a substantial portion of my career in the client’s shoes. I understand the pressures business leaders face because I have faced them myself. I understand that companies must continue operating while simultaneously managing litigation exposure, regulatory scrutiny, employment matters, contract disputes, and operational risk – all while striving to stay competitive, grow, scale, and maintain profitability. My goal is not simply to identify legal problems, but to help clients navigate those legal problems in a manner that protects the business while allowing it to stay on a desired trajectory toward its objectives.

As the son of an engineer, I learned at an early age that the world rewards people based upon the size and complexity of the problems they have the skill and resilience to solve. That lesson, and the mindset that developed from it, has driven my career from the very beginning. Rather than avoiding complexity, I have intentionally pursued opportunities that required detailed analysis, strategic thinking, and decisive action.

Whether the issue involves complex litigation strategy or proactively structuring agreements to avoid future litigation, I strive to provide clients with thoughtful, business-centered, efficient, and cost-effective solutions.

My Approach to Practice
My approach to the practice of law has been heavily influenced by my years spent as a client, so I understand that most clients are not looking for theoretical legal analysis detached from the operational realities of running a business. If they are anything like me, they are looking for legal counsel who understands the business implications of legal decisions, appreciates the practical realities of risk management, and can help them solve problems and move forward with confidence.

With extremely rare exception, business inherently involves risk. The real question is almost always how to intelligently evaluate, manage, and navigate that risk in a way that aligns with the client’s goals, priorities, and tolerance for that risk. That is where I believe effective legal counsel can provide the greatest value to the client.

Having worked extensively within both the securities and mortgage banking industries, arguably two of the most highly regulated industries in the world, I understand the intersections of business operations, compliance obligations, litigation exposure, and strategic decision-making. That understanding drives my belief that every client and every dispute both require and deserve a carefully tailored approach. Some matters might demand an aggressive litigation strategy, while others might call for negotiation, creative problem-solving, or practical business resolutions that preserve relationships and minimize disruption. My job is to complete the analysis, provide advice and counsel that presents the available options, and then execute based upon the client’s well-informed decisions.

I think clients appreciate that I approach matters from a perspective that makes their business the priority. I understand the importance of efficiency, responsiveness, and practical outcomes because those are the same qualities I valued when I retained attorneys as a business owner and most recently as a general counsel. Whether I am litigating a complex dispute, advising on regulatory exposure, or helping clients proactively structure contracts and operations to avoid future perils, my objective remains the same: to provide strategic and effective counsel and advocacy tailored to the client’s specific business needs, tolerance for risk, and long-term objectives – and help solve as many problems as I can along the way.

Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation
• Shareholder and Partnership Disputes
• Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement Defense
• General Contract Disputes
• Restrictive Covenant Enforcement
• Employment Disputes
• Real Estate Disputes
• Residential Construction Disputes
• Contract Negotiation, Drafting, and Review
• Employment Agreement Drafting and Review
• Entity Formation and Joint Ventures
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Mediation Services
• Case Analysis and Strategy Consulting

Education

• Texas Tech University
B.G.S., Environmental Science/Ecology, Summa Cum Laude, 1998
• University of Houston Law Center, J.D., 2006
- American Jurisprudence Award, Legal Research and Writing

Honors
Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2010

Bar Admissions
Licensed Attorney, State Bar of Texas

Prior results described on this website do not guarantee, warrant, or predict a similar outcome in any future matter. Each case turns on its own facts and applicable law.