Christopher Lawler founded The Lawler Firm, LLC in 2011, and has dedicated his law practice to representing people seriously injured and families who have lost loved ones in accidents due to personal or corporate negligence. Chris has successfully represented people and families involved in car accidents, 18-wheeler, tractor trailer and commercial truck accidents, victims of medical malpractice, defective products, insurance misrepresentation claims, civil rights violations, and wrongful death claims. Chris has experience litigating cases in both state and federal court and has tried several jury trials in the states of Missouri and Kansas. Chris received his bachelor's degree from Rockhurst College in 1998. He then attended law school at the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Law where he graduated in 2002. Following law school, Chris clerked for two state court judges, The Honorable C. William Kramer and The Honorable Jack Grate, in the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri. Following his clerkship, Chris began working at a small Kansas City civil litigation firm where he worked for seven years prior to starting The Lawler Firm in 2011. Working in a small firm, Chris got the opportunity to try jury trials very early in his career. He has a wealth of experience litigating and trying cases in both state and federal courts throughout the states of Missouri and Kansas where he has obtained several outstanding verdicts for his clients.
Chris has been recognized by his peers in the area of personal injury litigation. He has been recognized the Kansas City Business Journal as one of the 'Best of Bar' for the last seven years from 2009-2016. He was selected as one of the Kansas and Missouri's Super Lawyers by Law and Politics for the last seven years from 2009-2016, and from 2014-2016, Chris was also named as one of the Top 100 Missouri Lawyers and Top 50 Kansas City Lawyers in the area of personal injury litigation by Super Lawyers. From 2012-2015, Chris was also named as one of the 40 Under 40 in the state of Missouri by the National Trial Lawyers Association. In 2011, Chris was also nominated for the Lon O. Hocker Award, an award given annually by the Missouri Bar. It is only given to three young lawyers in the state of Missouri annually who have demonstrated unusual proficiency in the art of trial advocacy. In 2007, Chris attended the three week trial advocacy program at Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyers College, where only 50 people are accepted each year.
Chris is licensed in the state courts of Missouri and Kansas, and licensed to practice in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the United States District Court in the District of Kansas, and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Chris has experience handling cases at both the trial and appellate level in both state and federal court.
Chris is also a member of several professional organizations including the Missouri Bar Association, Kansas Bar Association, 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Bar Association, Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, American Bar Association, American Association of Justice, National Trial Lawyers Association and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. In 2012, Chris was the President of the Young Lawyers Section of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. He has held numerous board positions with the KCMBA and also chaired several committees. In 2013, Chris was appointed to serve on research committee for the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation. In 2006, he was awarded the KCMBA's President's Award for his outstanding service and dedication to the bar association. Chris has also spoken at seminars for the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association as well.
In his free time, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife and young children Aiden, Simon and Rory. He also enjoys fishing, golfing and coaching the Kansas City Jr. Blues High School rugby team while not spending time with his family. Chris has volunteered his time coaching the Jr. Blues for several years now where he teaches high school kids discipline, hard work and team work through the sport of rugby. In addition to coaching the Jr. Blues, Chris also volunteers at the Bishop Sullivan Legal Clinic providing pro bono legal services to individuals who need legal assistance but cannot afford it. He has also volunteered his time for other charitable organizations including Project 5 for ALS, the Child Protection Center, and the Adopt A Family Holiday Service Project.
