Chris Johnson is a partner at Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel in the firm’s Dallas office. Chris represents plaintiffs involved in wildfire, toxic tort, sexual abuse, and complex civil matters. He focuses on helping victims who have been catastrophically injured by dangerous products and toxic substances, including survivors of wildfires in Hawaii and California and people dealing with mesothelioma resulting from asbestos exposure. Chris earned his bachelor’s degree, with honors, from the University of Texas at Austin. He was awarded his Juris Doctor degree from Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law. Chris served as the editor of the SMU International Law Review and was a Dean’s Scholar throughout law school. After law school, Chris was named Prosecutor of the Year in the Misdemeanor Division for the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. He has taught as an affiliate professor at the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law, where he also contributed his time mentoring first-year law students through the school’s Bedford Mentor program. Chris formerly served on the Board of Management for the T. Boone Pickens YMCA. He is a member and Governor of the American Association for Justice and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the AAJ Minority Caucus. Chris is also a member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Dallas Asian American Bar Association, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, and the Dallas Bar Association, and is a Board Member and Fellow of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. For the past six years, Chris has been selected for recognition on the Super Lawyers Texas Rising Stars lists, published by Thomson Reuters. He is an AV® Preeminent™ ranked lawyer with a peer review rating of 5.0 out of 5.0, ranking and peer review surveys are conducted by Martindale-Hubbell. Chris is licensed to practice law by the State Bars of Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Hawaii.
Areas of Practice
- Asbestos Litigation
- Personal Injury
- Product Liability
- Sexual Abuse
- Toxic Tort
- Wildfire Litigation
Bar Admissions
- California, 2025
- Hawaii, 2021
- Oregon, 2019
- Texas, 2009
- Washington, 2020
- U.S. District Court, Hawaii, 2020
- U.S. District Court, District of Oregon, 2024
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, 2022
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, 2020
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, 2012
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, 2023
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 2020
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2018
Education
- Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law, Dallas, Texas, J.D., 2009
- University of Texas at Austin, B.A., with honors, 2006
Pro Bono & Community Service
- Board of Management for the T. Boone Pickens YMCA, 2015-2018
- Bedford Mentor, University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law, Dallas, Texas 2015
Highlights
Professional Associations & Memberships
- American Association for Justice
- Minority Caucus, Board of Governors Representative, 2021-2022
- Committee Chair, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Minority Caucus, 2020-21
- Member, Voter Protection Committee, 2021-2027
- Member, National Finance Council, 2025-2026
- Member, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Committee, 2022-2026
- Dallas Asian American Bar Association
- Connections Committee member, 2015
- Dallas Association of Young Trial Lawyers
- Dallas Bar Association
- Hawaii Association for Justice
Publications & Speeches
- Presenter, Storytelling in Trial, AAJ Winter Convention, Scottsdale, Arizona (February 2023)
- Presenter, A Key to Success: Focus Groups, AAJ Winter Convention, Miami, FL (February 2025)
- Presenter, A Key to Success: Focus Groups, WTLA Ski Seminar, February 2025)
- Presenter, Dallas County District Attorney’s Office Law Symposium, 2014
Other Appointments
- Affiliate Professor, University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law, Dallas, Texas 2016
Honors & Awards
- American Association for Justice, Leadership Academy Graduate, 2018
- AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5.0, Martindale-Hubbell Featured Peer Review Rated Lawyer
- Selected for recognition on the Super Lawyers Texas Rising Stars list, published by Thomson Reuters, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Member, Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, 2025
- Prosecutor of the Year (Misdemeanor Division), Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, 2013
- SMU International Law Review Association, SMU, Dedman School of Law, 2008-2009
- Dean’s Scholarship Recipient, SMU, Dedman School of Law, 2006-2009
- Phi Theta Kappa, 2002-2004
