Chris has comprehensive transactional law experience, particularly in insurance industry matters, private equity investments, and numerous mergers and acquisitions.

Overview
Representative Matters
Insights
Awards

Chris brings extensive experience in corporate and transactional law, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, insurance regulatory matters, private equity investments, business strategies, financing, and corporate governance. He serves as outside general counsel for various clients, providing strategic advice on acquisitions and expansion efforts, corporate structures and oversight, divestitures, executive employment matters, regulatory compliance, and governmental relations. Chris has a notable background in the insurance industry, having served as executive vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.

Chris represents a diverse range of clients, including public and private insurance companies, title companies, agents and brokers, managing agents, entrepreneurs, regulated industry holding companies, private investors, and private equity firms. He assists clients in navigating complex acquisitions, capital raises, dispositions, investments, and financing arrangements.

Public National Title Company

  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of multiple appraisal services companies (2020).
  • Advised the purchaser in acquisition of a remote online notary services company (2020).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a title and public records services company (2021).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a real estate data and analytics services company (2021).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of multiple U.S. title companies (2021).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a mortgage lending digital origination and loan processing services business (2021).
  • Advised the purchaser in the cross-border acquisition of a business process outsourcing services business (2022).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a real estate services software business (2022).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a reverse mortgage specialist title company (2022).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a bulk transaction specialist title and settlement services company (2022).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of borrower analytics technology assets (2023).
  • Advised the investor in a preferred share investment in a bank holding company (2024).

Private Insurance Industry Services Company

  • Advised a multinational business process outsourcing services company in a recapitalization and rollover transaction with a private equity sponsor (2022).

Private Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a private surety company (2018).
  • Advised the issuer in a capital raise effected through a private offering of subordinated debt securities (2019).
  • Advised the issuer in a capital raise effected through a private offering of preferred securities (2020).

Wholesale Insurance Agency

  • Advised the seller in the disposition of a Texas managing general agency to a national platform purchaser (2019).
  • Advised a wholesale agency in a credit facility negotiation (2014-19).
  • Advised strategic investors in the acquisition of interests in a Texas agency (2019).

Public Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised the seller in the disposition of multiple North American business units (2018-19).
  • Advised the seller in the disposition of a property and casualty shell company (2023).

Mutual Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of an Alaska-domiciled workers’ compensation and liability insurer (2019).

Wholesale Insurance Agency

  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a California and Texas retail broker (2018).
  • Advised the seller in a prospective auction process disposition of an operating unit (2021).
  • Advised a wholesale agency in a credit facility negotiation (2023).
  • Advised a wholesale agency in the formation and multistate licensure of domestic surplus lines insurance company (2023-24).

Insurance Agency and Wholesale Insurance Agencies

  • Advised multiple local or regional platform agencies or managing general agency sellers in the disposition of Texas insurance agency assets and book of business to national platform purchasers (2016, 2018, and 2019).

Private Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised the purchaser in a competitive bid for life insurance and annuity assets and company (2017).
  • Advised a life-holding company borrower in a credit facility negotiation (2018).

Public Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised a joint venture partner in a prospective disposition of interest in a property and casualty insurance holding company (2024).

Private Reinsurance Holding Company

  • Advised a reinsurer in an investment in a wholesale agency holding company (2024).

Private Surety Holding Company

  • Advised a borrower in the negotiation of a revolving credit facility (2016).
  • Advised a Texas surety company in a merger with a public insurance holding company (2017).

Private Construction Company

  • Advised client in the re-domestication of an offshore captive insurance company to Texas (2021).

Private Funeral Services Holding Company

  • Advised a borrower in the negotiation of a credit facility (2007-Present).
  • Advised a holding company in numerous multistate acquisitions and dispositions of operating properties (2007-Present).
  • Chambers USA: Texas, Insurance: Regulatory (2025)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Insurance Law (2020-2026)

Chris brings extensive experience in corporate and transactional law, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, insurance regulatory matters, private equity investments, business strategies, financing, and corporate governance. He serves as outside general counsel for various clients, providing strategic advice on acquisitions and expansion efforts, corporate structures and oversight, divestitures, executive employment matters, regulatory compliance, and governmental relations. Chris has a notable background in the insurance industry, having served as executive vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.

Chris represents a diverse range of clients, including public and private insurance companies, title companies, agents and brokers, managing agents, entrepreneurs, regulated industry holding companies, private investors, and private equity firms. He assists clients in navigating complex acquisitions, capital raises, dispositions, investments, and financing arrangements.

Public National Title Company

  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of multiple appraisal services companies (2020).
  • Advised the purchaser in acquisition of a remote online notary services company (2020).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a title and public records services company (2021).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a real estate data and analytics services company (2021).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of multiple U.S. title companies (2021).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a mortgage lending digital origination and loan processing services business (2021).
  • Advised the purchaser in the cross-border acquisition of a business process outsourcing services business (2022).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a real estate services software business (2022).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a reverse mortgage specialist title company (2022).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a bulk transaction specialist title and settlement services company (2022).
  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of borrower analytics technology assets (2023).
  • Advised the investor in a preferred share investment in a bank holding company (2024).

Private Insurance Industry Services Company

  • Advised a multinational business process outsourcing services company in a recapitalization and rollover transaction with a private equity sponsor (2022).

Private Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a private surety company (2018).
  • Advised the issuer in a capital raise effected through a private offering of subordinated debt securities (2019).
  • Advised the issuer in a capital raise effected through a private offering of preferred securities (2020).

Wholesale Insurance Agency

  • Advised the seller in the disposition of a Texas managing general agency to a national platform purchaser (2019).
  • Advised a wholesale agency in a credit facility negotiation (2014-19).
  • Advised strategic investors in the acquisition of interests in a Texas agency (2019).

Public Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised the seller in the disposition of multiple North American business units (2018-19).
  • Advised the seller in the disposition of a property and casualty shell company (2023).

Mutual Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of an Alaska-domiciled workers’ compensation and liability insurer (2019).

Wholesale Insurance Agency

  • Advised the purchaser in the acquisition of a California and Texas retail broker (2018).
  • Advised the seller in a prospective auction process disposition of an operating unit (2021).
  • Advised a wholesale agency in a credit facility negotiation (2023).
  • Advised a wholesale agency in the formation and multistate licensure of domestic surplus lines insurance company (2023-24).

Insurance Agency and Wholesale Insurance Agencies

  • Advised multiple local or regional platform agencies or managing general agency sellers in the disposition of Texas insurance agency assets and book of business to national platform purchasers (2016, 2018, and 2019).

Private Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised the purchaser in a competitive bid for life insurance and annuity assets and company (2017).
  • Advised a life-holding company borrower in a credit facility negotiation (2018).

Public Insurance Holding Company

  • Advised a joint venture partner in a prospective disposition of interest in a property and casualty insurance holding company (2024).

Private Reinsurance Holding Company

  • Advised a reinsurer in an investment in a wholesale agency holding company (2024).

Private Surety Holding Company

  • Advised a borrower in the negotiation of a revolving credit facility (2016).
  • Advised a Texas surety company in a merger with a public insurance holding company (2017).

Private Construction Company

  • Advised client in the re-domestication of an offshore captive insurance company to Texas (2021).

Private Funeral Services Holding Company

  • Advised a borrower in the negotiation of a credit facility (2007-Present).
  • Advised a holding company in numerous multistate acquisitions and dispositions of operating properties (2007-Present).
  • Chambers USA: Texas, Insurance: Regulatory (2025)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Insurance Law (2020-2026)
  • Member, Houston Bar Association
  • Member, Insurance Council of Texas
  • Member, Texas Association of Life and Health Insurers
  • Member, Texas Captive Insurance Association
  • Member, Baylor Alumni Association
  • Life Member, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
  • Executive VP, general counsel, corporate secretary, HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.

Education

  • Baylor University School of Law, J.D., member, Baylor Law Review
  • Baylor University, B.A.

Bar Admissions

  • Texas
  • Author, “Texas Supreme Court Reverses Stop Loss Insurance Categorization Premium Tax Ruling,” Locke Lord, June 28, 2022.
  • Author, “Texas Adopts Amendments to Surplus Lines Stamping Office Plan of Operation with Enhanced Department of Insurance Oversight,” Locke Lord, July 7, 2020.
  • Author, “TDI Encourages Midterm Commercial Policy Audits in Response to COVID-19,” Locke Lord, April 16, 2020.
  • Author, “Texas Governor Adopts Executive Order Exempting Insurance Industry Business Travel from Quarantine Restrictions,” Locke Lord, April 2, 2020.
  • Author, “Texas Department of Insurance Posts Extension Schedule for Insurer Financial Filings,” Locke Lord, March 25, 2020.