“I realized that litigation was my path and enjoy the similarities that it has to winning sports competitions in that both require a true team effort to accomplish the desired goal. Helping clients achieve successful outcomes certainly fuels the fire in me.”
– Chris Hanslik, Firm Chairman
From forward passes on the football field to litigating cases in the courtroom, Chris Hanslik has always been competitive.
Perhaps it was a competitive streak that guided his focus on becoming a litigator after entering law school armed with a business degree and plans to be a transactional lawyer. He competed successfully in moot court competitions and won the American Bar Association’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition for South Texas College of Law Houston and was named the Nation’s top advocate.
“I realized that litigation was my path and enjoy the similarities that it has to winning sports competitions in that both require a true team effort to accomplish the desired goal. Helping clients achieve successful outcomes certainly fuels the fire in me,” said Chris.
Inspired by an uncle who was a “small-town lawyer” helping people solve their business and personal challenges, Chris was impressed by the positive impact an attorney could have on the community. He extends his client advocacy to a passion for giving back.
Chris has served on the Board of Directors of the Academy Sports & Outdoors Texas Bowl since 2012 and has held the post of Chairman. The bowl game generates an average of $50 million annually for the Houston economy.
“It is a way to combine my passion for football with community service. The Texas Bowl not only has a strong economic impact on the city, it also benefits the DePelchin Children’s Center, which is Houston’s oldest children’s charity,” said Chris. “The Bowl has provided more than $1.2 million in financial support to DePelchin. It’s making a big difference.”
He has also been involved with SEARCH Homeless Services since 2010 and has been serving on the Board of Directors for the past three years and will become Chairman on July 1 this year.
Chris and Catherine, his wife of almost 19 years, enjoy an active lifestyle. This January, they competed together for the first time in the Houston half marathon.
“Catherine has completed multiple marathons but this was a first for me,” said Chris. “I’ll do it again because it is such a sense of accomplishment to finish.”
“Catherine also volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House and together we are teaching our daughters the value of giving back to the community as a family,” Chris added.
Their two daughters keep the family busy. Hayden, 15, is a Varsity Cheerleader at Episcopal High School as well as a competitive dancer, and Hollyn, 11, plays soccer for Rise SC. Family vacations usually involve time on a beach in Florida or Mexico to relax and recharge or snow skiing in Utah.
“We think it is important to appreciate our time together and to recognize how fortunate we are for our many blessings,” said Chris.
