Christopher Gilreath
Phone: (901) 527-0511
Toll Free: (800) 637-7024
Fax: (901) 527-0514
Advocating for Individual Rights & Justice
Chris Gilreath believes that the practice of law is very personal.
When a client comes to talk to him about a problem, it is often because they have suffered a devastating human loss. Chris believes first and foremost that the law should work to protect human life and personal freedoms.
His experience as a leader and lawyer reflects his commitment to preserving the rights of people in the face of attacks by greedy corporations and insurance companies, who would give away the rights of people to increase their profits.
His training began long before attending law school.
As the son of the founder, Sidney Gilreath, Chris grew up working at the firm, witnessing firsthand how juries of ordinary citizens held wrongdoers accountable.
At the age of fifteen, Chris began assisting attorneys and clients with their cases at Gilreath & Associates.
This early experience helped instill in Chris a strong sense of right and wrong and a strong appreciation for how our system of civil justice works.
Training and Leadership in the Local Community
Chris' leadership has been evident in his actions.
In college, Chris was honored with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, given to one senior man and one senior woman at Rhodes College who exemplify leaders who give back to their community and leave making the college a better place.
While attending Cumberland School of Law, Chris was selected to serve on the Cumberland Honor Court, a judicial body instilled with the responsibility of prosecuting hearings for law students who have violated the school's honor code, the primary means by which discipline was administered.
His leadership continued after graduation.
Before attending law school, Chris went to work in Washington, D.C. on the U. S. Senate Budget Committee. Then, Chris worked for Congressman Jim Cooper, representing the 4th Congressional District for Tennessee.
After returning home, Chris quickly began working within the legal community to protect the civil justice system from attack.
In 2000, Chris was elected to the Board of Governors of the Tennessee Association for Justice, a position he has held ever since.
Likewise, Chris has worked to ensure that new classes of lawyers starting their careers do so with an appreciation of the fundamental fairness provided by our system of trial by jury.
From 2003 to 2006, Chris served as an officer of the New Lawyers Division of the American Association of Justice, serving as Chairperson in 2005.
From that position, Chris directed projects and programs on a national level, designed to train young lawyers how to work in the public interest and preserve equal justice under law, receiving the NLD's Soaring Eagle Award in 2006. Chris then served on the Board for the American Association for Justice until 2008, including one year on the Executive Committee.
At home, Chris was also appointed to serve on the Knox County Election Commission by Governor Phil Bredesen, the local body in charge of administering and certifying elections.
These experiences have provided Chris with a multitude of opportunities to demonstrate in positive ways how attorneys working to preserve rights can have a positive impact on their community.
Seeing the story that people would bring into my father's law firm and how they were having a hard time, I really felt for them. And I wanted to pursue a career that would allow me to use my skill set and creativity to actually speak for them and tell their stories in ways that they couldn't.
Raising Two Sons Is a Joy and a Blessing
Chris' understanding of the issues raised by seriously injured clients is reflected in the fact that family is a strong priority.
As a devoted father to his two sons, Andrew and Samuel, Chris has worked to balance devoting time to clients, and raising a family.
Chris supplements his time with family by travelling.
"Seeing other places gives me a chance to appreciate life through the eyes of others, many of whom are very different. Doing so teaches me lessons in how to relate to people of divergent backgrounds, which is crucial when presenting a client's case to a jury."
Chris adds to this by focusing his interest in cooking.
Understanding where food from a certain culture comes from, and how that food came to be, helps Chris appreciate the history and customs of the many cultures that make up America, points that are not lost as teaching moments with his boys.
"I want my sons to know that there are many people that make up this great country of ours, and that many are different from us. Appreciating others for the good they have to contribute to society is an important attribute of being part of a community. I can do my part to make sure my sons understand that everyone has something of value to contribute."
Presently, Chris lives in midtown Memphis, Tennessee. He attends Idlewild Presbyterian Church regularly, and gives of his time freely to his family and others.
Birth, Education, & Experience
Born: Knoxville, Tennessee, 1971
Education: Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee, B. A. Political Science, 1994; Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, Birmingham, AL, Doctor of Jurisprudence, 1997
Licenses and Admissions: Tennessee, 1997; District of Columbia, 1998; Arkansas, 2009; U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee; U. S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee; U. S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee; U. S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; United States Supreme Court
Reported Decisions: Knowles, et al. v. State of Tennessee, 49 S.W. 3d 330 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001), cert. den.
Other Associations: Barrister, Hamilton Burnett Chapter, American Inns of Court; Phi Delta Phi, Robinson Inn; Memphis Bar Association; Boy Scouts of America; Kappa Sigma Fraternity Habitat for Humanity
