Rising Star Christopher Wolcott Esq.

Taft Law

Chris Wolcott has the calm confidence you want in a litigator—calm honed over years of distance running and confidence developed from patience, experience, and determination. The University of Kansas School of Law graduate has been an associate at Taft’s Dayton office for a little over three years. He has made the most of that time, building his skillset, integrating himself into the DBA and Federal Bar Association (FBA), and serving the community as a volunteer assistant coach for Waynesville’s cross country and track teams. Chris’s return as a lawyer to the area where he was raised has been a triumphant one, and his personal and professional engagement in the Dayton community has marked him as a Rising Star.

Born in Kansas City, Chris grew up in Oakwood from first grade through high school, where he ran track and cross country. He continued running in college, first at Clemson then at Tiffin University, where he graduated with a B.A. in Political Science. Running has proven integral to Chris’s life: he met his wife, Becky, on Tiffin’s track and cross country team, and both now serve together as assistant coaches in Waynesville. Both also recently received Tiffin’s “Carry the Torch” award, which is granted to alumni of TU’s track and cross country teams who have distinguished themselves professionally and as community leaders. Not only does “Coach” Chris still make time to run himself, but he also makes a point to show up for his team even at their non-running sports, regularly attending Waynesville girls soccer games to support several of his runners who are dual-sport athletes.

After graduating from Tiffin, Chris decided to return to his homeland and matriculated to the University of Kansas School of Law on a full scholarship. KU is the “family school” for Chris—with multiple generations having attended over the years. When he attended, Chris found it was a really good fit for him as well (it didn’t hurt that he is a lifelong Jayhawks fan). Chris thrived in the environment fostered by the law school’s decision to intentionally limit class sizes, which resulted in its having all the resources of a bigger school with the intimacy of a smaller one. He became a fixture in the campus community, serving in student government and on both the Kansas Law Review (as a contributing author and Symposium Editor) and Moot Court Council. A loyal alumnus, he still makes it back to Lawrence as often as he can, including recently to serve as a moot court judge—and maybe to watch a game or catch up with friends and professors as well.

Following law school, Chris worked for a mid-sized civil litigation firm in the Kansas City area for a year before serving as a judicial law clerk for then-Kansas Court of Appeals Judge—now Kansas Supreme Court Justice—Melissa T. Standridge. These experiences were formative to his identity as a professional and led to his decision to join Taft and return to Dayton. He started in his current role in August 2020, in the midst of the global pandemic. Using the skills he developed during his clerkship, Chris slotted right in. As one of two litigation associates at Taft’s Dayton office, he is responsible for any cases that come through the door. That runs the gamut from labor and employment to breach of contract to construction to intra-corporate battles. The diversity of work has kept things interested and made Chris a more versatile litigator.

But Chris doesn’t just confine his practice to billable hours. He has developed a robust pro bono practice in the federal courts. This has led to unique experiences at an early stage in his career, including serving as co-lead counsel on a federal jury trial. Chris has been recognized by his firm, the federal courts, and the FBA for his pro bono work.

When not in the office, on the track, or with his wife and young daughter (Sloane), Chris is most likely to be found engaged in the work of any number of professional associations. He serves on the Editorial

Board for Bar Briefs, is a co-chair of the DBA’s Federal Practice Section, and was a member of the DBA’s Leadership Development Class of 2021-22. He is also heavily involved in the FBA, both locally and nationally, previously serving as the vice-chair of the Dayton chapter’s Young Lawyers Division and presently serving as both the Dayton chapter’s treasurer and as a member of the Young Lawyers Division National Board. Chris was also a member of—and the sole attorney selected to participate in—the Dayton Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Gen D Ignite program. The program assists early career professionals in attaining professional advancement, personal growth, and deeper involvement in the community. Not only did he grow his network and form friendships with other young professionals in the community, but this experience directly led to him giving a talk at the Chamber’s Safety Breakfast this past July.

Chris’s drive is unquestioned, and his dedication— to his family, the law, his firm, his clients, his bar associations, his alma maters, his cross country and track teams, and to Dayton—is exemplary. With his passion and commitment, and the strong foundation he has built for himself, it is clear his star will continue to rise. Watch this space.

By Nathaniel M. Fouch Esq. Chair, Editorial Board Supreme Court of Ohio nathaniel.fouch@sc.ohio.gov