Chris Nickelson - Fort Worth, TX

Awards and Honors

Super Lawyers® Selectees

About Awards

Martindale Peer Awards

Martindale Peer Awards

Martindale Peer awards recognize the legal ability and ethical standards of an attorney as affirmed by their peers. The awards require a minimum threshold of qualifying Martindale-Hubbell reviews from fellow attorneys.

• 

  AV Preeminent®: This elite award is granted to attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for their very high ethical standards, with an average peer review score of 4.5 or higher.

• 

  Distinguished: This award is granted to attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for very high ethical standards, with an average peer review score of 3.0 to 4.4.

• 

  Notable: This award is granted to attorneys who have been reviewed by their peers, with an average peer review score below 3.0.

Client Champion Awards

Client Champion Awards

Client Champion awards recognize those attorneys who excel at service as affirmed by their clients. The awards, based on the quantity and quality of an attorney’s Martindale-Hubbell client reviews, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to delivering excellent client service.

• 

  Platinum: This award is granted to attorneys who have received at least 10 client reviews, and have an average review score of 4.5 or higher.

• 

  Gold: This award is granted to attorneys who have received at least 6 client reviews, and have an average review score of 4.2 or higher.

• 

  Silver: This award is granted to attorneys who have received at least 3 client reviews, and have an average review score of 4.0 or higher.

Avvo Awards

Avvo Awards

• 

  Avvo Top Contributor: This award is granted to attorneys who have significantly contributed to Avvo.com by answering questions in the Q&A forum, publishing legal guides, or other meaningful contributions to the Avvo community.

• 

  Avvo Client’s Choice: This award is granted to attorneys with at least 5 reviews with 4+ stars in a given year on Avvo.com.

Super Lawyers® Selections

Super Lawyers® Selections

• 

  Super Lawyers® is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The top 5% of lawyers in each state are selected using a patented selection process that includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.

Martindale Peer Awards Client Champion Awards Avvo Awards Super Lawyers® Selections

Martindale Peer Awards

Martindale Peer awards recognize the legal ability and ethical standards of an attorney as affirmed by their peers. The awards require a minimum threshold of qualifying Martindale-Hubbell reviews from fellow attorneys.

• 

  AV Preeminent®: This elite award is granted to attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for their very high ethical standards, with an average peer review score of 4.5 or higher.

• 

  Distinguished: This award is granted to attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for very high ethical standards, with an average peer review score of 3.0 to 4.4.

• 

  Notable: This award is granted to attorneys who have been reviewed by their peers, with an average peer review score below 3.0.

Client Champion Awards

Client Champion awards recognize those attorneys who excel at service as affirmed by their clients. The awards, based on the quantity and quality of an attorney’s Martindale-Hubbell client reviews, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to delivering excellent client service.

• 

  Platinum: This award is granted to attorneys who have received at least 10 client reviews, and have an average review score of 4.5 or higher.

• 

  Gold: This award is granted to attorneys who have received at least 6 client reviews, and have an average review score of 4.2 or higher.

• 

  Silver: This award is granted to attorneys who have received at least 3 client reviews, and have an average review score of 4.0 or higher.

Avvo Awards

• 

  Avvo Top Contributor: This award is granted to attorneys who have significantly contributed to Avvo.com by answering questions in the Q&A forum, publishing legal guides, or other meaningful contributions to the Avvo community.

• 

  Avvo Client’s Choice: This award is granted to attorneys with at least 5 reviews with 4+ stars in a given year on Avvo.com.

Super Lawyers® Selections

• 

  Super Lawyers® is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The top 5% of lawyers in each state are selected using a patented selection process that includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.

Chris Nickelson included in a Super Lawyers® list

Education

• Legal Education

  • Texas Tech University School of Law, Lubbock, Texas, 1999
    J.D.

• Non Legal Education

  • The University of Texas at Austin, 1996
    B.A.

Current Employment Position(s)

• Law Office Of Gary L. Nickelson, since 2008

Past Positions

• Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, L.L.P., Partner, 2005 - 2007
• Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, L.L.P., Associate, 2001 - 2004
• Eighth District Court of Appeals in El Paso, Texas (Justice David Chew), Staff Attorney, 2000
• Eighth District Court of Appeals in El Paso, Texas (Justice Ann McClure), Law Clerk, 1999 - 2000

Classes and Seminars

• Post-Trial Drafting Issues, Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Advanced Drafting Course, Dallas, Texas, 2011
  
• Trying a Case with Appeal in Mind, Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, Texas, 2011
  
• Running a Law Office for Fun And Profit, Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Soaking Up Some CLE Seminar, South Padre, Texas, 2011
  
• The Basics: Procedural Concerns, Author and Presenter, Parent-Child Relationships Seminar, UT CLE, Houston, Texas, 2011
  
• Appellate CYA, Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course, Austin, Texas, 2011
  
• Strategies for Proving Best Interest, Author and Co-Presenter, Parent-Child Relationships Seminar, UT CLE, Houston, Texas, 2011
  
• Using Summary Judgment Procedure in Family Law Cases, Co-Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Drafting Course, Houston, Texas, 2010
  
• Appellate Practice From Every Angle, Co-Author and Co-Presenter, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2010
  
• Proving Separate Property: An Argument for More Use of Summary Judgment Practice in Family Law Cases, Co-Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2010
  
• Preservation of Error (Including Making and Meeting Objections), Co-Author and Presenter, Trial of Breach of Fiduciary Duty Litigation Cases, Fredericksburg, Texas, 2009
  
• Equitable Remedies: Getting Out of Traps, Messes, and Other Problems to which You or Your Client May Have Unintentionally Agreed, Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2009
  
• Course Director for the 2009 Boot Camp prior to the State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course
  
• Appealing Your Family Law Case, Author and Presenter, 23rd Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, 2009
  
• Family Law Essentials, Moderator, San Angelo, Texas, 2008
  
• "When Reasonable Minds Cannot Disagree: Summary Judgment Practice in Texas", Moderator, Brown Bag Seminar, Tarrant County Bar Association, 2008
  
• Course Director of Family Law Essentials Seminar, San Angelo, Texas, 2008
  
• Brief Writing that Appeals to Your Audience, Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course, 2008
  
• "When Reasonable Minds Cannot Disagree: Summary, Judgment Practice in Texas," Course Director, Brown Bag Seminar for Tarrant County Bar Association, 2008
  
• Extraordinary Writs: When Ordinary Relief Just Won't Do, Co-Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course, El Paso, 2007
  
• Like Skeet and Sporting Clay: Direct and Collateral Attacks on Judgments, Co-Author and Presenter, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2005

Representative Cases

• In re C.F.M.
  • Citation: --- S.W.3d ----, 2012 WL 252127
  • Court: Tex.App.-Dallas
  • Year: 2012
• In re McCray
  • Citation: 324 S.W.3d 685
  • Court: Tex.App.-Dallas, orig. proceeding
  • Year: 2010
• Johnson v. State Farm Lloyds
  • Citation: 290 S.W.3d 886
  • Court: Tex.
  • Year: 2009
• Johnson v. State Farm Lloyds
  • Citation: 204 S.W.3d 897, aff'd, 290 S.W.3d 886 (Tex. 2009)
  • Court: Tex.App.-Dallas
  • Year: 2006
• In re Vesta Ins. Group, Inc.
  • Citation: 192 S.W.3d 759
  • Court: Tex.
  • Year: 2006
• Etheredge v. Hidden Valley Airpark Ass'n
  • Citation: 169 S.W.3d 378
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth, pet. denied
  • Year: 2005
• Old American Cty. Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. Michael D. Renfrow, et al
  • Citation: 130 S.W.3d 70
  • Court: Tex.
  • Year: 2004
• Citizens Nat'l Bank v. Allen Rae Investments, Inc.
  • Citation: 142 S.W.3d 459
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth, no pet.
  • Year: 2004
• Loaiza v. Loaiza
  • Citation: 130 S.W.3d 894
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth, no pet.
  • Year: 2004
• Boyd v. Boyd
  • Citation: 131 S.W.3d 605
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth, no pet.
  • Year: 2004
• U.S. Restaurant Properties Operating L.P. v. Motel Enterp. Inc.
  • Citation: 104 S.W.3d 284
  • Court: Tex.App.-Beaumont, pet. denied
  • Year: 2003
• Old American Cty. Mut. Fire lns. Co. v. Michael D. Renfrow, et al
  • Citation: 90 S.W.3d 810, rev'd by,130 S.W.3d 70 (Tex.2004)
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth
  • Year: 2002
• In re McCray
  • Citation: 2011 WL 6152191
  • Court: Tex.App.-Dallas, orig. proceeding
  • Year: 2011
• In re Pemmaraju
  • Citation: 2011 WL 1601234
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth, orig. proceeding
  • Year: 2011
• Game Systems, Inc. v. Forbes Hutton Leasing, Inc.
  • Citation: 2011 WL 2119672
  • Court: Tex. App.-Fort Worth, no pet.
  • Year: 2011
• Betti v. Betti
  • Citation: 2010 WL 3788056
  • Court: Tex.App.-Dallas, no pet.
  • Year: 2010
• Holloway v. Land
  • Citation: 2010 WL 2555238
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth, no pet.
  • Year: 2010
• Barnard v. Western Strategic Advisors, LLC
  • Citation: 2008 WL 281549
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth, no pet.
  • Year: 2008
• In re Desa Heating, L.L.C.
  • Citation: 2006 WL 1713489
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth, orig. proceeding
  • Year: 2006
• In re Richardson
  • Citation: 2006 WL 1494638
  • Court: Tex.App.-Fort Worth, orig. proceeding
  • Year: 2006
• A-1 Systems, Inc. v. Seay
  • Citation: 2002 WL 32341843 at *3
  • Court: Tex. App.-Eastland, pet. denied
  • Year: 2002

Published Works

Articles

• Impacts at Trial: Saving Your Trial from Mistakes, Author, Annual Family Law on the Front Lines, UT CLE, San Antonio, Texas, July, 2010
  
• Finalizing the Deal: Rule 11 Agreements, Mediated Settlement Agreements, and Why Its So Important to Get Orders Timely Signed, Author, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course, San Antonio, Texas, 2010
  
• Professionalism, Co-Author, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, Texas, August, 2008
  
• Maintaining the Chain of Electronic Evidence and Spoliation of Electronic Evidence, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, Texas, August, 2008
  
• Appellate Advocacy: From the Judge's Perspective, Co-Author, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, Austin, 2005
  
• Preservation of Error for Discovery Issues, Co-Author, Brown Bag Seminar for Tarrant County Bar Association, Appellate Section, 2005
• Appellate Advocate - Substantive Court of Appeals Update, Co-Author, The Appellate Advocate, 2001-2005
• Relief is Just an Appeal Away: Drafting With Appeal, Author, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2003
• Puttin' on the Writs: Mandamus, Prohibition and Habeas Corpus, Author, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2002

Specialties and Certifications

• Board Certified, Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
• Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Other Affiliations

• Family Law Council, State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, 2010 - Present (Member)
• Tarrant County Bar Association (Member)
• Tarrant County Bar Association, Family Law Section (Member)
• Tarrant County Bar Association, Appellate Section (Member)
• Tarrant County Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2008 - 2009 (Director)
• Tarrant County Bar Association Appellate Section, 2008 - 2009 (Chair)
• Tarrant County Appellate Section, 2007 - 2008 (Vice-President)
• Tarrant County Appellate Section, 2006 - 2007 (Secretary)
• State Bar of Texas, Appellate Section (Member)
• State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section (Member)