Chris S. Edwards

Chris is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Appellate Practice and co-chair of the firm's Appellate Practice. He focuses exclusively on appellate litigation in both state and federal courts, with a particular emphasis on the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Clients and trial lawyers across the country turn to Chris when a case heads to a higher court—whether to protect a hard-won victory or challenge an adverse result. 

Chris brings valuable insight into the federal judicial decision-making process, shaped by his clerkships with both the Fourth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He has briefed and argued cases in the Fourth Circuit and other federal appellate courts, handling complex issues across constitutional law, administrative law, intellectual property, and more. 

In addition to representing parties on appeal, Chris is regularly engaged by advocacy organizations and trade groups for high-stakes amicus curiae work, helping shape the law beyond individual cases. His amicus practice reflects a deep understanding of how appellate courts consider broader legal principles and public policy concerns. 

Recognizing that successful appeals begin long before the notice is filed, Chris partners with trial counsel to preserve key issues, frame legal arguments for appeal, and develop winning appellate strategies. His procedural command—from jurisdictional challenges to emergency motions—ensures no detail is overlooked. 

Beyond his practice, Chris is active in the appellate bar. He serves on the North Carolina Bar Association’s Appellate Rules Committee and its Litigation Section Council, contributing to the ongoing development of appellate practice in North Carolina.

Education

• J.D., magna cum laude, Wake Forest University School of Law, 2014; Order of the Coif; Wake Forest Law Review
• B.A., magna cum laude, Wake Forest University, 2011

Reported Decisions

• Petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for certiorari on behalf of a North Carolina county in a Fair Labor Standards Act case, asking whether an employee paid overtime and minimum wage can still sue for unpaid straight-time wages and challenging the application of Skidmore deference. The petition was featured by SCOTUSBlog as a “Petition of the Week” for July 3, 2022.
• Filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting certiorari in a § 1983 action, arguing that limiting absolute prosecutorial immunity would chill the work of conviction review units and create inconsistent liability standards across circuits.
• As part of a Criminal Justice Act appointment, challenged a sentencing enhancement under the Armed Career Criminal Act in the Fourth Circuit, arguing that the defendant’s past offenses occurred on a single occasion and did not support the enhanced sentence.
• Successfully defended a North Carolina county in the Fourth Circuit, arguing that legislative changes rendered a local economic incentive agreement unenforceable under state law.
• Sought enforcement of a favorable FINRA arbitration award in the Fourth Circuit, representing a financial adviser wrongfully terminated without cause and resisting the opposing party’s motion to vacate the award.
• Briefed and argued a Federal Circuit appeal in a patent case on behalf of the patentee, contending that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board misinterpreted the technical disclosures related to a vehicle telematics system.
• Successfully argued that the Federal Circuit had jurisdiction to consider an appeal from the dismissal of a commercial dispute involving breach of contract and fiduciary duty claims arising from agreements governing the use and licensing of biomedical intellectual property despite the absence of a claim under the Patent Act on appeal.
• Challenged denial of class certification in the Ninth Circuit in a consumer fraud case involving “prescription” pet food, arguing that the district court misapplied California law on common exposure and likelihood of deception.
• Argued before the North Carolina Supreme Court that elderly plaintiffs could pursue an ordinary negligence claim—not just negligent hiring—against a home healthcare agency that knowingly returned a dishonest aide, resulting in a violent home invasion.
• Argued on behalf of a large American company in the North Carolina Supreme Court that a statutory cap in a tax credit statute limited only how much credit could be claimed—not how much could be generated—relying on text, structure, and legislative history.
• Defended the timeliness of a medical malpractice claim before the North Carolina Supreme Court, arguing that the continuing course of treatment doctrine delayed the accrual of the cause of action and that discovery was improperly denied when the motion to dismiss was converted to summary judgment.
• Opposed discretionary review and sought dismissal of a North Carolina Supreme Court appeal, arguing that the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine did not bar a local church’s property claims, which turned on neutral legal principles and procedural compliance.
• Authored an amicus brief in the North Carolina Supreme Court in support of liberal pleading standards, urging the Court to reaffirm North Carolina’s notice pleading doctrine and reject heightened element-by-element requirements at the Rule 12(b)(6) stage.
• Authored an amicus brief in the North Carolina Supreme Court on behalf of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, arguing that a credit union’s arbitration amendment was unenforceable due to illusory terms and lack of mutual consideration.

Honors and Distinctions*

• "40 Under 40," Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, 2024
• The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Best Lawyers^®, 2020-2025
• "Legal Elite," Business North Carolina, Appellate, 2023-2025
• "40 & Under List," Benchmark Litigation, 2022, 2023
• "Legal Elite," Young Guns, Business North Carolina, 2022
• Leadership Wilmington, Class of 2020
• Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout
• NC Attorney Pro Bono Honor Society Inductee, NC Pro Bono Resource Center, 2021, 2020
• North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Appellate Practice

 

Professional and Community Affiliations

• Federal Bar Association
• Fourth Circuit's Criminal Justice Act Appellate Panel
• North Carolina Bar Association—Appellate Section, CLE Committee Chair; Appellate Section, Pro Bono Committee Chair; Appellate Rules Committee; Antitrust and Complex Business Disputes, YLD Liaison
• North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program
• Member, North Carolina Supreme Court Historical Society

Related News

• Media Mention: Ward and Smith Prevails in Wage Dispute Covered by Law360
• Chris Edwards Named Co-Chair of Ward and Smith's Appellate Practice
• Ward and Smith Attorneys Honored as 2025 Business North Carolina Legal Elites

Admitted to Practice

• Supreme Court of the United States, 2024
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 2017
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2024
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2021
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina, 2018
• North Carolina, 2014

* Please see the following websites for an explanation of the membership standards for the following recognitions: www.bestlawyers.com; businessnc.com/special-sections/legal-elite/; and www.superlawyers.com/north-carolina.