Attorney, mediator and author
Christopher Adkins: Huntersville Family Law Attorney and Certified Mediator
Founder of Adkins Law, PLLC, certified mediator, parenting coordinator, former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer and U.S. Army Captain, and the author of this site.
A note on the name. Directory listings and court records carry it in several forms — Charles Christopher Adkins, C. Christopher Adkins, Charles Adkins and Christopher Adkins — and they are all the same attorney. Most people call him Chris Adkins. If a search turns up a listing under one of the other forms, you have the right person.
What Chris does
Chris Adkins represents families, professionals and businesses in family law disputes, civil litigation and employment matters from the Adkins Law office in Huntersville. His family law practice covers divorce and separation, child custody, child support, alimony and postseparation support, equitable distribution, separation agreements and domestic violence protective orders.
He is also a certified mediator and a trained parenting coordinator, which means he spends part of his professional life on the other side of the table — as the neutral trying to get two people to an agreement. That experience shapes how he advises clients: he can usually tell early whether a case is going to settle, and what it will take.
A background that changes how he reads a case
Chris did not come to law from a library. From 2007 to 2013 he served with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, primarily in patrol, and also handled direct-response, narcotics search warrant and confidential informant matters. He earned North Carolina Intermediate and Advanced Law Enforcement Certificates. That work produced more than 1,200 arrests and several hundred impaired-driving investigations.
From 2009 to 2018 he served as a Combat Engineer officer in the North Carolina Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve, reaching the rank of Captain. During a 2012 to 2013 deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, he led soldiers and managed multimillion-dollar construction, logistics and force-protection missions following the Iraq drawdown.
He founded Adkins Law in Huntersville in 2014 and has run it as an owner ever since, which is why he tends to talk about legal problems in terms of time, cost and risk rather than abstractions.
Career and education
Mediation and dispute resolution credentials
Chris is certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission as a Superior Court mediator, a Family Financial mediator, and an Estates, Guardianships and Special Proceedings mediator. He is board certified in South Carolina as a Circuit Court and Family Court mediator, and he has completed parenting coordinator training and interdisciplinary collaborative family law training.
| Certification | Jurisdiction | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Court mediator | North Carolina | Civil cases referred to mediated settlement conferences |
| Family Financial mediator | North Carolina | Equitable distribution, alimony and support settlement conferences |
| Estates and Guardianships mediator | North Carolina | Matters before the Clerk of Superior Court |
| Circuit Court mediator | South Carolina | Civil litigation in the South Carolina circuit courts |
| Family Court mediator | South Carolina | Contested family court matters |
| Parenting coordinator | North Carolina | High-conflict custody cases by court appointment |
Court admissions
- State of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Author and legal educator
Chris writes practical North Carolina legal guides for people who need clarity before making a consequential decision. He is the author of The Book on Divorce in North Carolina and co-author, with attorney Chris Purkey, of Charged with DWI in North Carolina. He also wrote I Live in Two Homes Now, a child-focused book about divorce and separation.
The Book on Divorce in North Carolina
A plain-English guide to separation, custody, support, property division and the decisions that shape a North Carolina divorce. This website grew out of that book and now covers considerably more ground.
Order a copy at Barnes & Noble → · See all of the books at Adkins Law →
People usually call a lawyer because something important is changing. The first job is to understand the real problem, not the label on the case.Christopher Adkins, founder of Adkins Law, PLLC
Where Chris practices
The Adkins Law office is in Huntersville, and the firm serves families throughout the Lake Norman region: Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson and Mooresville, along with Charlotte and the rest of Mecklenburg County, and matters in neighboring Iredell, Cabarrus, Union and Lincoln counties. Chris also mediates in both Carolinas.
Family law in Huntersville
The local court, the local schools, and what matters for Huntersville families.
Lake Norman families
Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville and the towns around the lake.
Mecklenburg County court
How the family court division works and what to expect on a hearing date.
Where to check the record
Anyone hiring a lawyer should be able to check them independently rather than taking a website’s word for it. These are the public listings for Christopher Adkins and for Adkins Law, PLLC. The State Bar directory is the one that matters most, because it shows license status and any public discipline.
| Listing | What it shows |
|---|---|
| North Carolina State Bar directory | License status and any public discipline. Search the surname Adkins. This is the authoritative source and the one to check first. |
| Avvo | Profile, client reviews and peer endorsements. Avvo files the profile under the name Charles Adkins. |
| Justia | Practice areas, admissions and office details. |
| Martindale-Hubbell | Directory profile. |
| Super Lawyers | Directory profile. |
| Lawyers.com | Directory profile for the attorney and the firm. |
| Professional background and publications. | |
| Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce | Adkins Law, PLLC is listed in the chamber directory. |
Frequently asked questions
Where is Chris Adkins located?
Adkins Law, PLLC is at 9620 Sherrill Estates Road, Huntersville, North Carolina 28078, serving the Lake Norman region and greater Charlotte.
What kinds of cases does he handle?
Family law including divorce, custody, support, alimony, property division and protective orders, along with civil litigation, employment matters and mediation.
Is he a certified mediator?
Yes. He is certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission as a Superior Court, Family Financial, and Estates and Guardianships mediator, and is board certified in South Carolina as a Circuit Court and Family Court mediator.
Did he write a book about divorce?
Yes. He is the author of The Book on Divorce in North Carolina, co-author of Charged with DWI in North Carolina, and author of a child-focused book called I Live in Two Homes Now.
How do I reach him?
Call Adkins Law at (704) 274-5677, text (704) 231-5762, or use the contact form at huntersvillelawyer.com.
Talk with Chris about your situation
The first conversation is about understanding what is actually happening and what decisions are in front of you. Call, text, or send a message through the Adkins Law contact form and tell us what is going on.
Adkins Law, PLLC · 9620 Sherrill Estates Road, Huntersville, NC 28078 · Calling or texting does not create an attorney–client relationship.
Keep reading
This page provides general information about North Carolina law for educational purposes. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Statutes, court rules and local practice change, and the outcome of any case depends on its own facts. Speak with a licensed North Carolina attorney about your situation. Written by Christopher Adkins, attorney at Adkins Law, PLLC, Huntersville, North Carolina.