Christopher L. Vatsaas is a shareholder at Tuft, Lach, Jerabek & O’Connell, PLLC. Chris practices exclusively in the area of family law including divorce, child custody, paternity, asset and debt division, spousal maintenance, child support, domestic abuse (including Orders for Protection), and Harassment Restraining Orders. His diverse family law experience ranges from child custody cases involving child endangerment to dissolution matters involving high net worth individuals and sophisticated non-marital tracing. He also serves in a neutral capacity as a family law mediator, parenting consultant (PC), parenting time expeditor (PTE), Social Early Neutral Evaluator (SENE), and Financial Early Neutral Evaluator (FENE).

Since 2019, Chris has been named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers®. Only 2.5% of attorneys in Minnesota receive this distinction. Chris was also named to the 2023 list of Top Lawyer in Minnesota by Minnesota Monthly. In 2018 and 2019, Chris received the North Star Lawyer Award from the Minnesota State Bar Association for his pro bono service.

Chris is an Adjunct Professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, where he teaches Advanced Family Law as well as coursework within the school’s Mentor Externship Program. He has also presented on topics such as Orders for Protection, Harassment Restraining Orders, Ex Parte Emergency Custody Orders, estate planning, and the use of technology within a family law practice. He is also the editor of the ADR Chapter of the Minnesota Divorce Practice Deskbook by Minnesota CLE and has co-authored legal articles regarding the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the practice of family law as well as the impending evolution of child custody issues stemming from cannabis legalization.

Chris is engaged in both the local legal community and the greater Twin Cities community. Chris also has extensive board service experience, including presently serving as President-Elect of the Alumni Advisory Board at the University of St. Thomas School of Law as well as Past President of the Family Law League, a local non-profit organization focused on professional development and networking among family law professionals.

Chris and his family call St. Louis Park home, where he is involved in his local church and community. In his spare time, you’ll find Chris catching a basketball game, hosting a barbeque (ask about his chicken wings), foraging for fun espresso beans at a local coffee shop, or popping open a new bottle of wine with friends. An aspiring wine geek, Chris has obtained his Level 2 Certificate with Merit from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and dreams of a part-time retirement job of pouring at a local wine bar someday.