William J. “Bill” Chriss, J.D., Ph.D., is a third-generation Corpus Christian and a professionally trained lawyer, historian, political scientist, religious scholar, and published author. As an attorney, he handles complex lawsuits and appeals, particularly in insurance, property damage, and personal injury cases. He has tried and won several multi-million-dollar cases and currently focuses on appellate work before the highest courts in Texas. He serves as statewide chair of the Appellate Section of the State Bar of Texas, is a former chair of the Insurance Law Section, and has been recognized for many years as a Texas “Super Lawyer” in Insurance Coverage, Appellate, and General Litigation.
At age 20, Bill was nominated for the Rhodes Scholarship by the University of Texas. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School, graduating at age 23, and holds four additional postgraduate degrees: master’s degrees in theology, political science, and English literature, as well as a Ph.D. in history. His graduate research spanned topics from Eastern Christian church history and canon law to the works of Joseph Campbell and Ernest Hemingway, as well as Texas political and legal history.
Alongside his law practice, Bill has taught judicial politics, political and moral philosophy, history, and constitutional law within the Texas A&M University System. He is also the primary legal and political commentator for the ABC affiliate KIII-TV. An authority on American legal and political history, he has published scholarly articles and authored two books: The Noble Lawyer (Texas Bar Books, 2011) and Six Constitutions over Texas (Texas A&M University Press, 2024).
