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Overview

A corporate attorney and former in-house counsel, Chris helps renewable energy developers, transportation companies and other corporate clients navigate complex commercial transactions.

Clients in renewable energy, manufacturing, transportation and aviation – among other industries – turn to Chris for general corporate counsel and commercial transactions. An experienced corporate attorney, Chris helps executives actualize ideas while mitigating legal risk. Chris is known for breaking down legal details of the most ambitious client projects while keeping long-range client goals on track. Chris has advised clients on, and has drafted, reviewed and negotiated documents in connection with, a broad variety of transactions, including:

  • Joint venture agreements, feedstock supply agreements, interconnection agreements, offtake agreements, development agreements, ground leases, easements and operations and maintenance agreements in connection with Renewable Natural Gas projects
  • Interconnection and operating agreements, carbon sequestration agreements and associated agreements in connection with carbon capture and storage projects
  • Letters of intent, membership interest purchase agreements and other M&A documentation in the RNG industry
  • Supply agreements with national manufacturing companies
  • Software subscription and service agreements and other technology contracts with national manufacturing companies
  • Asset purchase agreements with national manufacturing companies
  • Sponsorship agreements, cause-marketing agreements and related marketing contracts in the transportation industry
  • Vendor agreements, procurement agreements, consignment agreements and equipment sales agreements in the manufacturing industry

Chris counsels clients on corporate governance and day-to-day operations in addition to assisting them with subsidiary reorganizations, mergers, acquisitions and dispositions. Clients value that Chris served as associate general counsel to a regional energy and retail company. He’s familiar with the legal demands that businesses face and brings this understanding to each deal and every client.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America
    • Corporate Law, 2023-2025
    • Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2023-2025
  • The Legal 500 United States
    • Recommended Attorney, 2023
  • Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers
    • Rising Star, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2022 and 2023
  • Nebraska State Bar Association Leadership Academy Fellow, 2015-2016

Education

  • J.D., University of Nebraska College of Law
    • with Distinction
    • Nebraska Law Review, Senior Member, Executive Editor
  • M.B.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business
  • B.S., Brigham Young University
    • Economics major, Business Management minor
  • Certification of Completion, University of Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment
    • Pinsent Masons Climate & Sustainability Accelerator Program

Admissions

  • Missouri
  • Nebraska

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Missouri Bar Association, Environmental & Energy Law Committee of the Business/Corporate Section, Member
  • The Network, a division of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce
  • Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association
Pinsent Masons - Chris Peterson Bio
Experience

In-House Counsel Experience

  • Family Express Corporation, Associate General Counsel, 2018-2019

Renewable Natural Gas Project Development

  • Represented developer in acquisition of multimillion-dollar existing anaerobic digester on dairy farm and negotiated manure supply agreement and ground lease.
  • Represented developer in biogas supply agreement and construction of biogas conditioning and upgrading equipment on dairy farm.
  • Represented large developer in multiple RNG projects with dairy farms across the country, negotiating manure supply agreements, ground leases, easements and development of anaerobic digestion facilities and equipment.
  • Represented developer in negotiations with large food processing company for disposal of organic residuals for use in RNG anaerobic digestion facilities

Business Acquisitions and Dispositions

  • Represented RNG developer in eight-figure sale of four dairy RNG projects to publicly traded buyer.
  • Represented RNG developer in joint venture with large utilities company involving developer contribution of seven separate dairy RNG projects.
  • Represented purchaser of car wash business in acquisition of equipment, building and commercial real estate.
  • Navigated 14 shareholders of manufacturing company in stock divestiture.
  • Represented retail client in $6.5M asset divestiture, including transferring of franchise rights, inventory, equipment, buildings and real estate.
  • Represented service company in asset acquisition with earnout based on future revenue.
  • Represented regional transportation company in asset acquisition and transfer of operational authority from state public service commission.
  • Represented retail company in all phases of asset disposition, including negotiating lease assignment.

Commercial Transactions

  • Represented publicly traded manufacturing company in multiple seven-figure sales agreements for equipment and software.
  • Negotiated exclusive and nonexclusive distribution agreements with domestic and foreign manufacturers on behalf of scientific instrument distribution company.
  • Settled environmental matter and coordinated remediation services with environmental consultant.
  • Represented regional equipment distributor in subcontract agreement with general contractor in prime contract with municipal client.
  • As part of larger team, reviewed, revised and negotiated multiple procurement contracts for international equipment provider.
  • Assisted in reviewing and revising numerous credit card processing agreements with large national companies.

Commercial Real Estate

  • Represented purchaser in acquisition of large apartment complex for $6,500,000+.
  • Represented purchaser in acquisition of two commercial properties for $1,500,000+.
  • Represented client in successful rezoning application before local and county governmental bodies.
  • As part of larger team, implemented acquisition of 100+ acres of real estate for development of light industrial and residential planned unit development (PUD) .
  • Represented real estate holding company in lease with large out-of-state corporation for $10M development of senior living facilities, from city zoning compliance, project oversight to company affiliate lease rights.
  • Represented regional transportation company in all phases of leasing commercial property with 5-year option to purchase.
Case Studies
Through G.I.F.T. Partnership, Husch Blackwell Provides Pro Bono Legal Support to Black-OwnedBusinesses, like Ruby Jean's Juicery, LLC

Our firm assisted with a number of matters, including lease and contract review, corporate restructuring, intellectual property protection and advice on future growth through franchising.

Legal Updates | February 4, 2021
FAQ: CARES Act SBA Loan Programs
Legal Updates | December 27, 2020
FAQ: Paycheck Protection Program Forgiveness for Borrowers

Please be aware that on December 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. This COVID-19 relief bill affects the Paycheck Protection Program and associated provisions of the CARES Act, as amended. We are in the process of updating this posting.

Legal Updates | October 05, 2020
SBA Issues Guidance for Ownership Changes Under PPP
Legal Updates | August 05, 2020
SBA Issues FAQs on PPP Loan Forgiveness
Legal Updates | May 06, 2020
SBA Extends Safe Harbor for PPP Fund Repayment
Outside the Office

With a deep interest in aviation, Chris has earned his Private Pilot Certificate. He’s traveled to more than a dozen countries, including Germany, Russia, the Czech Republic and Spain. He and his wife are also the proud parents of five thriving children.

Community Leadership

Chris gives back to his community.

Having attained the rank of Eagle Scout in his teens, Chris went on to serve as a Cubmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster from 2012 through 2017 with the Boy Scouts of America. He also volunteered his time and talents to a transitional women’s shelter, Fresh Start, Inc, from 2016 to 2018, serving on the Board of Directors and as Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee. Chris is currently active in his church, is on the board of directors for the Downtown Springfield Association, and connects with the Springfield start-up community by volunteering his time at the efactory with Missouri State University.

Sustainability Programme

Chris understands how important environmental issues are to clients and aims to provide counsel on the transition to managing a truly sustainable operation. To that end, he participated in the 12-session Climate & Sustainability Accelerator Programme, a collaboration between Pinsent Masons and the University of Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. The educational program focuses on corporate sustainability, ESG and climate issues.

Discussions in the course included topics such as:

  • Climate and sustainability core concepts
  • The science of climate change and its impacts
  • Achieving net zero
  • The circular and regenerative economy
  • Corporate governance and sustainability
  • Purposeful business
  • Nature-based solutions
  • Stranded assets and transition risks
  • Shifting thinking on systemic risks and opportunities
  • How law shapes the net zero transition

Chris’s participation gives him a solid understanding of the challenges clients face as they seek to revolutionize the way they do business. He supports and advises clients through the transition, adapting his counsel to the reflect a sustainable world.