Chris Lawson is a felony trial attorney with the San Diego District Attorney’s Office. He is currently assigned to the Gang Prosecution Unit, where he is tasked with prosecuting murders and other violent crimes committed by San Diego’s most dangerous gang offenders. Prior to serving in the Gang Prosecution Unit, he also served in the East County Branch, Central Pretrial, Juvenile and Superior Court Divisions of the District Attorney’s Office.

During his five years with the District Attorney’s Office, Lawson has tried more than 50 jury trials, including more than 25 felony jury trials. He has tried cases involving charges of attempted murder, assault with a firearm, arson, kidnapping, kidnapping for ransom, home invasion robbery, residential burglary, armed robbery, grand theft, possession for sale of narcotics, and DUI. Many of these cases involved mental health defenses, including two cases involving pleas of not guilty by reason of insanity. 

In addition to jury trials, he has conducted more than 100 felony preliminary examinations and several juvenile bench trials. Lawson regularly advises law enforcement on Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendment issues, as well as other criminal procedure issues. He has also helped to coordinate and organize investigations utilizing multiple law enforcement agencies within the county, including the Cross Border Violence Task Force, to try and combat and curb cartel violence.

Lawson received his bachelor's degree in political science and history from the University of San Diego in 2002. He received his J.D. from California Western School of Law in 2005, where he graduated magna cum laude. During his law school career, he served as a member and associate editor of the <I>Law Review</I>, competed in multiple national trial team competitions, served as a large group tutor for Civil Procedure and Criminal Law, and began working with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office through two full-time summer internships.

Recently, Lawson finished serving a year-long term as the recent graduate representative to the California Western School of Law Board of Trustees, and he will assume the role of president of California Western’s Alumni Board of Directors in January 2012 after serving as vice president for the past year. He has served as a member of the law school's adjunct faculty for the past several years, teaching “Trial Skills for Distinguished Advocates,” and he has also coached numerous trial teams at the law school that have competed around the country since his graduation in 2005. 

Lawson is an active member of the San Diego County Bar Association and volunteers some of his free time to judging local law school trial and appellate advocacy competitions. He is also heavily involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County, where he has served as a mentor and Big Brother for the past two years.