About
MEET DR. BILL CHRISS
A Journey of Learning, Law and Legacy
When you mix the wisdom of a historian with the sharp mind of a lawyer and the storytelling prowess of a published author – you get none other than Dr. Bill Chriss.
A self-described lifelong learner who was once described by a Texas Supreme Court justice as a man “with more degrees than a thermometer,” Bill is as approachable as he is entertaining and funny. Affectionately known as “Dr. Bill,” he wrote his latest book, Six Constitutions Over Texas, to peel back the layers of Texas’ identity, helping the world understand what makes Texans tick.
A Legacy In Texas History
Dr. Bill’s story, deeply rooted in Texas history, intertwines with the state’s heritage. Born in Fort Worth, Bill spent his early days living in a shelter for unwed mothers before being adopted by a Greek Orthodox family in Corpus Christi. The Chriss family has a long history in South Texas, having come to Corpus Christi in 1925 after being forced to flee Nacogdoches due to persecution by the Ku Klux Klan for their faith and ethnic heritage.
His grandfather was a poor Greek immigrant candy maker who owned a series of confectionaries and cafes. His dad, a respected doctor who was the first endocrinologist in South Texas and served as president of the Texas Diabetes Association, was his greatest inspiration, teaching him the power of truth, civility, and the essence of friendship. Those life lessons served him well when he became Dean of the Texas Center for Legal Ethics.
Bill’s resolve was tested at the tender age of five when a rare childhood bone disorder forced him to stay in a wheelchair for a year. The early adversity faced by him and his family helped shape his character and helped him understand some of the struggles and triumphs that define the Texas experience.
The Road To Justice
As a proud University of Texas alum, Bill thought he would enter politics, even receiving a nomination for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship – but fate took his journey in a different direction. When he didn’t receive the scholarship, his academic path led him instead to Harvard Law School, marking the beginning of his deep passion for trial and appellate law and continuing education.
After graduating from Harvard Law at 23, Bill moved back to his beloved Texas, where he thrived in the courtroom – litigating hundreds of prestigious cases. Despite his successful legal career, Bill couldn’t ignore the constant urge to dive back into academia. He pursued three graduate degrees while keeping a full legal calendar. Bill only took a brief sabbatical from work to move back to Austin to pursue his Ph.D. in history at his alma mater, The University of Texas.
A Spiritual Awakening
While Bill grew up in the Greek Orthodox Church that his grandparents helped build and where he served as an altar boy, he wasn’t overly religious. That changed in 1994 during a visit to the island of Patmos in Greece. Bill describes a visit to the Cave of the Apocalypse where Saint John penned the Book of Revelation as a “spiritual awakening.”
The ‘aha moment’ led him on a journey to befriend Greek monks and to study with a Romanian priest, who eventually encouraged Bill to get a Seminary degree, which he received in 2004 from the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology at the University of Balamand.
Family Ties
These days, Bill continues to straddle the worlds of academia, family, writing, and appellate law. He cherishes his role as a father, dedicating his latest book to his children, John and Olivia, and his father, John W. Chriss, M.D. Bill’s son shares his interest in shooting, philosophy, rodeo, and exploring the American West.
With his daughter and son-in-law, Bill enjoys his first grandchild, Frances, and discussing bar-b-que, literature, and politics. Professionally, Bill is Of Counsel to The Snapka Law Firm, where he remains committed to “helping ordinary people obtain justice in the face of significant economic and political inequality.”
