Christopher W. Genheimer Printer-Friendly

Chris Genheimer is a member of the Carruthers & Roth business, tax and estate planning practice where he works with a wide variety of individuals, high net worth families, entrepreneurs and closely-held family owned businesses. He focuses on helping clients with all aspects of forming, operating and transitioning family owned and closely held businesses, with an emphasis on buying and selling businesses. Chris also assists clients with estate planning, estate and trust administration and business succession planning.

Chris has experience advising individuals and businesses on obtaining Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) status, such as Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) certification and Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification. He is often asked by the attorneys in his department and across the firm to help clients navigate the complex rules and requirements of the certification process.

Before turning to law, Chris worked in research, product development and project management in the biotech industry. He has authored dozens of scientific journal articles and book chapters and is a co-inventor of two patented biotech developments. Chris actively leverages his analytical research skills honed over years in R&D to address his client’s day-to-day legal needs.

When not advocating for his clients, Chris enjoys traveling with his wife and two children and spending time outdoors.

Representative Cases

Negotiating the Sale of Family Business. Chris joined other C&R team members in recent years to represent several longtime family businesses in unrelated business sales that involved investment bankers and private equity firms, with a combined transaction value in excess of $175 million.  Chris worked closely with other team members in handling due diligence, reviewing and negotiating the purchase agreements and other acquisition documents to successfully close these deals.

Start-up Investment. Assisted local entrepreneurs with >$5 million dollar investment in privately owned start-up technology company.  Chris took the lead in reviewing and negotiating the investment agreement and other transaction documents, resulting in favorable preferred rights and equity provisions for the investors.

Estate Planning. Developed and implemented a variety of specialized estate planning and estate tax reduction strategies for individuals and professionals, from straightforward wills and trusts to more complex strategies like family limited partnerships (FLPs), sales and gifts to grantor trusts, dynasty trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), spousal lifetime access trusts (SLATs), grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs) and various charitable strategies, including charitable remainder trusts (CRTs).

Bar and Court Admissions

• North Carolina, 2015

Professional Memberships and Activities

• Greensboro Society of Financial Service Professionals, Member
• Greensboro Estate Planning Council
• Crescent Rotary Club
• Greensboro Bar Association

Published Work

• Strategic Alternatives For and Against Distressed Businesses, Co-Author, “Chapter 64A: North Carolina,” Thomson/Reuters/West, 2018-2022.

Awards and Recognitions

• North Carolina Bar Association Pro Bono Service Award
• Elon Law McMichael Law & Leadership Fellow
• Eagle Scout

Community Service

• Crescent Rotary Club Foundation, Board Member
• Crescent Rotary Club, Past Board Member
• AARP Tax Aide Program, Volunteer Tax Preparer