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A criminal charge can upend a person’s life in hours. Their job, reputation and freedom are all suddenly at risk. St. Louis criminal defense lawyer Christopher Combs, a founding partner at Combs Waterkotte, has spent his career preparing for exactly these moments. His reputation in Missouri criminal defense is built on one consistent standard: thorough preparation, aggressive advocacy and defense strategies tailored to each client’s situation.
What Criminal Defense Actually Requires
Missouri’s criminal courts are demanding. For example, a DWI charge can carry license suspension, steep fines and jail time. Similarly, a felony accusation involving violent crime, white-collar fraud or federal charges carries consequences that extend well past any sentence. Most people don’t know how to evaluate their options, understand the prosecution’s case, or identify procedural moves that could change the outcome.
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That’s the gap a skilled attorney fills. Chris Combs, a leading criminal defense attorney in Missouri, gives clients strategic clarity when they need it most. He handles DWI/DUI charges, serious felonies, orders of protection, white-collar crimes and federal criminal matters across Missouri. Each case gets a specific defense plan, not a template pulled from a previous file.
How Combs Waterkotte Approaches Each Case
St. Louis and Missouri criminal defense firm Combs Waterkotte was founded on the premise that every person facing a criminal charge deserves a real defense, regardless of the charge. The firm prioritizes trust and transparency, keeping clients informed at each stage rather than leaving them guessing about their own case.
Christopher Combs brings meticulous preparation to every matter he handles. Before a hearing or trial, he studies the prosecution’s evidence, identifies legal weaknesses and prepares his client for what to expect. His courtroom style is direct and aggressive. As a result, clients facing a DWI charge, a felony accusation or a federal criminal investigation get an attorney who can act decisively, and Chris Combs has built that reputation through years of high-stakes work across Missouri.
His professional recognition reflects that standard. He has earned Super Lawyers honors, the Kansas Rising Star designation, Top 10 Under 40 recognition from the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys, and placement on the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys’ 10 Best Attorneys in Missouri list.
Why His Work Extends Past the Courtroom
Christopher Combs doesn’t limit his advocacy to cases. He is active in the St. Louis community and supports the National Peer Recovery Alliance. The organization works with individuals affected by substance use disorders and mental health challenges. That involvement shapes how he approaches clients facing DWI charges tied to addiction or personal crisis, with full legal rigor and a real understanding of what people are dealing with outside the courtroom.
His long-term goal is to grow Combs Waterkotte into a firm known statewide for handling complex, high-profile cases while maintaining the same client-focused approach that defines the firm today. Missouri criminal defense attorneys come with different strengths. What distinguishes Chris Combs is that he prepares as if every case is going to trial, even when it doesn’t.
