Today we’d like to introduce you to Christon Halkiotis.
Hi Christon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been practicing law for more than two decades, but my career has evolved quite a bit from where I started. I began as a prosecutor and spent 15 years on that side of the courtroom. It was an incredible education—not only in trial work and criminal law, but in people, judgment, and the enormous responsibility that comes with having someone’s life and liberty affected by decisions made in a courtroom.
Eventually, I realized I wanted to use that experience in a different way. I moved into criminal defense and took the leap of opening my own law firm in October 2019. Today, I run a boutique criminal defense practice where I intentionally keep my caseload small enough that I can be deeply involved in my clients’ cases. I’m board-certified in state criminal law and I handle misdemeanors, serious felonies, and capital cases. I have been fortunate to build a practice that lets me do the kind of courtroom work I genuinely love.
Opening my own firm also changed the way I thought about success. For a long time, like a lot of professionals, I think I measured it primarily by career milestones. I’m still incredibly ambitious about my work, but I’ve become equally intentional about building a life outside of it. Travel has become a huge part of that. I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro, traveled through six continents, and started documenting those adventures through my Instagram travel blog, Where in the World Is Your Lawyer?
At this point in my life, I don’t really see my career and my adventures as competing with one another. They’re both part of the story. I love being a lawyer, I love walking into a courtroom and fighting for my clients, and I also love getting on a plane and seeing a part of the world I’ve never seen before. I come back from a trip refreshed and ready to jump back into the fray for my clients. I’ve worked hard to create a life that has room for both—and I think that’s probably the best description of how I got to where I am today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges of my career was also one of the best decisions I ever made: leaving the security of government service after 15 years and essentially starting anew in private practice, relying on the relationships forged during the first half of my career.
I was 41 when I opened my own law firm. By that point, I had spent my entire legal career as a prosecutor. I knew how to try cases, but running a business was completely new territory. Suddenly, in addition to being a lawyer, I had to learn marketing, accounting, technology, client management and all of the countless little things that happen behind the scenes when you own a business. There is no manual that magically appears when you hang out your own shingle.
There was also an identity shift in going from prosecution to criminal defense. I had to learn to look at the criminal justice system through a different lens. What surprised me was how much my experience as a prosecutor ultimately made me a better defense attorney. I understand how the other side evaluates a case, but I also developed a much deeper appreciation for how frightening and overwhelming the system can be for the person standing accused.
Probably the biggest lesson has been learning to trust myself. Starting over at 41 meant walking away from a predictable career path and betting on my own ability to build something from scratch. It also taught me that there really isn’t an expiration date on reinventing yourself. Sometimes the life you want at 41 looks very different from the one you imagined for yourself at 21—and that’s okay.
There have certainly been stressful moments, but those challenges ultimately gave me the freedom to create a practice that reflects my own values: taking fewer cases, giving each client my personal attention, doing meaningful courtroom work, and still making room for a full life outside of work. Sometimes the road that looks less “smooth” on paper is actually the one that takes you exactly where you were supposed to go.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Law Office of Christon S. Halkiotis, PLLC?
The Law Office of Christon S. Halkiotis, PLLC is a boutique criminal defense practice based in Greensboro, North Carolina. I represent people facing criminal charges ranging from misdemeanors and impaired driving offenses to serious felonies and capital cases, and I have particular experience handling complex and high-stakes criminal cases.
What sets my practice apart is the combination of experience and personal attention I’m able to offer my clients. I am a Board Certified Specialist in State Criminal Law, and before becoming a defense attorney, I spent 15 years as a prosecutor. Having worked extensively on both sides of the courtroom gives me a perspective that is invaluable when evaluating a case—understanding not only the defense, but how prosecutors investigate, prepare, negotiate and try cases.
I also intentionally keep my practice small. I never wanted to build a high-volume law firm where clients become file numbers and most of their contact is with staff or an associate they didn’t hire. When someone hires my firm, they hire me. I know their case, I know their story, and I am personally involved from beginning to end.
Trial work is a significant part of my practice and one of the things I love most about being a lawyer. I believe there is tremendous value in being willing and prepared to walk into a courtroom and try a case when that is what a client needs. At the same time, good criminal defense is about much more than what happens in a courtroom. For many clients, being charged with a crime is one of the most frightening and uncertain experiences of their lives. They deserve an attorney who will listen to them, explain what is happening, give them candid advice and treat them with dignity throughout the process.
I think what I am most proud of is that I have built the kind of law practice I would want to hire if I or someone I loved were in trouble: experienced, personal, prepared and fiercely committed to the person whose future has been entrusted to me.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest advice is not to wait until you feel completely ready. You probably never will. There will always be something you don’t know, something you haven’t figured out yet, or a reason why it would be safer to wait.
I was 41 when I opened my own law firm after spending 15 years working for the government. I knew how to be a lawyer and how to try cases, but I certainly didn’t know everything about running a business. I learned a tremendous amount by simply doing it—asking questions, making mistakes, figuring out what worked for me and being willing to change what didn’t.
I also wish I had understood earlier that success doesn’t have to look the way other people tell you it should. You don’t necessarily need the biggest firm, the most employees, the most clients or the busiest calendar. More is not always better. I’ve intentionally built a small practice because that allows me to do excellent work, know my clients personally, take the cases I genuinely want to take, and still have a life outside of my career.
I would also tell anyone starting out to become really good at what you do before worrying too much about whether everyone knows you do it. Reputation is built over time. Be prepared, keep your word, treat people well, and do good work even when no one is watching. Eventually, people notice.
And finally, don’t be afraid to change your mind about what you want your life to look like. A decision you made at 25 doesn’t have to dictate who you are at 35, 45 or 55. Don’t fall victim to the sunken cost fallacy. There is no prize for staying on a path simply because you’ve already spent years walking it. Sometimes starting over—or simply choosing a different direction—is the thing that gets you where you were meant to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cshlawpllc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cshlawpllc
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cshlawpllc
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/whereintheworldisyourlawyer
