Dykema, a leading national law firm, is proud to announce that Christopher D. Kratovil, a member of the firm’s Executive Board, has been named to D Magazine’s “Best of Dallas Hall of Fame.” This honor recognizes professionals who have earned a place on a D Magazine “Best of” list at least 15 times, placing Kratovil among an elite group of fewer than 100 lawyers ever selected.
Kratovil has been named a “Best Lawyer in Dallas” by D Magazine for 15 consecutive years, reflecting his sustained success and impact within the Dallas legal community. Each year, the Hall of Fame recognizes individuals identified by their peers as top practitioners across categories ranging from law and medicine to financial services and business. The announcement appears in D Magazine’s annual Best of Dallas issue.
Kratovil is widely respected for his work in appellate advocacy, complex motions practice, and procedurally challenging matters. He represents clients in high-stakes commercial disputes in trial and appellate courts across Texas and the nation, including the Texas Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the newly formed Texas Business Court. He is frequently called upon for issues of first impression, emergency injunctions, and other high-pressure, short-fuse matters. Kratovil has presented more than 60 appellate oral arguments and handled hundreds of trial court hearings, recently becoming the first attorney ever to handle hearings in two different divisions of the new Texas Business Court on the same day.
Throughout his career, Kratovil has also played an instrumental role in shaping Dykema’s presence in Texas. When he joined the firm in 2011, he was Dykema’s 11thattorney in Texas. Under his leadership—first after being named Office Managing Member in Dallas in 2016, as well as serving as the firm’s National Recruiting Partner, and now as a member of the firm’s Executive Board—the office has grown to more than 50 attorneys with Dykema’s four Texas offices having over 120 total lawyers. Kratovil also helped to open Dykema’s Houston office, serving as the firm’s first Office Managing Member in the Bayou City. His efforts have been central to establishing the firm’s footprint in Texas, integrating new talent into the firm, and advancing Dykema’s broader strategic growth across the Lone Star State.
Kratovil’s accomplishments extend beyond his firm leadership roles. He has served as a longtime leader in the Dallas and Texas bar, including serving as a past Chair of both the DBA’s Appellate Section and Business Litigation Section. He has earned repeated recognition from The Best Lawyers in America®, including “Lawyer of the Year” honors in Litigation–Real Estate, and has appeared numerous times on both the Texas Super Lawyers® “Top 100 Lawyers in Texas” and “Top 100 in Dallas/Fort Worth” lists.
His representative matters include landmark appellate victories, major commercial litigation in trial courts, precedent-setting mandamus rulings, and high-profile amicus work before state and federal appellate courts—including the U.S. Supreme Court. His experience spans complex commercial litigation, “business divorce” disputes, restrictive covenant cases, real estate litigation, energy matters, and significant arbitration proceedings.
Kratovil earned his J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law and his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame. He is a former law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.