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It wasn’t until Christopher Cottrell worked on landlord-tenant dispute matters for a healthcare client with a large real estate portfolio that he began to find his true passion. While he had spent the beginning of his legal career litigating cases in healthcare, entertainment, and business, it was the real estate cases that really flipped a switch.
“That’s when I found my niche,” he says when describing his shift from litigating to a transactional real estate practice. “Unlike other areas of the law, in real estate, you can work on a project and then go see it. You see the fruits of your labor, and it’s more tangible.”
Cottrell honed his real estate chops through approximately seven years of private practice at the law firms of McKenna, Long & Aldridge and Baker & Hostetler before eventually going in-house at Aaron’s, Inc., as the company’s divisional lead counsel and lead real estate counsel. It was at Aaron’s, Cottrell says, where he “really learned how to be more than just a lawyer, but a true partner and advisor to [his] business colleagues.”
“I ended up in my current role not primarily because of my skills or education, but because I made a connection with a person who then had me top-of-mind when this opportunity became available.”
Christopher Cottrell
While Cottrell cherished his time at Aaron’s and credits that time for a major portion of his development, when the opportunity to join Chick-fil-A arose, he couldn’t pass it up. He joined the popular chicken restaurant chain as senior counsel, real estate in 2021.
“I always held [Chick-fil-A] in high regard because of what it stands for and its commitment to excellence, care, customer service, and doing business the right way,” Cottrell says. “I’m happy to say that once I entered these four walls, I quickly learned that all the positive things you read about Chick-fil-A are true—and even undersold.”
A Friend Indeed
Outside of work, Christopher Cottrell helps organizations throughout metro Atlanta achieve their goals and bolster their services through the Chick-fil-A Pro Bono service committee. One of those organizations is the Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, which connects lawyers with nonprofits that need assistance with legal matters. The committee also works with Kids In Need of Defense, which provides free legal services to migrant children in the United States by themselves.
These efforts have taken up a special place in Cottrell’s heart.
“A lot of these kids are running from gang violence, sexual abuse—it runs the gamut,” he says. “Advocating for them is a lot different than my day-to-day work, but oftentimes it’s the most rewarding.”
At Chick-fil-A, Cottrell is part of the new restaurant real estate team and has supported the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest regions. In his role, Cottrell provides legal counsel through the entirety of the deal process, from the letter of intent through permitting, construction, and grand opening. Cottrell is revered by his business counterparts as a true partner because he provides solution-oriented, practical advice to influence Chick-fil-A’s decision-making and facilitate the company’s continued growth.
Cottrell’s problem-solving mindset and thoughtful approach to decision-making date to his college days. A metro Atlanta native, Cottrell, attended Johns Hopkins University for college and originally intended to become a doctor. However, fate had different designs. Cottrell recalls that “after my first year of undergrad, I realized that I didn’t want to be a doctor and also had no way of paying for school.”
In response to these challenges, Cottrell joined Army ROTC, and subsequently became a commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserves. While the Army served to get Cottrell through school, that was not his ultimate purpose, and he found himself relying on the well-timed words of someone he trusted to choose a new path.
“As I was figuring out what I wanted to do, a mentor suggested law,” he recalls. “It’s a versatile degree. It didn’t mean I had to be a lawyer, my major didn’t matter, and it didn’t conflict with my Army obligations.”
Taking his mentor’s advice, Cottrell pursued a law degree at the University of Pennsylvania while serving in the Army Reserves, which has turned into a fruitful legal career. Today, he advises young people to understand the importance of relationships.
“Be as connected as you can to as many folks as you can, developing meaningful connections with people before you ever need something,” he says. “So many times, I’ve had to ask for something, and the relationships I built made the difference. I ended up in my current role not primarily because of my skills or education, but because I made a connection with a person who then had me top-of-mind when this opportunity became available.”
Cottrell’s most meaningful connections are his family relationships. He’s the father of two: a six-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son who is on the autism spectrum. The Cottrell family’s journey with their son has transformed their lives. In reflection, Cottrell noted that his experience with his son has taught him to “appreciate the little things.” He implores everyone to embrace difference and reserve judgment because you never know someone’s story.
Another piece of advice Cottrell likes to give specifically to young attorneys is “just say yes.”
“Sometimes, it’s easy to say, ‘I don’t know if I’m qualified for this’ or ‘I don’t have the time,’ he says. “But I’ve been able to do meaningful things and connect with people I wouldn’t have had access to just because I said ‘yes.’ We try to plan out our entire careers but saying ‘yes’ and being open to where things can take you has been a mantra that I’ve lived by, and it’s made the difference.”
“Chris’ unique perspective and forward-thinking approach make him a pleasure to work with. His sharp intellect and broad range of experiences allow him to quickly grasp complex matters and find solutions aligned with the company’s goals.”
–Apollo Carey, Member
“Chris and I have developed a great working relationship. We both approach complicated real estate issues from a practical, solution-based framework that has contributed to great results for Chick-fil-A over the last few years. We look forward to a continued and lasting relationship.”
–Walt Burton, Managing Partner
