D. Chris Gardner

D. Chris Gardner is the founding principal and managing member of Gardner Milner, PLLC. Throughout his career, Mr. Gardner has provided corporate and general counsel services to various companies and organizations. With several clients in Jonesboro, Arkansas, his legal practice is primarily focused in the areas of commercial transactions and litigation, health care law and transactions, business law, finance and banking law, commercial real estate and corporate law.

Before establishing his own firm, Mr. Gardner was a principal at another law firm in Jonesboro. Earlier in his career, he served as corporate counsel to Entergy Power Group, a venture capital subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. In this role, he was involved in the development, ownership and operation of both foreign and domestic electric power projects, contributing to the growth of one of the largest electric utility companies in the U.S.

A native of Paragould, Arkansas, Mr. Gardner pursued his higher education at Arkansas State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts cum laude. He later received his Juris Doctor with honors from the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Beyond his professional achievements, Mr. Gardner's commitment to public service is evident from his appointments by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. In 2015, he was appointed to the Arkansas Pollution Control & Ecology Commission and served as a Special Associate Justice to the Arkansas Supreme Court on three occasions, in 2015 and 2021. Additionally, in 2017, he was appointed by the Arkansas Attorney General to the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission.

Mr. Gardner is an active member of the Craighead County, Arkansas and American Bar Associations. His involvement has included roles such as program chair, secretary, treasurer, vice president and president of the Craighead County Bar Association. Additionally, he has been peer-review rated AV Preeminent* through Martindale-Hubbell.

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.