About

CHRISTOPHER M. BETHEL, J.D., M.B.A.

Chris Bethel is the founder and principal of the Bethel Law Firm. Chris focuses his practice on transactional law with an emphasis in contracts, assisted reproductive technology law (A.R.T.), estate planning and real estate. He is also an experienced general civil litigation attorney, including corporate, family, personal injury and probate law.

Contact Chris at chris@cmbesq.com or (770) 955-3232.

Career and Academic Focus

Chris Bethel, a native of Atlanta, and resident of Cobb County, Georgia for more than 45 years, is a former partner with the law firm of Edwards, Friedewald and Grayson and was a Special Assistant Attorney General (S.A.A.G.) representing Cobb County and the Department of Human Services. Before entering private practice, Chris was the Chief Compliance Officer for WellStar Health System, Inc., a top 100 integrated health care system. He then advanced to become the Regional Director of Regulatory Affairs for WellCare Health Plans, Inc., a Fortune 500 Corporation administering government-sponsored health care plans (Medicaid & Medicare). Prior to working with these corporations, he served two years as Corporate Counsel for the Governor’s Office of Consumers’ Insurance Advocate, and prior to that as part of the Executive Counsel for the Governor’s Office of Georgia under the Honorable Roy E. Barnes.

Chris Bethel obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration and pre-law degree from Kennesaw State University. Chris received his Juris Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center and was a third-year guest student at Georgia State University College of Law. In law school, he was an a student attorney in the Georgia State Tax Clinic, on the Dean’s list and awarded the CALI Excellence Award for Corporations. After law school, Mr. Bethel went back to KSU and obtained his Executive Master of Business Administration, where he graduated top of his class, a Beta Gamma Sigma scholar, and completed his international residency in Romania.

Currently, Chris Bethel is a member of the Georgia Bar Association, the Cobb Bar Association and American Health Lawyers Association. He obtained his Certified Healthcare Compliance (C.H.C.) designation in 2007.

Experience
Partner, Edwards, Friedewald & Grayson
Director of Regulatory Affairs (GA), WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Chief Compliance Officer, WellStar Health System, Inc.
Corporate Counsel, Governor’s Office of Georgia, Roy E. Barnes

Court Admissions
U.S. District Court, Northern District of GA, 2001
Georgia Supreme Court, 2001
Georgia Court of Appeals, 2001
Georgia Superior Courts, 2000

Bar Admissions
Georgia

Education
Kennesaw State University, Executive M.B.A. 2005
Georgia State Law School, Visiting 1998-1999
Nova Southeastern Law School, J.D. 1996-1999
Kennesaw State University, B.B.A. Pre-Law, 1995

Chris’s Personal Perspective
Chris Bethel has been active in the Cobb County and metro Atlanta community for many years.

• Member of the Rotary Club of Marietta and a recipient of the President’s Choice Award 2010-2011; Past President
• Leadership Cobb Class of 2012
• Recipient of J. Wyman Jr. Scholarship Award from the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce
• Founder of the Lois Brooks Nesbitt Memorial Scholarship & Endowment with KSU
• Founding board member of the Georgia Center for Performance Excellence
• Reconnecting Families, Inc. and the Joan R. Murphy Scholarship Program 2013
• Supporter of the WellStar Golden Leaf Society, MUST Ministries, Blue Skies Ministries, The Extension, SafePath, The Children’s Museum and Cobb County Humane Society

Chris grew up in the Cobb County, lives in Cobb County, and he graduated from Greater Atlanta Christian School. He and his daughter enjoy tennis, golfing, traveling, and playing with their pets.