Christopher J. Radke
Shareholder, Attorney

Chris received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in 1989 and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Law School in 1992. He was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1992. Chris joined Shinners & Cook in 1995 and focuses on real estate, estate planning, and business law.

Chris remembers the exact moment when he decided to become an attorney: “When I was in grade school during the 1970’s energy crisis, the entire class was required to debate a conservation issue. One person was to argue in favor of a conservation method and the other was required to argue against the first position and offer and argue for an alternative. My opponent argued in favor of solar power – a very popular and well-documented source of energy at the time. For the sake of the exercise, I argued against solar power and provided an alternative solution."

"I should not have won that debate and our teacher even told the class so after I had won. My opponent had worked hard, was intelligent, had the vast bulk of research in his favor, and had spent the time necessary to gather it.  I won the debate because I had worked harder, planned my offense and defense more effectively, and presented my case better.  It  was then that I decided I wanted to become a lawyer. I had tasted the effectiveness of those skills and knew that I would always want to feel like I did after winning that debate. It is with great pride that I bring those skills to bear on behalf of our clients at Shinners & Cook.”

Chris was raised in the suburbs of Detroit, but met and married a Saginaw native.  Chris, his wife and his three children reside in Saginaw.  The Radke family enjoys being close to northern Michigan outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, and hiking.

Professional memberships

Northeastern Michigan Estate Planning Council, Member and Past President
State Bar of Michigan, Member (including membership in the following sections: Taxation, Probate and Estate Planning, and Real Property)
Saginaw County Bar Association, Member

Community involvement

Saginaw Community Foundation/Home For the Aged Fund, Member and Past Chair
Mershon Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Inc., Member and Past President
Michigan Council of Trout Unlimited/Finance Committee, Member of the Executive Committee and Chair

Contact by Email:  Christopher J. Radke