About the firm

Chris Simkins

Chris Simkins founded Laconia Law & Consulting in 2008. He advises technology and services companies on regulatory matters, government contracts, technology licensing and commercial agreements, and serves in the board and monitoring roles that CFIUS and DCSA mitigation agreements require. He pairs legal judgment with real experience building and running companies, and works as a partner to clients as they scale and navigate complex legal and commercial landscapes.

He has served as an Outside Director and Government Security Committee chair of a foreign-owned company operating under a Special Security Agreement with DCSA, as sole Trustee under a CFIUS voting trust agreement with Justice Department Data Security Program obligations, and as the designated Third-Party Monitor under a CFIUS National Security Agreement.

Mr. Simkins is also an entrepreneur. He has co-founded and led three technology companies: Chain Security, a professional services firm focused on product and supply chain security, which he led as CEO from 2011 to 2017; Corsha, a cybersecurity company he led as CEO from its founding in 2017 through its Series A; and Shouldrs, where he has been CEO and co-founder since 2023. He is a co-inventor on two issued U.S. patents and a third published application in API authentication and machine identity.

Mr. Simkins practiced at WilmerHale from 1998 to 2004 and at Covington & Burling from 2007 to 2008. Between them he served at the U.S. Department of Justice, first in the Counterespionage Section and then as Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division and the National Security Division, where he was the Department's representative on CFIUS and Team Telecom. He has litigated, negotiated with agencies and served inside government.

He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Brigham Young University Law School and his B.A. in political science, magna cum laude, from Brigham Young University. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.