Clients considered San Antonio lawyer Chris Pettit a ‘friend,’ ‘family confidante.’ Then it changed.

In 2004, San Antonio dentist Robbie Henwood and his physician wife went to estate-planning and personal-injury lawyer Christopher “Chris” Pettit to get their wills in order before taking a trip. He convinced the Henwoods to set up a trust and later to invest their modest retirement savings with him. After a suicidal gunman killed their son, 36-year-old San Diego police officer Jeremy Henwood, in 2011, the couple gave Pettit the death benefits and life insurance proceeds to invest, as well. “He told us the money you invest will be safe,” Henwood said, recalling Pettit’s assurances. “And not to worry, the funds were all insured. If the stock market went sideways, you still get your principal back and interest.” Over the years, Pettit earned the trust of the Henwoods and dozens of other clients, becoming a “friend” and “family confidante.” “I’ll tell you, this guy’s friendship and his charm overwhelmed me,” said Henwood, 74, now retired. He said he had more than $1.2 million invested with Pettit.

It all changed this year. He suddenly became hard to reach, not returning clients’ calls or responding to their emails. Pettit’s staff explained his absences by telling Henwood the attorney had a heart condition and was under medical care. But Pettit couldn’t brush off some clients so easily. When a flurry of lawsuits were filed this spring by clients alleging they’d been fleeced, the walls began closing in on him. In a couple of those cases, Pettit seemingly waved a white flag by agreeing to judgments. In one, Pettit admitted he “misappropriated and dissipated” a trust and was ordered to pay more than $10 million in damages. In another, the court found he had “knowingly and intentionally committed theft of $908,148.47.” In a span of less than 10 days beginning May 24, Pettit gave up his law license — to avoid discipline — and sought bankruptcy protection for himself and his now-shuttered law firm. His personal bankruptcy is among the largest ever filed in San Antonio. In his Chapter 11 petition, Pettit listed assets of $27.8 million and debts of $115.2 million. His firm, Chris Pettit & Associates, reported assets valued at no more than $50,000. One creditor’s lawyer told a bankruptcy judge that $50 million or more has gone missing from clients’ accounts. The FBI has been investigating and, according to a source, so has the Internal Revenue Service. A lawyer who has been representing Pettit in the civil litigation didn’t respond to a request for comment. Any pending suits are on hold because of the bankruptcies.