Leaving a Legacy
As a boy growing up in Fargo, North Dakota, Chris Kennelly (’97 J.D.) knew exactly what he wanted to be. Not a fireman. Not an astronaut. Not a professional football player. No, in sixth grade, Kennelly wrote a paper about his dream of becoming an accountant and a lawyer.
His grandfather ran an insurance agency, his father was a controller at a tractor factory, and his uncle was a lawyer. If those pursuits were good enough for the men he looked up to, then some combination of them would suit him just fine. He’s a grounded, practical man. And one gets the feeling that if young Kennelly had been able to gaze into a crystal ball, he would’ve nodded in sage-like approval at how his story turned out.
Over the course of his career, Kennelly has formed more than a thousand business entities, helping guide clients from the birth of their business through its entire life cycle. He advises them on contracts, employment issues, partnerships, mergers, and tying up loose ends after winding down. He cofounded Kennelly Business Law in Fargo, North Dakota in 2016. He also owns the Frontier Title Group, which operates title companies across North Dakota. He loves his community today as much as he always has.
“People have a lot of respect for tradition and for the families who worked hard to build that community,” Kennelly says. “The vast majority of our practice comes from long-time family friends and word-of-mouth referrals. Every client is different, every case is different. But over time you develop real expertise.”
Kennelly built the foundation of his expertise at Gonzaga Law. When it came time to choose a law school, he knew exactly where to look. His uncle graduated from Gonzaga and went on to a successful career practicing law in Cathlamet, Washington. When Kennelly arrived in 1994, he threw himself into the Law Clinic, working under professors Al McNeil (’70, ’77 J.D.), Larry Weiser (’76 J.D.), and George Critchlow (’77 J.D.).
“Their generosity modeled something for me,” Kennelly says.
He’s also made service a large part of his life, through pro bono work and his philanthropic endeavors with his wife, Nan. They recently made a significant gift to the Gonzaga Law School Foundation, endowing the Kennelly Center for Law, Ethics & Commerce (K-CLEC). He hopes this will help continue to give students the kind of practical, business-focused experience he got here.
“I’m also looking forward to volunteering my time and working with the programs on new ideas,” he says. “I’m just looking forward to giving back.”
Nan Kennelly works as a speech-language pathologist. She supported Kennelly through law school while working at St. Luke’s Rehab Institute, back when they shared one car and she could walk across the street to work. When they moved back to Fargo, she started her own private practice in 2005, Onword Therapy, the first outpatient adult speech pathology practice in North Dakota.
“We’ve been in business more than 20 years now,” she says. “And I still love what I do.”
The Kennellys’ connection to Gonzaga now spans more than six decades and continues to deepen. Their son recently graduated with an undergraduate degree in engineering and their daughter graduated from Gonzaga Law in 2025. Professor Critchlow served as her advisor, too.
“There’s a culture here of connection and support that feels genuinely special,” Kennelly says. “Lifelong friendships are made here. The students who come through Gonzaga Law go on to embody the Jesuit spirit of the place, the commitment to helping others. I hope to continue to find ways to pass that on.”