Single in the city

Chris Wendland

Like any lawyer worth his salt, Chris Wendland enjoys a good debate now and then. His favorite topics are politics and religion (“speaking to somebody about things that are non-superficial is about the best time that I can have,” he says), but he’s also a huge soccer fan who is conversant in corner kicks, headers, and whether Manchester United will reach the European Cup finals again. Chris, 26, is a 2000 Century High School graduate who returned to Rochester to work at his dad’s law firm after seven years away at the University of Minnesota and William Mitchell College of Law. “After my second year of law school I decided I should come back here,” Chris says. “I really did miss [Rochester]. I never thought I’d say that.”

Age: 26.

Occupation: Attorney at Wendland, Utz, Stahl, & Mintz.

A Kid Of Many Interests: Growing up in Rochester, Wendland played hockey and soccer. He also played guitar in a band (and has played in several bands since). Playing guitar “has been my passion since I was 12,” Chris says.

A Well-Rounded Adult: Chris works hard as a self-described “newbie” lawyer, with a workload ranging from litigation to estate planning to small business formation. He isn’t a workaholic, however. “I’m very cognizant that I need a life,” says Chris, who is a member of the Kiwanis Downtowners service club. Chris still plays hockey, in a Rochester men’s league. He also continues to play guitar (his favorite is Indie Rock) at least a half hour a day, and considers himself a singer-songwriter. “It’s my stress reliever ... I wouldn’t say that I’m really good, just above average. It’s something I love to do.”

Rochester Roots: Chris says that Rochester “has grown by leaps and bounds in just the last five years,” with new restaurants and activities geared toward 20- and 30-somethings. And he always sees familiar faces when he goes out. “It’s one of the nice things about Rochester and one of the things that gets a little on my nerves. You inevitably know somebody when you go to a restaurant or a bar.”

Words His Friends Use To Describe Him: Reserved. Thoughtful (“I kind of pick my moments”). Laid back. Easygoing. Self-deprecating. “The most important thing you can have in life is a sense of humor about yourself.”
Favorite hangout: Whistle Binkies North. “That’s probably the place I go 90 percent of the time.”

Pass The Remote: “The Shield,” “The X-Files,” “Arrested Development,” and “Six Feet Under” are Chris’s favorite TV shows.

Ideal Date: Chris likes to kick off a date with dinner, then attend an event, like a concert, that “you can talk about after for hours.” “I am kind of a people-watcher, and we could talk about all the different people in there, how the band played, how the band presented themselves.”

Pick-Me Ups: Chris generally isn’t a fan of pick-up lines, but he knows what works (and doesn’t). “I have found that if your band is playing and you say that you are in the band, it’s pretty effective. Just telling someone you’re in a band in a random location is usually not that effective.”

Good Company: Whether he’s with a friend or a date, Chris says, “I really like someone who has opinions, whether I agree with them or not. I like people to be strong-willed and not wishy-washy.”