Texas Lawyer Spotlights Chasnoff | Stribling
Chasnoff Valkenaar & Stribling, LLP had the honor of being featured in a recent article in Texas Lawyer regarding the firm’s formation. Barry Chasnoff, Manuel , Matthew Pepping, and Blake Stribling came together this past April to start a modern new law firm that provides clients with the high-value legal services of a big firm and the flexibility and custom solutions of a boutique practice.
Barry Chasnoff was previously the General Counsel for Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld before reaching the firm’s mandatory retirement age in 2017. Manuel , Matthew Pepping, and Blake Stribling all left Norton Rose Fulbright in San Antonio to found the firm.
After spending many years in some of the world’s largest law firms, the founding partners decided to come together to create a firm that would provide exceptional service to its clients from a far more accessible platform.
As Blake explained, “I knew this platform was good for the businesses we represent. It allows us to provide the same quality they’re used to with more flexibility. It lets us continue to invest in and serve the relationships right here in San Antonio and throughout Texas that are so important to us.”
Manuel added, “We are able to avoid a lot of the overhead and costs that kind of get associated with big firms. We don’t have a New York office. We don’t have a London office—that high rent that kind of gets build into the hourly rate at a big firm.”
Matthew noted the attorneys have nothing but good things to say about Norton Rose and their former colleagues. While they are grateful for the experience gained at Norton Rose, they are excited to start their own firm and have the opportunity to cultivate a new generation of associate attorneys.
The four partners started the firm in April, and it has quickly grown. Associate attorneys Scott Stolle and Charles Nwabueze both joined the firm this summer, while associate attorneys Elizabeth Hartsell and Adrianna Jimenez are set to start in August. The firm anticipates hiring more lawyers later this year. Their current office has enough space for fourteen lawyers and the partners are excited to start filling offices with dedicated attorneys.
All four of the firm’s founding partners have significant litigation experience. Barry Chasnoff focuses on legal malpractice defense work for other law firms and their insurers, Blake Stribling focuses on general commercial litigation, and Matthew Pepping and Manuel advise insurers on coverage issues and represent them in coverage litigation.