Robert Chávez received both his B.S. in Public Administration and his Juris Doctorate degree, on a merit scholarship, from the University of Southern California in 1983 and 1986, respectively. While at USC, he was an All-American and NCAA champion volleyball player, as well as a recipient of the David Marx Foundation Scholar Athlete Award of Honor. He is one of three family members with professions in law: his father, Victor E. Chávez is a former presiding judge of Los Angeles County; his sister, Victoria M. Chávez, is a 2006 appellate court appointee.

Prior to joining Wilkes & McHugh, P.A. in 2002, Mr. Chávez was a partner at Ford, Walker, Haggerty & Behar, L.L.P. Over the course of his career, Mr. Chávez has practiced civil defense representing clients including dentists, police officers, lawyers, sheriff deputies, and insurance companies.

In June of 2005 Mr. Chávez won what is believed to be the largest abuse award in the history of Los Angeles County. The $12.83 million verdict on behalf of his client, a dependant adult, was the second largest abuse verdict in the history of the state of California.

Mr. Chávez has made numerous other accomplishments throughout his career, including being selected in 2007 as one of the “Best Lawyers in America.” In 2006, he was named one of the “Los Angeles Area’s Best Lawyers” and a Southern California Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine. Additionally, Mr. Chávez is a founding member of the Association of Volleyball Professionals, whose tour he competed on for 16 years.

Mr. Chávez is licensed to practice law in Arizona and California. He is a member of the State Bar of California, the Consumer Attorneys of California, the Consumer Attorney Association of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the American Board of Trial Advocates.