Cobb & Gonzalez: Focused on Growth & Expansion

For Chris Cobb, stepping away from the managing partner role is not a retreat, but a recalibration. “That doesn’t mean that I’m retiring or slowing down,” Cobb explains. “Rather, it’s about shifting my focus.”

As an owner, he remains actively involved on the executive committee and continues to practice law, while directing more of his energy toward long-term expansion, which includes everything from the construction of a new headquarters or purchased office space to the exploration of satellite locations. “It will be a lot more about working on the business, not working in the business,” he says.

For Gonzalez, the transition brings a broader, more strategic lens to his daily work. “My day-to-day responsibilities will involve fewer individual matters and far more responsibility for setting direction, removing obstacles, and making sure our lawyers and paralegals have what they need to do their best work,” he says. “It’s a shift from being primarily a practitioner to being a steward of the firm’s people, culture, and long-term strategy—a responsibility that Chris and I both take very seriously.

“Five years ago, most of my concerns were tactical—case outcomes, deadlines, individual performance,” Gonzalez continues. “Today, I’m more focused on sustainability: how we grow without losing the culture and judgment that made the firm successful in the first place. Scale introduces new risks like consistency, mentorship, and decision-making at speed. These risks require a different kind of vigilance than winning the motion that takes place later this week. Don’t get me wrong, that is still very important, just different.”

For the partners, changes signal not just growth, but intention—a firm deliberately positioning itself for what comes next while remaining grounded in the principles that have fueled its success.