Attorneys

Stu Chaney

Associate Attorney

J. Stuart Chaney represents landowners in real estate, condemnation, and eminent domain lawsuits.  He focuses his practice on representing and protecting Texas property owners facing contract disputes, condemnation, and eminent domain lawsuits.  Stu has handled cases involving the taking of ranches, homes, commercial and residential developments, retailers, restaurants, vineyards, hotels, apartment complexes, quarries, gas stations, and convenience stores. 

Stu defends Texas landowners against takings by the State of Texas, counties, municipalities, oil and gas companies, pipeline companies, and electric transmission line companies. He has represented property owners facing eminent domain takings at all stages up to and including trial, regularly handling special commissioners’ hearings, contested hearings, and other court proceedings.

Originally from Brownsville, Texas, Stu graduated from the University of Kansas in 2008.  He then spent time working for the Texas House of Representatives as a legislative assistant and assistant committee clerk and taught business English to corporate executives in Barcelona, Spain. Stu started with the firm as an intern in 2012, before attending The University of Kansas School of Law, where he graduated in 2016.

He is admitted to practice in Texas, is a member of the Austin Bar Association and the Austin Young Lawyers Association, and is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.

Contact

[email protected]

Education

  • B.A., Political Science, University of Kansas, 2008
  • J.D., University of Kansas School of Law, 2016

Awards

  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2024)
  • Super Lawyers: Rising Stars (2024)
  • Lawdragon’s list of “The Next Generation of 500 Leading Lawyers in America” (2023)

Publications and Presentations

  • “Eminent Domain: Projects, Procedure, & Valuation” – Presentation at Texas A&M Agrilife “Owning
    Your Piece of Texas: Key Laws Texas Landowners Need to Know” Conference, April 23, 2024 (San
    Angelo, Texas)
  • “Eminent Domain: Projects, Procedure, & Valuation” – Presentation at Texas A&M Agrilife “Owning
    Your Piece of Texas: Key Laws Texas Landowners Need to Know” Conference, February 20, 2024
    (Tyler, Texas)
  • “Eminent Domain: Projects, Procedure, & Valuation” – Presentation at Texas A&M Agrilife “Owning
    Your Piece of Texas: Key Laws Texas Landowners Need to Know” Conference, September 26,
    2023 (Emory, Texas)
  • “Legal Update: Developments in Case Law and Legislation” – Publication and Presentation at Texas
    Eminent Domain Institute, CLE International’s 6th Annual Texas Eminent Domain Conference,
    August 10-11, 2023 (Houston, Texas)
  •  University of Texas School of Law – “Eminent Domain and Condemnation” – Guest Lecturer (May
    2023)
  • “Gillespie County Eminent Domain: Projects, Procedure, & Valuation” – Presentation at Texas A&M Agrilife “Owning Your Piece of Texas: Key Laws Texas Landowners Need to Know” Conference, September 12, 2022 (Fredericksburg, Texas)
  • “Establishing Damages in Texas Eminent Domain Cases” – Publication and Presentation at Texas Bar CLE: 13th Annual Damages in Civil Litigation Seminar, February 25, 2021 (Virtual Event)
  • “Texas Eminent Domain & Condemnation: The Tension Between Demographic Growth, Infrastructure Projects, and Protecting Private Property Rights” – Presentation at Texas A&M Agrilife “Landowner Laws and Responsibilities” Virtual Series, November 6, 2020 (Virtual Event)