Christopher Below entered law offices directly out of high school and accumulated 13 years of hands-on law office experience before ever enrolling in law school, a path that produced a San Antonio attorney whose practical legal knowledge predates his formal legal education by well over a decade.
Introduction
The Law Offices of Christopher Below operates from Suite 320 at 777 East Sonterra Boulevard in San Antonio, Texas 78258. Christopher Below is a fifth-generation Texan whose connection to the state runs deep, and his professional background is unusual in that his legal career began not in a law school classroom but in the practical environment of working law offices.
By the time Below attended law school, he had already spent 13 years observing, assisting, and developing an understanding of how legal matters are handled in practice. This foundation informs his work across a range of civil and criminal legal matters, with particular depth in personal injury, construction law, estate planning, and alternative dispute resolution.
The firm represents both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation, providing legal counsel from either side of a disputed matter depending on the client’s position and interests.
Below is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the San Antonio Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce Central Texas Region.
Reach the firm at (210) 404-1320 or visit https://alamolaw.com/
Practice Areas
Personal Injury and Catastrophic Injury
The firm handles personal injury cases, including catastrophic injury claims where the severity of harm is significant and the resulting damages are substantial. Catastrophic injuries, those affecting the brain, spinal cord, or involving permanent disability, require a different approach than standard injury claims because the long-term financial and medical consequences must be accurately projected and pursued as part of total damages.
Divorce
Family law matters, specifically divorce proceedings, are within the firm’s practice. Texas divorce cases can involve community property division, child custody and support arrangements, and other issues that benefit from legally precise handling.
Breach of Contract
Contract disputes between individuals and businesses require analysis of the agreement’s terms, the conduct of each party, and the damages caused by the alleged breach. The firm handles these claims in both plaintiff and defendant capacities.
Construction Law
Construction law is a multi-layered practice area that encompasses the legal relationships among property owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and lenders. The firm handles several related subcategories:
Mechanic’s and Materialmen’s Law: Texas law gives contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers the right to place liens on property when they have not been paid for work or materials provided. These lien rights are procedurally demanding and deadline-sensitive. The firm handles both the assertion of lien rights and the defense of lien claims.
Construction Defects: When construction work fails to meet applicable standards and the resulting defects cause damage or loss, the property owner may have claims against the builder, architect, or other responsible parties. These cases often require expert testimony about construction standards and defect causation.
Deceptive Practices: Claims under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act may arise in construction and consumer contexts when one party engages in misrepresentation or other deceptive conduct.
Roof and Hail Claims: Texas experiences significant storm activity, and disputes over insurance coverage and contractor performance in roof and hail damage contexts are a recurring legal matter. The firm handles the legal dimensions of these disputes.
Estate Planning
Wills and estate planning provide clients with the legal structure to direct what happens to their assets and, where relevant, their dependents after their death. The firm handles estate planning matters for San Antonio residents and those in surrounding areas.
Workers Compensation and Nonsubscriber Cases
Texas allows employers to opt out of the state workers compensation system, making them “nonsubscribers.” When an employee of a nonsubscribing employer is injured on the job, the legal options and remedies differ significantly from those under the standard workers compensation system. The firm handles both workers compensation claims and nonsubscriber cases, a distinction that matters considerably for injured workers depending on their employer’s insurance status.
Criminal Cases
The firm handles criminal matters, providing defense representation for individuals facing criminal charges.
Land Boundary Disputes
Property boundary disputes involve surveys, deed interpretation, easements, and other issues that require both legal analysis and, frequently, expert input from surveyors and engineers. The firm represents clients in these disputes.
Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Christopher Below has developed extensive experience in mediation and alternative dispute resolution. His work in this area has resulted in substantial client savings, a meaningful outcome given that litigation is expensive and time-consuming for both sides. Alternative dispute resolution, when it is appropriate to the matter and both parties are willing, can resolve disputes faster and at lower cost than trial while still producing enforceable agreements.
This experience also serves clients whose cases do proceed to litigation: an attorney familiar with how disputes are resolved through negotiation and mediation is well-positioned to assess when litigation is necessary and when other paths are more advantageous.
Attorney Profile
Christopher Below is a fifth-generation Texan with deep roots in San Antonio and the surrounding region. His legal career began in law offices directly after high school, and by the time he formally entered law school, he had accumulated 13 years of practical legal experience. This background gives him a working knowledge of how law offices function, how matters are managed, and how cases develop from intake through resolution.
He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the San Antonio Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce Central Texas Region. His membership in the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce reflects community engagement that extends beyond the practice of law.
Location
The Law Offices of Christopher Below is located at 777 East Sonterra Boulevard, Suite 320, San Antonio, Texas 78258.
Phone: (210) 404-1320
Website: https://alamolaw.com/
Client Focus
The firm represents both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation, a flexibility that allows it to serve clients across a broader range of situations than strictly plaintiff-side or defense-side practices. Whether a client is bringing a claim or defending against one, the firm provides legal representation.
The breadth of practice areas means clients with multiple legal needs, such as a contractor facing both a construction defect claim and a workers compensation matter, may be able to address both through the same firm rather than seeking separate counsel for each.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the firm handle both sides of disputes?
Yes. The Law Offices of Christopher Below represents both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation matters. This includes personal injury claims, breach of contract disputes, construction cases, and other civil litigation.
What is a nonsubscriber case, and how is it different from workers compensation?
Texas allows employers to opt out of the workers compensation system. When they do, they are nonsubscribers. Injured employees of nonsubscribing employers have different legal rights than those covered by standard workers compensation. Nonsubscriber claims are typically pursued in civil court, and employers lose certain defenses they would otherwise have under the workers compensation system.
What types of construction cases does the firm handle?
The firm handles mechanic’s and materialmen’s lien matters, construction defects, deceptive practices claims, and roof and hail disputes. These cases arise from a range of contractor, property owner, and insurer relationships in the construction context.
What is mediation, and how does it save clients money?
Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution where a neutral third party facilitates negotiation between disputing parties. When successful, it resolves the dispute without trial, which reduces litigation costs and time significantly. Christopher Below has extensive mediation experience that has produced substantial savings for clients.
What bar associations is Christopher Below a member of?
Below is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the San Antonio Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce Central Texas Region.
Closing
Thirteen years of practical law office experience before law school, combined with a career spanning personal injury, construction law, estate planning, alternative dispute resolution, and criminal defense, positions Christopher Below as a San Antonio attorney whose preparation for practice began long before formal legal training. For civil or criminal legal matters in the San Antonio area, contact the Law Offices of Christopher Below at (210) 404-1320 or visit 777 East Sonterra Boulevard, Suite 320, San Antonio, Texas 78258.