Christopher Carling
Attorney
Chris grew up in the SF Bay Area. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UC Santa Barbara (2000 and 2002) and his law degree from Willamette University College of Law in 2007. Prior to joining Kerley Schaffer in 2016, Chris was an attorney at Chapman & Intrieri LLP, where he represented homeowners’ associations in complex construction defect litigation and served as general counsel, advising associations on all aspects of management, operation, and dispute resolution.
Tae Kang
Case Manager
Tae graduated cum laude from University of Rochester (2004) and is currently attending law school.
Edward Kerley
Partner
Edward graduated from Claremont McKenna (1986) and USC Law School (1994). His practice is focused on trial work. He has tried state and federal cases involving insurance fraud, various commercial disputes, insurance bad-faith, and wrongful termination. Prior to founding the firm, he held positions with law firms both in the U.S. and Middle East.
Sonia Parnoutsoukian
Legal Assistant
Sonia received her bachelor’s degrees in psychology and rhetoric from the UC Berkeley (2017) and will pursue her Juris Doctorate in the near future. Upon retirement from law, Sonia hopes to fulfill her dreams of opening a bakery to spread true happiness and frosting.
Nicholas Peterson
Attorney
Nicholas is a native of Seattle, WA. He graduated summa cum laude/valedictorian from Northwest University in 2000. Nicholas also performed and recorded as a drummer, percussionist and singer with numerous bands, with one album achieving “Gold” status in the U.S., and both “Gold” and “Platinum” status in the U.K. in 2008. He then earned his JD from UC Hastings College of the Law in 2012, where he was a senior editor with the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly and graduated cum laude with a concentration in civil litigation. Prior to joining Kerley Schaffer in 2017, Nicholas was an attorney at Kornblum, Cochran, Erickson & Harbison, LLP, where he also represented policyholders in various insurance disputes.
Dylan Schaffer
Partner
Dylan graduated from Cornell University (1986) and magna cum laude from UC Hastings College of the Law (1990). He clerked in the Ninth Circuit and then spent a year teaching at Stanford. Bored with academic life, he went to work for Dennis Riordan, one of California’s leading appellate specialists. Dylan went out on his own in 2001, specializing in trial consulting and complex appeals, in both criminal and civil matters. He joined Edward Kerley’s practice in 2014.
Noah Perry
Paralegal
Noah received his bachelor’s in broadcasting and electronic communication from San Francisco State University. He spent a decade producing and recording music for television, documentaries, local artists, and record labels. After graduating from UCLA’s paralegal program in 2016, Noah was a member of Bet Tzedek Legal Services conservatorship program helping low-income families secure conservatorship for their disabled loved ones. At Kerley Schaffer, he serves as paralegal, office manager, and general major-domo.
Tiffany Chang
Legal Assistant
Tiffany graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in legal studies and film. Although she misses her home in LA, she decided to stay north, joining Kerley Schaffer where she assists on both the litigation and personal injury sides of the firm. Her goal is to go to law school and eventually merge her interests in movies and law.