The Robert Pahlke Law Group's beginnings can be traced back to R.M. Van Steenberg (1917 - 1997), or "Van" to his friends and associates. More than 40 years ago, until February of 1965, Van served as a district judge. Then, on February 1, Van teamed up with Frank Winner and Don Wood to start a law firm named Van Steenberg, Winner, and Wood.
In those days, the trio had a partnership for their law firm before they had a permanent roof for it. Worried more about practicing law than keeping rain out, they temporarily worked out of the trunk of a car and out of a local bank before taking up permanent residence at 1904 1st Avenue in Scottsbluff.
Although Winner and Wood departed, Van's pioneering, charismatic leadership led to the formation of The Van Steenberg Firm. In addition to leading the law firm, Van was also president of the Nebraska State Bar and the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys. After Van passed away in 1997 and the firm got above critical mass with a double-digit number of attorneys, it separated into two parts, one of which became Pahlke, Smith, Snyder, Petitt, and Eubanks.
Today, Mr. Pahlke runs The Robert Pahlke Law Group currently located at 2425 Circle Drive, Suite 200, in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Areas of practice include personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, contract litigation, and FELA cases for injured railroad workers.
Since Mr. Pahlke first joined ranks with Van in 1977, his law office has changed names but his law practice has not. In Van's pioneering spirit, The Robert Pahlke Law Group persists and prevails just as Van did more than four decades ago.