Bob has been a litigator for more than 20 years. He has handled a wide variety of cases, including business, employment, investment, real estate, professional liability, personal tort, and, of course, family law matters.
He appreciates that each family law case has its undercurrents and that navigating the case to conclusion requires constant monitoring and occasional redirection. He also believes that a negotiated solution is usually best and that the way to achieve one is to prepare the case on the assumption that it won't settle ... until it does.
Bob has worked on a variety of family law matters with our firm, litigation and transactional, including: divorce litigation involving high conflict, substantial assets, and the laws of other countries; child custody litigation; domestic violence litigation; premarital, marital, and settlement agreements; communications with clients, opposing counsel, and the court; and remote appearances.
For example, in January 2020, he convinced the court, through written opposition alone, that premarital provisions that supposedly obligated our client to pay spousal support and attorney fees were unenforceable; this was a game-changing victory for the client.
As another example, in August 2020, he resolved a contentious, international divorce dispute after months of negotiation regarding assets in Taiwan and California and the application of Taiwan and California divorce law.
We routinely look to Bob for help with our most contentious cases, especially when they involve complex legal issues or detailed matters of proof. His attention to detail, knowledge of civil procedure, familiarity with criminal law, and willingness and ability to learn the laws of other jurisdictions when the needs arise are all assets to our firm.
Honors & Recognition
Bob is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell and his related peer review feedback includes the following:
- "[Bob] has litigated real estate and commercial matters in my court. I have extensive knowledge of his abilities. He is one of the best lawyers in these fields in San Francisco."
- "[Bob] is a formidable opponent but an even-tempered ‘straight shooting’ one. He is dead serious in advocating for his client, but does not pick petty quarrels. I respect him as an attorney, as an opponent and as a person ...."
- "[Bob] is an excellent lawyer. His thoroughness is unmatched."*
Education
He is a graduate of San Francisco's Lowell High School. He earned his B.A. with Highest Distinction at the University of California, Berkeley (Phi Beta Kappa) in two majors, Anthropology and Geography, and was awarded the Departmental Citation in Geography. He earned his J.D. at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Personal Life
When he is not practicing law, he likes to spend time with his family (he is married with four children) and pursue outside interests, notably surfing, hiking, and journalism. Regarding the latter, he is currently Senior Editor for Chile Today, an English-language news platform in Chile, and Director of Development for Fundación Conbo, an educational foundation in Chile that fosters the development of English-language journalism in South America through university, secondary, and other school programs.
* This peer review feedback does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. AV Preeminent® and BV Distinguished® are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the Bar and the Judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell Ratings fall into two categories - legal ability and general ethical standards.
