Our Professionals

For nearly 20 years Bob has taken cases to verdict as lead trial lawyer in state and federal courts where the stakes varied from a few thousand dollars to potential damages in excess of a million dollars. Clients rely on that experience and Bob’s advice to achieve business solutions in disputes before they escalate to litigation. Bob’s trial experience and his success in obtaining early judgments for clients before the case gets to trial have earned him a reputation as an excellent advocate and a trusted advisor.

Bob’s practice includes advice and trial court advocacy in the areas of securities and investment claims, business formation and contract disputes, claims and defenses arising under ERISA pension and welfare benefits plans, claims and defenses arising under individual life and disability insurance policies and general litigation and risk assessment.

Representative Matters

• SEC Regulatory and Civil Claims (Securities action)
  Represented CEO and President of closely held corporation with more than $2 billion in asset value in depositions and other proceedings arising from investigation initiated by the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s San Francisco Regional Office. Defeated SEC’s motion for preliminary injunctive relief.
• Oregon Division of Finance and Corporate Securities
  Represented CEO and President of closely held corporation with more than $2 billion in asset value in all phases of investigation and litigation initiated by the Enforcement Division of the Oregon Division of Finance and Securities, to include proceedings pending before administrative law judge.
• Investor Fraud, Venture Capital Fund (Investment fraud)
  One of three lead lawyers for several dozen members of venture capital funds for investigation and trial to verdict against fund manager and accountants. Jury awarded the clients $54,031,222 and an additional $15,000,000 in punitive damages for theft by the manager and complicity by his accountants.
• ERISA Pension Litigation (”Poison Pill” asset claim)
  Defended Fortune 100 company in $20,000,000 putative class action. Court dismissed all claims against the client on summary judgment based on analysis of change in control provisions under state corporate law and controlling principles under ERISA.
• ERISA Pension Litigation (Employee Stock Ownership Plan)
  Achieved seven-figure settlement for ESOP participants and beneficiaries in claims against fiduciaries and advisors. The matter was resolved with all assets distributed within 25 months of the first client conference.
• ERISA Pension Litigation (Taft-Hartley Plans)
  Defense of Taft-Hartley trustees for 13 plans in $500,000,000 pension fraud perpetrated by investment manager, Capital Consultants, LLC. Successful resolution with class participants and Department of Labor with no personal liability against trustees. Successful resolution of claims by trustees against investment manager and advisors resulting in 9-figure recovery for Taft-Hartley plan participants and trustees.
• Class Action Litigation
  Defense of class action certification and litigation in consumer services industry and in pension plan claims.
• Life, Health and Disability
  Defense of more than 100 claims arising under individual and group life insurance contracts and disability income contracts under ERISA and state law. Includes litigation arising from financial services products including annuities and universal, variable and whole life policies as well as consumer credit products. Trial to judgement verdict on individual and group contracts. Representative decisions include: Story v. Safeco Life Ins. Co., 179 Or.App. 688(2002) (JNOV for client affirmed); Richardson v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of America, 161 Or.App. 615 (1999) (summary judgment for client affirmed); Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. Holland, 134 F.Supp.2d 1197 (D.Or. 2001) (declaratory judgment for client under Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Act); Dames v. Paul Revere Life Ins. Co., 49 F.Supp.2d 1194 (D. Or. 1999) (partial summary judgment for client under ERISA); F.N. v. Provident Life and Acc. Ins. Co., 2003 WL 22442972 (dismissing claims for injunctive relief and extra-contractual damages); McKeown v. Paul Revere Life Ins. Co., 2009 WL 1491181 (summary judgment for client affirmed); McAninch-Ruenzi v. Board of Pension of the Presbyterian Church USA, 2007 WL 1039495 (granting client’s partial summary judgment and dismissing adverse attorney fee claims).
• Business Entity Disputes
  Represented individuals and entities in disputes arising out of formation, governance and dissolution of partnerships and limited liability companies.
• Municipalities and Individual Policy Holders
  Defense of claims against municipalities, business entities and individuals in claims ranging from product defects to business disputes to injuries sustained in an attack by a neighbor’s pet leopard.

Peer Review Recognitions

• AV, Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
• Best Lawyers in America