Briefing and Appellate Expertise

Modern judges have spoken: Written briefs are the most important part of any appeal. Even in the trial court, there’s no substitute for a well-executed brief. In every situation, you need your brief to stand out among the hundreds of others piled on your judge’s desk.

Rob is a recognized legal writer. In addition to his own clients, Rob’s colleagues both inside and outside the firm routinely engage him to write and assist with complex and critical briefs. He’s served on the Board of Advisers for the Academy of American Legal Writers and the critical-reading panels for Black’s Law Dictionary and Garner’s Modern American Usage. He occasionally posts at his legal-writing blog, The Heavy Pencil.

Rob has handled appeals all over the country. Before joining NBWT, he co-chaired mega-firm Seyfarth Shaw’s national Appellate Team. He is admitted to practice in the Texas Supreme Court, all other courts in Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court, nine of the 13 U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the U.S. Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.

Labor and Employment

Rob has been representing major clients in labor-and-employment litigation since he was a First Lieutenant at Laughlin AFB. From single-plaintiff discrimination cases to complex litigation such as collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Rob has handled it all.

Broad Subject-Matter Experience

Rob’s practice has exposed him to a broad spectrum of legal issues—a by-product of his 30-plus years in practice, and a defining characteristic of almost any appellate practice. He has handled commercial disputes in multiple industries, consumer-finance cases, product-liability actions, environmental litigation, and trademark suits. He was even a criminal prosecutor in the Air Force. This diverse palette of work has fostered Rob’s adaptability and given him the tools to handle virtually any kind of appeal.

Professional Recognition

• Martindale-Hubbell AV-Preeminent rating
• America’s Best Lawyers every year since 2017
• Irish Legal 100 every year since 2020
• Benchmark Litigation Star every year since 2020

Education

• The University of Texas at Austin – M.B.A., 1992
• The University of Texas at Austin – J.D., 1991
• The University of Texas at Austin – B.B.A. 1987, cum laude

Admissions

Rob is permanently admitted to practice in courts from border to border and coast to coast:

• All Texas state courts
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
• U.S. Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals
• U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas
• SU.. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas

He has also had the privilege of being admitted pro hac vice to many other courts:

• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
• U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
• U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona
• Circuit Court of Charlevoix County, Michigan
• Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Illinois

He has also led the briefing on scores of appellate briefs and motions in state courts in New England, amassing a near-perfect record in mortgage-foreclosure appeals.

Personal

Rob is a native Long Islander who moved to Texas at age 12. He’s been a solid Texan ever since. He and his wife live in beautiful Canyon Lake, Texas. He has three grown kids. He can often be found tinkering with his 1961 Thunderbird (formerly his grandmother’s) or brushing up on his luthiery skills.