Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP. logo.

Robert A. Rich

Partner

Contact

Locations

Download PDF

Robert Rich is a Partner in GRSM’s San Francisco and Walnut Creek offices and is a member of the firm’s Environmental & Toxic Tort and Aviation practices.

Toxic Tort

Bob’s practice focuses on toxic tort litigation. He has handled a wide variety of toxic tort cases involving product liability and chemical exposure litigation to silica, glycol ethers, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, n-butyl acetate, petroleum distillate, and xylene.

Asbestos

Bob has tried more than 30 mesothelioma cases to verdict in California and throughout the Country and achieved defense verdicts in almost every case he has tried. Bob was honored by Owens Corning Fiberglass Corporation – the target defendant in the asbestos litigation – when he was given the “Star” award for the attorney with the best trial record in the country.

Aviation

Bob has extensive aviation experience and has handled a variety of air crash litigation cases. He is a multiengine and instrument rated pilot and owns a 1979 Beechcraft Bonanza A36 aircraft hangered near San Francisco International Airport.

Bob has spoken at numerous national seminars on toxic tort litigation and helps teach a course on Trial Advocacy at Stanford Law School. Bob resides in Los Altos, California with his wife Anita, who is a physician, and his two children, Ariana who is a senior at Brandeis University, and David who is a freshman at Cal Berkeley.

Representative Experience

Examples of Mr. Rich's trial results include the following cases:

  • McCulley vs. Hennessy (Cedar Rapids, defense verdict)

  • Urban vs. Hennessy (Madison County, defense verdict)

  • Knutsen vs. Hennessy (Oakland, defense verdict)

  • Abbiss v. Owens Corning (Orange County, five defense verdicts)

  • Andrews v. Owens Corning (West Palm Beach, defense verdict)

  • Dye v. Owens Corning (San Francisco, defense verdict)

  • Falgout v. Owens Corning (Galveston, defense verdict)

  • Hammesfahr vs. Owens Corning (Miami, $110,000 plaintiff’s verdict)

  • Hansen v. Owens Corning (San Francisco, defense verdict)

  • Peiffer v. Owens Corning (San Francisco, defense verdict)

  • Phillips v. Owens Corning (San Francisco, defense verdict)

  • Reiger v. Owens Corning (Orange County, defense verdict)

  • Soteriou v. Owens Corning (Oakland, defense verdict)

  • Swasey vs. Hennessy  (Oakland, defense verdict)

  • Linsowe vs. Hennessy (Los Angeles, defense verdict)

  • COVID-19 and the Asbestos Litigation, Travelers Insurance (April and June 2020)

  • Emerging Issues in Asbestos and Talc Science in the Courtroom, Defense Asbestos Litigation Seminar, Nashville, Tennessee, June 27-29, 2018

  • Motions for Preference and Choice of Law Issues, Defense Research Institute Asbestos Medicine Conference, Las Vegas, November 2-3, 2017

  • Mesothelioma Update, Perrin Asbestos Litigation Conference: A National Overview & Outlook, San Francisco, California, September 25-27, 2017

  • California Legal Update, Defense Asbestos Litigation Seminar, Las Vegas, Nevada, June 8-10, 2016

Admissions

  • California
  • Florida

Memberships

  • American and California State Bar Associations
  • American Trial Lawyers Association

Education

  • J.D., University of Maryland, 1980
  • B.A., University of Maryland, 1977

Honors

  • Top Rated Lawyer-AV® Preeminent™,
    Martindale-Hubbell

Related Content

Legal Alert

California Court of Appeal Reverses $10.6M Asbestos Verdict on “Sophisticated User” Grounds

November 2024
Firm News

Gordon & Rees Partners to Present at 2022 DRI Asbestos Medicine & Appellate Advocacy Seminars

October 2022
Accolade

Daily Journal Recognizes Gordon & Rees Defense Win Among Top 20 Verdicts in 2019

February 2020