Robert A. Rich

Partner

  • Office Contact Info
  • Biography

    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 practice groups. 

    Toxic Tort

    Robert’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-butly acetate, petroleum distillate and xylene.  

    Asbestos  

    Robert 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. Robert was honored by Owens Corning Fiberglas 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

    Robert has extensive aviation experience, and has handled a variety of air crash litigation cases.  He is a commercial qualified pilot holding multiengine and instrument pilot ratings, and owns a Beechcraft Bonanza A36 aircraft hangered near San Francisco International Airport. 

    Robert has spoken at numerous regional and national seminars on toxic tort litigation, and annually helps teach a course on Trial Advocacy at Stanford Law School.   Robert resides in Los Altos, California with his wife, who is a physician, and his two children who are in junior high and high school.

    Admissions

    • California
    • Florida

    Memberships

    • American and California State Bar Associations
    • American Trial Lawyers Association
  • Practice Areas
  • Representative Experience

    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)

  • Publications & Presentations

    Presentations

    • 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

  • Education

    Education

    J.D., University of Maryland, 1980

    B.A., University of Maryland, 1977

    Honors

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

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