Attorneys

Before joining the firm in 1988, Bob served as a Supervising Attorney for the Alaska Legal Services Corporation, as a State Assistant Public Defender, and as a State Assistant District Attorney. In these positions, Bob conducted class action litigation and many jury trials, including trials as long as eight months.

Bob offers diverse experience in trial work, appellate representation, and litigation. His clients and cases involve business and contract concerns and litigation, construction claims and disputes, products liability and personal injury defense, defense of employers, representation and defense of school districts, medical centers and hospitals, and representation of Alaska Native Corporations in state and federal court. Bob has served as trial counsel for the state of Alaska in constitutional challenges to state statutes and in the defense of state agencies.

In addition to his general litigation practice, Bob represents many of the small Southeast Alaska municipalities as their Municipal Attorney for municipal matters and in defending the municipalities in litigation. He has served in that capacity for several of the municipalities since 1992.

Bob teaches trial advocacy and deposition programs as a member of the National Faculty for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. He has taught on several occasions at the national trial advocacy session in Colorado, on a regular basis in Chicago and Los Angeles, and in New Zealand. Bob has been on the Emory University School of Law Trial Techniques program faculty since 2000. In addition to trial advocacy and deposition programs, Bob has taught programs related to expert witnesses and mediation.

Areas of Practice

• Commercial litigation
• Municipal law
• Personal injury
• Insurance defense
• Construction claims
• Construction contracts
• Alaska Native Corporation representation & litigation
• Products liability
• Anti-trust litigation
• Professional liability
• Employment issues and employer defense
• School District representation and defense
• Mediation & arbitration services
• Hospital & Medical Center representation and defense

Alaska Supreme Court Cases

• Kalenka v Jadon, Inc., 305 P. 3d. 346 (Alaska 2013)
• Button v. Haines Borough, 208 P. 3d 194 (Alaska 2009)
• State v. Murtaugh, 169 P. 3d 602 (Alaska 2007)
• City of Skagway v. Robertson, 143 P. 3rd 965 (Alaska 2006)
• Morgan v. Fortis Benefits Insurance Co., 107 P.3d 267 (Alaska 2005)
• State Department of Health and Social Services v. Sandsness, 72 P.3d 299 (Alaska 2003)
• In re 2001 Redistricting Cases, 44 P. 3d. 141(Alaska 2002)
• Alaska General Alarm, Inc. v. Grinnell, 1 P.3d 98 (Alaska 2000)
• Linstad v. Sitka School District, 963 P. 2d 246 (Alaska 1998)
• Confederated Tribes & Bands of Yakima Indian Nation v. Baldridge, 91 F. 3d 1366 (9th Cir. 1996)
• Hickel v. Southeast Conference, 846 P. 2d 38 (Alaska 1992)
• Zartman v. State, 667 P. 2d 1256 (Alaska App. 1983)
• Gutterman v. First National Bank, 597 P. 2d 969 (Alaska 1979)

OTHER CASES OF NOTE

Cruise Lines International Association v. City and Borough of Juneau, Case No. 1:16-cv-00008-HRH (representing the City and Borough of Juneau) (Federal District Court for the District of Alaska)

City and Borough of Wrangell v. IBEW, et.al., Case No. 1 WR-16-49 CIV (representing the City and Borough of Wrangell) (First Judicial District, State of Alaska)

Miller Construction Equipment Sales, Inc. v. Clark Equipment Company d/b/a Doosan, Case No.: 1:15-cv-00007-HRH (representing Clark/Doosan) (Federal District Court for the District of Alaska)

City and Borough of Juneau v. APARC Systems, Inc. Case No. 1:14-cv-00001-JWS (representing the City and Borough of Juneau) (Federal District Court for the District of Alaska)

City and Borough of Wrangell v. Noel D. Selle-Rea, et.al. Case No. 1WR-12-00055 CI (representing the City and Borough of Wrangell) (First Judicial District, State of Alaska)

Curtis v. CCI, Inc. Case No.:  2BA-09-40 CI (representing CCI, Inc.—Defense Verdict jury trial, Barrow, Alaska, Second Judicial District, State of Alaska)

Admitted 

• Alaska, 1977
• U.S. District Court, District of Alaska, 1978
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1991