Curriculum Vitae : Robert S. Arns

Bob always introduces himself as a “family lawyer.” Since 1975 he has had offices in San Francisco and has represented families living on the West Coast and other states where the bread winner of the family or a loved one has suffered a tragic death or catastrophic injury. To Bob, “family lawyer” does not mean a lawyer who represents a husband or wife going though a divorce. Rather, a “family lawyer” is a lawyer who has the grave responsibility of regaining the family dignity that existed before the tragedy and giving the family their economic freedom.

Bob has many prized possessions he has received from his clients after the resolution of their cases. One of his most cherished possessions is a beautiful eagle sculpture which reads “Thank you for giving our family freedom.”

It has always been Bob’s dream to have a building devoted to the representation of his clients. In March 2003 The Arns Law Firm purchased the building at 515 Folsom Street. On March 1, 2004, after completing tenant improvements, The Arns Law Firm moved into this space which was designed solely for the efficient representation of families in grave need of legal help. The Arns Law Firm physical plant is set up to mock try cases to 36 persons and break up into 3 jury panels of 12 which are videotaped in three separate deliberation rooms (one of the deliberation rooms is viewable through a one way mirror).

As a trial lawyer Bob is most fulfilled by being surrounded by his incredible clients who represent the highest work ethic in our country and who make up impressive families. Further, Bob is always amazed at the commitment of the legal assistants and lawyers in his office. Every lawyer in Bob’s office has obtained numerous seven figure and eight figure verdicts and has the heart to fight relentlessly for families in need. Bob’s dream –his experiment – in forming The Arns Law Firm- is now being fulfilled beyond his expectations.

LEGAL CAREER

  • Since 1975 has only represented plaintiffs in personal injury and death cases throughout the country as an attorney in San Francisco
  • Resolved over 250 million and multi-million dollar cases by trial and settlement for working families; four eight figure verdicts
  • Founded The Arns Law Firm in San Francisco in December 1996
  • San Francisco Trial Lawyer of the Year 2004 for San Francisco, finalist in 2001 and 2003
  • Finalist for California Trial Lawyer of the Year 2002, 2003 and 2004 (Consumer Attorneys of California), this award started in 2002, CAOC is the largest trial bar in the United States
  • Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco teaching trial practice to 3rd year law students.
  • 2005 Selected by the State Bar of California to present the inaugural “Superstars of Trial” presentation to practicing lawyers throughout the state (only one plaintiff lawyer and one defense lawyer chosen to present program)
  • Through peer review elected not only one of the top Super Lawyers in Northern California (there are over 90,000 lawyers in Northern California - this includes lawyers practicing in all specialties of law) but was elected out of those 90,000 lawyers one of the top 100 lawyers in Northern California
  • Included in The Best Lawyers in America © which is regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States

EDUCATION

  • 1971 Graduated with Highest Honors from U.C. Santa Barbara with BA in English
  • 1975 Graduated Cum Laude (top 10% of class) from University of San Francisco Law School, Managing Editor of the Law Review, Moot Court Champion

PERSONAL

Date of Birth: March 25, 1949 Portland, Oregon
Marital Status: Married Anne Marie Arns on 6/24/72
Children: Christopher age 28 Allison age 25

LEGAL SPECIALTY

  • Serious injury and death cases arising out of
    1. construction project incidents
    2. product failures
    3. railroad and Jones Act incidents
    4. other tort cases resulting in serious injury and/or death
    5. medical appliance failures
  • Class actions
  • Unfair business practice and unfair competition cases including wage and hour cases

MEMBERSHIPS

  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Chosen to participate in Masters in Trial Presentation February 2004 in San Francisco, billed as the “best of the best” trial lawyers
  • Consumer Attorneys of California, Executive Committee, Board of Governors
  • San Francisco Trial Lawyers, Board of Directors
  • AV Rating Martindale-Hubbell -- means highest ability and highest ethics

MISC. CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

  • Professor of Law, University of San Francisco teaching Trial Practice to 3rd year law students
  • 2005 Requested by State Bar of California to present their “Stars of Trial” Lecture Series (one plaintiff lawyer, one defense lawyer, one judge)
  • Trial of England v. Swinerton in San Francisco resulted in a verdict of $21,000,000. Jason England was a 30 year old construction worker who was rendered a paraplegic when he fell 12 feet on a job site while spreading metal decking. The incident was caused by defendants leaving an obstruction which made it unsafe to spread deck. This is one of the four highest paraplegic verdicts in California. (Offer before trial $2,500,000.)
  • $12,700,000 for construction worker who fell; verdict was enhanced by $3,000,000 for prejudgment interest and penalties against defendants for failure to provide evidence; workers compensation case settled for $2,000,000 for a gross amount of $17,700,000
  • Trial of Gorewitz v. Toyota in Alameda County resulted in a net verdict and judgment of $11,100,000.00. Decedent, a 39 year old truck driver, was killed while commuting to work when defendant Toyota Transport big rig carrying auto parts to the NUMMI plant in Freemont. This is the highest verdict for a wrongful death case in the history of California. (Offer before trial $1,500,000.)
  • Trial of the Minert v. UCI Construction in Contra Costa county resulted in a verdict of $6,480,000.00. Plaintiff, a construction worker was fell and struck his head with resulting brain damage. This was the highest personal injury verdict ever awarded in Contra Costa County. (Offer before trial $0.)
  • Trial of Vargas v. Carmel Development in Santa Clara County resulted in a Verdict of $10,500,000, one of the 3 largest verdicts for a paraplegic in Santa Clara County. Plaintiff, a construction worker was rendered a paraplegic when he fell into a trench due to defendant’s failure to provide guard rails around the trench. (Offer before trial $2,500,000.)
  • Trial of Confidential Case in Stanislaus county resulting in a verdict of $7,500,000.00 and immediate confidential settlement. Plaintiff, a construction worker injured his foot when he was caused to fall because a ladder was not tied off by defendants. This is one of 2nd largest personal injury verdicts recorded in Stanislaus County (This case was settled with an agreement that the verdict would remain confidential.) (Offer before trial $150,000.)
  • Trial of Barnes v. Capp in Santa Clara County resulting in a $2,100,000.00 in a wrongful death case for the parents of an 18 year old boy who was killed in a automobile incident. This is the largest verdict for a wrongful death case for the parents of a deceased minor in Santa Clara County. (Offer before trial $750,000.)
  • Trial of Molloy v. Anderson Liftkin in San Joaquin County resulting in a $1,750,000.00 verdict. Plaintiff was injured when a crane operator did not follow a signal resulting in a fractured leg. This is the largest verdict for a leg injury in San Joaquin County. (Offer before trial $700,000.)
  • Trial of Patterson v. RMC in Fresno County resulting in a verdict of $2,100,000.00. Plaintiff, a 21 year old conveyor belt salesman, injured his back when a cat walk at an aggregate plant gave way and he fell 20 feet. This is the largest verdict in Fresno County for a back injury. (Offer before trial $1,500,000.)
  • Trial of Sigfrid v. Bear High Reach in San Francisco County resulting in a $1,050,000.00 verdict. Plaintiff, a construction worker, was injured when an aerial lift, which had just been repaired by defendant, did not stop, causing him to suffer a neck injury. (Offer before trial $10,000.)
  • Participated in trial of Beccera v. Jonce Thomas Construction in San Francisco which resulted in a net verdict and judgment of $1,100,000. Plaintiff was a construction worker who was caused to fall through an inadequately covered hole. The case was tried by Morgan Smith and Jonathan Davis of the Arns Law Firm with Bob Arns participating. (Offer before trial was $25,000.)
  • Settlement of Silveria v. Chico Unified School District for $11,000,000 in Butte County. Plaintiff was a senior in high school and was running laps in a PE class. He passed out and although the three PE teachers were within 50 feet none instituted CPR. PE teachers are required to be certified in CPR and have a duty to give CPR if a student required CPR. Plaintiff suffered brain damage.
  • $10,000,000 Settlement of confidential case where bridge collapse injured construction workers.
  • Settlement of confidential San Francisco case for $6,000,000 for construction worker’s amputation of leg due to crane failure.
  • Trial and settlement of more than 200 “million” dollar and “multi-million” dollar injury and death cases
    • In addition, resolution of an innumerable number of cases between $500,000 and $1,000,000
  • Presentation of oral argument to the California Supreme Court in Toland v. Sunland Housing to the California Supreme Court in February 1998 - this case addressed the issue of liability of those who hire subcontractors
  • Numerous arguments presented to California Appellate Courts and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal
  • Numerous appearances in the California Legislature supporting consumer legislation
  • Frequent lecturer addressing legal topics involving tort law, trail practice and civil procedure

CONSTRUCTION INCIDENT CASES

  • Successful prosecution of numerous catastrophic construction injury and death incidents throughout the country including the following recent cases:
    1. San Francisco Airport Disaster where a crane collapse resulted in crushing of workers leg and subsequent amputation
    2. Portland Airport Disaster involving death and injury cases when structural steel collapsed
    3. Napa Bridge collapse involving the death and injury of numerous construction workers
    4. Consulting attorney in the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Stadium Disaster where three workers were killed when the largest crane in North America collapsed while lifting a load
    5. Numerous crane related incidents resulting in injuries and death
    6. Over 750 cases with injuries including brain damage, quadriplegia and paraplegia involving ironworkers, carpenters, operators, glaziers, laborers, lathers, bricklayers, and other trades

PRODUCTS LIABILITY CASES

  • Successful prosecution of numerous seven figure products liability cases which have “taken on” various industries
    1. Aerosol can industry - explosion of can caused it to become a missile and strike client’s head causing brain damage
    2. Automotive industry - improper head rests resulting in quadriplegia during a rear end collision
    3. Food warmer industry - failure of internal on/off switch which was subjected to too much heat resulting to severe shock
    4. Drug product liability including a fountainhead case which played a part in removing amphetamine prescriptions for weight control
    5. Prosecution of numerous other products cases

MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE CASES

  • Successful prosecution of numerous seven figure medical negligence cases
    1. Negligent administration of magnesium sulfate after delivery of child resulting in mother suffering brain damage and a resultant persistent vegetative state
    2. Failure to recommend and perform amniocentesis resulting “wrongful birth” of severely retarded baby
    3. Death of patient after the performance of “face lift” by a plastic surgeon
    4. Numerous other medical negligence cases resulting in serious injuries

PUBLICATIONS
Recent publications include

  • The Mary Carter Sliding Scale Settlement: A remedy for the Recalcitrant Defendant in a Joint Tortfeasor Case, CAOC Forum (June 2001) page 32
  • Handling Injury & Death Cases Arising Our of Construction Incidents: 10 Basic Concepts, CAOC Forum (October 2000) page 16
  • Another View of the Peculiar Rick Doctrine, California Litigation (No. 3 1999) page 18
  • The Admissibility of Medical Articles and Tests: Evidence Code § 721(b)3 Opens Up the Back Door CAOC Forum, (October 1999) page 18
  • Calculating the Judgment on Jury Verdict: Where Art Meets the Math Nightmare, CAOC Forum (April 1999) page 10
  • Admissibility of Subsequent Remedial Measures in a Premises of Construction Incident Case CAOC Forum (April 2002) page 16

RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

  • July 2003: SFTLA Seminar: Construction Injury Litigation: A Blueprint for Success: Viable Theories and Potential Defendants
  • August 2003 to November 2003: University of San Francisco School of Law: 3 Unit Class “Trial Practice” Taught by Professor Robert Arns (this class has been taught every Fall semester to date by Bob)
  • September 2003: SFTLA Seminar Unique Populations: Special Laws Equals Big Results
    Representing Children in Wrongful Death Actions
  • November 8, 2003-CAOC Convention: Jury Selection Seminar
  • February 2004: CAOC Seminar: Interactive discussion and demo
    Jurors and Damages: How to Select a Jury Not Afraid of Damages
  • February 2004: SFTLA Seminar Powerful Opening Statements: PowerPoint for Lawyers
  • November 2004: SFTLA Seminar Proving General damages with passion and dispassion: How to Use High Tech (and sometimes low tech) to prove your case
  • November 2004 CAOC Convention – Tips from the Masters: “The Greatest Hits of 2004: Themes and Arguments that Won Their Hearts and Minds”
  • February 19, 2005: ABOTA Presentation Presenter in American Board of Trial Advocates Masters In Trial Presentation (Cross Exam of Expert Witnesses)
  • June 1, 2005: USF School of Law Intestine Advocacy Program: How to Conduct Voir Dire
  • June 8, 2005: CAOC Seminar: Chaired Seminar on Representing Plaintiffs in Construction Incidents: The New Law
  • June 23, 2005: State Bar of California Seminar: Superstars in Trial Presentation (One Plaintiff Lawyer and Once
  • September 2005: SFTLA Seminar: Strategic Methods for effective plaintiff direct examinations: Maximizing the value of your case through its most powerful asset
  • January 2005: SFTLA Seminar: Digital Presentation in the Courtroom
  • February 2005: SFTLA Seminar: Now that We’ve Worked so Hard to get the Evidence let’s Make Sure We Get it in !
  • April 2005: SFTLA Seminar: A Practical Demonstration in Trial: Jury Selection
  • June 2005: SFTLA Seminar: How to use Old School and New School Demonstrative Evidence
  • November 13, 2005-CAOC Convention: Using Demonstrative Evidence
  • January 2006: Electronic Opening Statement
  • June 2006: California Regional Trial Lawyer Convention: Seminar Chair: Tips from the Masters
  • October 2006: “The Evidence Wheel Systematic Approach ©” To Trial Practice Seminar

OTHER
Hobbies: Politics, fly fishing, tennis, golf, snow skiing, running, sailing, travel, growing wine grapes, making wine and the study of the American Constitution