Practice Areas
Roberts, Raspe & Blanton LLP prides itself on its ability to represent clients in a broad range of practice areas, providing effective and efficient high quality legal services at cost effective rates.
In addition to handling a varied general commercial litigation and real estate practice, we also have specialized expertise and experience in a number of litigation disciplines, as well as in other substantive areas of the law, including the following:
Brokerage - The Firm has specialized experience in the areas of insurance and real estate brokerage. We currently represent clients in all aspects of insurance related brokerage matters. These engagements have involved active defense of contractual and tort claims involving the placement and servicing of insurance policies, third party representations in discovery proceedings, real estate sales and lease agreements, commission agreements, and employment related counseling and litigation (including employment agreements, trade secrets, covenants not to compete or solicit, and other employee related claims).
Insurance Coverage/Regulatory Compliance - With regard to commercial property and casualty policies, we represent policyholder clients in all facets of insurance coverage disputes with their insurers, including liability, property, environmental, directors and officers, errors and omissions, employment practice liability, fidelity, fiduciary and other commercial insurances. We have recovered millions of dollars of coverage for our clients through mediation, summary judgments, trial verdicts and settlements. Our Firm also represents insurance companies in certain regulatory matters, as well as life, warranty, and credit coverages. We have advised clients on insurance related regulatory compliance issues for all 50 states.
Real Estate Litigation - Our attorneys have successfully litigated real estate disputes involving purchase and sale agreements, construction contracts, brokerage agreements, leasehold agreements and other real estate related issues. These representations have involved arbitrations and negotiated settlements, as well as proceedings before administrative agencies, state and federal courts. We represent numerous clients in various aspects of real estate related transactions, including purchase, sale, lease, brokerage transactions, and construction law. Our attorneys have also assisted our clients with their real property environmental compliance needs.
General Commercial Litigation - In addition to the specialized areas noted elsewhere, our Firm has represented clients in numerous commercial matters involving breach of contract, sports law, professional liability, administrative law, declaratory relief, unfair competition, fraud, franchising, and a multitude of business disputes. We have represented entities in the telecommunications industry, including a licensed reseller of long distance telephone time, and our Firm has expertise in disputes involving the filed tariff doctrine, as well as the Federal Communications Act. We have also defended our clients in claims brought by and on behalf of consumers including under the California Business and Professions Code Section 17200 and under the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the Unruh Civil Rights Act. The Firm’s attorneys have extensive experience in the areas of temporary restraining orders, injunctions and other types of equitable relief.
Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets - We have represented clients in unfair competition disputes, including under California Business and Professions Code Section 17200, trade secret, misappropriation, and disputes involving promotional materials, trade libel, customer lists, proprietary data and covenants not to compete.
We obtained the dismissal of a complaint containing claims asserted by purchasers and distributors of long distance telephone time by attacking the pleadings through a demurrer, and we also later acted as appellate counsel where the ruling was affirmed by the California Court of Appeal. We successfully defended a manufacturing client against a $20 million trade secret claim in a 4-week Los Angeles Superior Court jury trial. We also successfully defeated temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions arising from trade secret misappropriation cross-claims in a dispute related to the video game industry (this victory assisted us in negotiating a favorable settlement on our clients' affirmative claims). We obtained a dismissal of trademark claims in a dispute related to the beef industry. Our Firm is also assisting a number of clients in pursuing claims to protect their own trade secret information.
Employment - We have represented our clients in numerous employment related cases including wrongful termination, disability discrimination (under state law and the Americans With Disabilities Act), sexual harassment, breach of fiduciary duty, covenants not to compete, defamation, interference with business relations and other employment disputes.
We obtained a summary judgment in favor of a major university client on employment related defamation and interference with business relations claims. Our Firm has also obtained dismissals of common law and statutory employment related claims through summary judgments and/or demurrers (without leave to amend) on behalf of various employer clients.
Contract Review/Compliance - We have advised and assisted clients in reviewing and revising a variety of form contracts, including construction contracts, real estate and equipment leases, agency agreements, purchase orders and other commercial contracts. We have also advised our clients in matters of contract formation and implementation to prevent future litigation and/or to resolve current contractual disputes. Additionally, our attorneys have conducted seminars and prepared educational materials for our clients on construction contracts, mechanics’ liens and contract documentation, guidelines and procedures.
Products Liability and Toxic Torts - We serve as defense counsel for clients involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of products in matters involving personal injury and property damage claims, as well as regulatory and administrative actions. We have also been retained as the national coordination counsel for clients in the manufacturing industry who face multi-state product liability claims. We have obtained a summary judgment ruling that a major manufacturing client was not the alter ego of the named product liability defendant, thus paving the way for the client's dismissal from the lawsuit. Our product liability attorneys have efficiently handled an extremely large number of asbestos exposure claims, and we have obtained favorable settlements and/or dismissals of these cases by demonstrating that the plaintiffs lacked any evidence identifying our clients' products.
Environmental - The Firm represents clients in environmental disputes with both state and federal agencies, as well as in private third party tort and contract actions. We have represented clients in matters involving Proposition 65 and CERCLA air and water pollution claims.
Disability Access - We have defended clients (including those who operate restaurants and other retail establishments) in claims brought by disabled customers under the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, California’s Disabled Person’s Act and similar statutes. We have also advised clients on their statutory obligations triggered by the alteration, remodel or repair of existing facilities.
Educational Institutions - Roberts, Raspe & Blanton represents several large private universities and educational institutions in a variety of areas, including educational and business operations, general litigation, donor transactions, construction, real estate (management, purchase, lease or sale of property and/or facilities), student housing and athletics. Our attorneys also provide such clients consulting and preventive counseling of a general nature, and in strategizing transactional and other business matters.
