DEFENDING THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY WITH 30+ YEARS OF TRIAL EXPERIENCE
Bob Barton is a seasoned trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience in a broad range of matters, including trucking and transportation claims, products liability, commercial litigation, industrial accident, wrongful death, catastrophic loss, personal injury, and tort cases. He has tried hundreds of cases to verdict in state and federal courts and has argued numerous cases before the Oregon Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.
Prior to joining the private practice of law, Bob served for several years as a Deputy Attorney General and Deputy District Attorney in California, as well as Assistant Attorney General for the Oregon Department of Justice.
Currently, Bob is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). He has previously held other high-ranking positions, including serving as President of both the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (OADC) and the Oregon Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Bob has frequently moderated or spoken at annual ALFA International Transportation Practice Group Seminars across the country before hundreds of clients and attorneys. During one ALFA International Seminar, he played the role of defense trial counsel for a highly acclaimed mock trial/focus group presentation involving a contested liability, high damage exposure, catastrophic injury case.
PRACTICE AREAS
ADMISSIONS
Bar Admissions
- Oregon, 1981
- Washington, 2011
- California, inactive
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Oregon
- U.S. Supreme Court
EDUCATION
- Notre Dame Law School – J.D.
- Saint Louis University – B.A.
- American Board of Trial Advocates (Advocate Member)
- Defense Research Institute (Member)
- Federal Bar Association (Past President, Oregon Chapter, 2001-2002)
- Multnomah Bar Association (Member; Former Member, Judicial Screening Committee)
- Notre Dame Law School (Executive Member & Former Board Member, Notre Dame Law Association)
- Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (Member; Past President)
- Oregon Business Association (Former Chair, Good Government Committee)
- Oregon State Bar (Former Chair, Uniform Civil Jury Instructions Committee; Former Member, Chief Justice’s Civil Law Advisory Committee; Former Member, Multnomah County Circuit Court Jury Committee)
- Oregon Trucking Associations, Inc. (Member)
- Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (Former Member)
- Moderator, “High Level Settlement Negotiation: Approaching the Plaintiff Early to Resolve High Exposure Cases,” ALFA International Transportation Practice Group Seminar (May 2017)
- Moderator, “The Drive Cam Fleet Management Perspective v. Driver Perspective,” ALFA International Transportation Practice Group Seminar (May 2015)
- Speaker, “Reality Check: What Jurors Really Think About Your Case,” ALFA International Transportation Practice Group Seminar (April 2014)
- Speaker, “Steering Around Legal Potholes and Speed Bumps,” Oregon Trucking Association Annual Convention (August 2013)
- Creator and moderator of the first annual Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (OADC) Defense Academy–a multi-week program in which senior trial lawyers and judges provide real-world insight and practice tips regarding defense practice tactics and strategies to newly minted lawyers (2003)
- AV® Preeminent™, Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Selected for inclusion in Oregon Super Lawyers (2006-2010, 2012-2021 — Civil Litigation)
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© (2015-2024 — Commercial Litigation; 2013-2024 — Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; 2013-2023 — Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs)
OUTSIDE THE FIRM
As a Notre Dame alumnus, Bob is a passionate IRISH fan. He also loves classic cars, particularly Mustangs and Corvettes.