Robert B. Hinckley Jr., a tenacious legal luminary, adeptly leads as the Managing Partner of Buchalter's Denver office and holds the esteemed role of Co-Chair of the Firm's Litigation Group. His expertise resonates across multiple jurisdictions, including Colorado and California, while his influence extends to the Orange County office. Possessing a prosecutorial background, Robert is a resolute and effective trial attorney, showcasing his prowess through over forty first-chair jury trials, coupled with numerous bench trials and arbitrations. Notably, his dynamic skillset has traversed a vast legal terrain, spanning Colorado, California, Florida, Texas, and beyond, to serve a diverse array of business clientele, from Fortune 500 corporations to privately held enterprises.
Robert is acknowledged as a dependable advisor who infuses practical solutions into the intricate tapestry of his clients' everyday business challenges. His domain of specialization lies in commercial litigation, encompassing the pursuit and defense of a wide spectrum of contractual disputes, spanning purchase agreements, partnership and LLC conflicts, real estate clashes, and even negotiations and disputes within the realm of sports. His adeptness extends to litigating trade secrets, defamation, breach of fiduciary duty, and various business-centered torts. Additionally, Robert has cultivated a significant employment practice, championing employers in areas like non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, wrongful discharge, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour violations. Robert also stands as a prominent figure in handling complex product contamination matters on a national scale for carriers through subrogation. A dedicated advocate, he also offers outside legal counsel to several Colorado companies, focusing on risk management and litigation counseling. Robert's presence is deeply felt in state and federal courts, as well as before crucial bodies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Colorado Civil Rights Division, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Robert is an integral part of various legal organizations, including his role on the Executive Committee for the Colorado Defense Lawyers Association, a premier legal entity dedicated to the defense of civil actions and the promotion of fairness and integrity within the civil justice system.
Noteworthy Deals and Cases:
• Secured a $7.5 million verdict against Stryker Corporation after a two-week federal court trial involving claims of corporate raiding and breach of separate contracts, resulting in payment requirements of nearly $5 million related to client ORP's distribution role for Stryker orthopedic products. The verdict also included a $2.2 million attorney fee award.
• Achieved a defense verdict in a racially charged discrimination and harassment case for a nationally recognized fast-food company, following a jury trial in Los Angeles, CA.
• Garnered a defense verdict in favor of a high-profile nightclub amid a catastrophic building collapse resulting in significant personal injury and property damage, after a jury trial in Denver, CO.
• Procured a substantial verdict for a plaintiff homeowner against a custom homebuilder in a construction defect and breach of contract case, following a jury trial in Denver, CO.
• Obtained a defense verdict for an underground boring company in a negligence and breach of contract
case after a jury trial in Fort Collins, CO.
• Secured a defense verdict for a commercial property owner in a fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and breach of real estate contract case after a trial in Douglas County, CO.
• Negotiated a favorable settlement in a real estate dispute for a plaintiff franchisee of a nationally recognized fast-food company following a trial in Long Beach, CA.
• Attained a favorable Arbitration Order for a custom homebuilder after an arbitration with a homeowner in a construction defect and breach of contract case in Denver, CO.
• Achieved a significant victory in the California Second District Court of Appeals, Los Angeles, obtaining a reversal of a trial court order that dismissed the client's case based on a statute of limitations violation while under prior counsel. The case centered on breach of fiduciary duty and breach of trust claims, ultimately resulting in a favorable settlement for the plaintiff.
• Successfully affirmed a trial court order dismissing all claims against a client, a private golf course, related to a property dispute with an adjacent landowner, in the Colorado Court of Appeals, Denver.
Community Involvement:
• Executive Committee and Treasurer, Colorado Defense Lawyers Association
• Former Chair, Professionalism and Ethics Committee for Employment and General Liability Sections, Colorado Defense Lawyers Association
• Judge/Coach for Young Lawyer Mock Trial Program, CDLA Trial Academy
• Center for Legal Inclusiveness
• Colorado Judicial Institute
• Sponsor of Octoberfest for Camp Music Festival by Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice, benefiting children ages 6-12 who have lost a loved one
• Denver Bar Association
• Colorado Bar Association
• Los Angeles Bar Association
• Beverly Hills Bar Association
• California Bar Association
• Florida Bar Association
Robert B. Hinckley Jr.'s indomitable spirit in litigation, his commitment to professionalism, and his dedication to community engagement have made him a beacon of excellence in the legal arena. His influence resonates far beyond the courtroom, shaping the landscape of the legal profession and upholding the principles of integrity and fairness.
