Lawyers

TODD A. ROBERTS

Partner — Redwood City

EXPERIENCE

Todd A. Roberts graduated from the University of Oregon in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Political Science. He graduated from the University of California, Davis School of Law in 1987.

Mr. Roberts is the Resident Director of the Redwood City Office and has been with the firm since obtaining his law degree. He was elected partner in 1993 and holds the highest rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Roberts was also named by Northern California Super Lawyers® magazine in the areas of Employment & Labor, Intellectual Property Litigation and Insurance Coverage for the years 2004, 2005, and 2006.

Mr. Roberts specializes in institutional defense and complex litigation involving employment disputes, insurance and contracts, business torts, anti-trust, real estate, and indemnity agreements.

Mr. Roberts’ employment practice focuses on the defense of employers and their officers and directors from claims of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour disputes. In addition to the state and federal courts, Mr. Roberts has represented clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, Labor Commissioner and the National Labor Relations Board. Mr. Roberts also counsels employers on a variety of issues involving reductions in force, risk avoidance, and best practices.

Mr. Roberts also represents real estate agents, brokers, and owners in connection with a wide variety of disputes, including purchase options, claims of misrepresentation, professional negligence, easements, property lines, leases, and purchase contracts.

Mr. Roberts also has vast experience in the defense of disputes involving trademarks, trade dress and copyrights; the defense of claims alleging unlawful, unfair and fraudulent business practices under the California Unfair Business Practices Act; the defense of employee claims for benefits under E.R.I.S.A.; the defense and pursuit of claims arising from indemnity agreements; for specific performance of real estate purchase contracts; for injunctive relief and damages in connection with the misappropriation of trade secrets; and a variety of other business disputes.

Mr. Roberts has defended insurance carriers in over one hundred bad faith cases and frequently represents insurers and their agents in coverage and other disputes with policyholders. These disputes include claims for “advertising injury” liability, property insurance, employment practices liability insurance (EPL), real estate errors and omissions and a broad variety of specialty lines policies.

Mr. Roberts has a state-wide practice and has substantial experience in trials, arbitrations and mediations in cases venued in both state and federal courts. He was lead counsel and argued the case of Julian v. Hartford Underwriters before the California Supreme Court, wherein the court, in a 7-0 decision, upheld and enforced a policy exclusion found in virtually all homeowner’s policies in California that applies to weather conditions that combine with landslide to produce the loss. Mr. Roberts has also argued over 25 cases in the California Courts of Appeal and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Mr. Roberts frequently speaks at industry seminars and meetings on litigation trends and developments in areas of law of interest to firm clients. He has been a panelist at the Firm’s annual seminar on Insurance & Casualty Litigation and updates in California Law for over fifteen years.

He is a member of the State Bar of California and the San Mateo County Bar Association. He is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Eastern, Southern and Central districts of California, the District of Arizona and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Roberts is an active member and now serves in the leadership of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC). His former roles in the FDCC include having served on the Intellectual Property Committee, the Employment Committee, as Vice-Chair of the Bad Faith Section and Chair of the Insurance Coverage Section, and Vice-Chair of the Projects & Objectives Committee. Mr. Roberts is also a member of the Defense Research Institute (Employment Committee) and the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada (Former Chair of Employment Section). In 2009, Mr. Roberts will also serve on the faculty of the Leadership Institute and Litigation Management College.

Mr. Roberts is active in community affairs in Menlo Park, California and coaches youth soccer and basketball. He is also an advisor to Professional Players Management Group, a sports agency located in San Rafael, California.