Overview
Robinson Bradshaw lawyers prosecute and defend nearly every kind of business claim, appearing across the United States before juries and judges in state and federal courts, before arbitration panels, and before state and federal regulatory agencies. Our litigators routinely handle significant disputes for our business clients in a broad range of industries and have developed widely recognized experience in handling complex litigation in a variety of substantive practice areas. We also have substantial experience managing sensitive internal corporate investigations and assisting clients in responding to governmental investigations and inquiries. Our litigators have represented clients in state and federal courts across the country, in every federal appellate court and in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Our lawyers handle business disputes of all sizes for our clients – from "bet-the-company" litigation to smaller disputes between businesses and individuals. Our goal is always to help clients conclude disputes advantageously and efficiently. First, we gain an understanding of our clients' needs, and then we examine matters from a broad perspective, seeking solutions from both a legal and practical standpoint. Some disputes can only be resolved with a trial, while others can be resolved through negotiation. Alternative dispute resolution and effective settlement strategies are key elements of our practice. We also counsel our clients to minimize the potential for lawsuits and hold seminars to alert our clients to legal developments that affect their operations and policies.
Experience
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Represent the Southeastern Conference in numerous complex class action matters, including defending multidistrict putative class actions challenging the fundamental collegiate amateurism model concerning student-athlete compensation; name, image and likeness (NIL) rights; and related issues and cases (House v. NCAA, 4:20-cv-03919 (N.D. Cal.)), as well as in 10 putative class actions alleging concussion-related long-term medical problems from participating in college football.
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Represent a major national bank in defending multidistrict putative class actions alleging a $1 billion-plus Ponzi scheme, filed in various locations and centralized in the District of Massachusetts. Defeated class certification in the trial court. In re Telexfree Securities Litigation, MDL No. 4:14-md-2566 (D. Mass.).
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Represent Bestwall (a successor to Georgia-Pacific) and DBMP LLC (a successor to CertainTeed) in bankruptcy proceedings to seek full and final resolutions of thousands of current and future asbestos claims asserted against them. Previously represented Garlock, a wholly owned subsidiary of Enpro Inc., and certain of its debtor affiliates, in a Chapter 11 reorganization case that resolved thousands of pending and future asbestos claims and attracted national attention for the effective resolution of such claims.
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Represent a publicly traded, multinational company in litigation alleging injuries from exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in both a nationwide MDL (consolidating more than 1,500 complaints from more than 10,000 plaintiffs) and other litigation.
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Represent a Fortune 50 national retail corporation with nearly 300,000 employees in numerous individual claimant arbitrations and 19 separate state class actions, consolidated as MDL proceedings with a nationwide collective action under the FLSA, regarding allegations of unpaid wages for hourly managers.
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Represent numerous clients in defense of FLSA collective actions, including obtaining a decision from the Fourth Circuit reversing the order of class certification in Stafford v. Bojangles’ Restaurants, Inc. (123 F. 4th 671 (2024)) and the dismissal of claims in Vazquez-Aguilar v. Gasca (513 F. Supp.3d 675 (E.D.N.C. 2021)).
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Represent a Fortune 50 telecommunications company in a series of cases alleging False Claims Act and other claims related to the alleged undercollection of certain government taxes. Obtained summary judgment in New York state court of a claim in which plaintiffs sought billions in dollars in damages and penalties. Obtained dismissals of claims, through appeal, in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia, Minnesota, Iowa and the District of Columbia.
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Represented a large, multistate hospital system in an action brought by its former provider of physician anesthesiology services raising contract, business tort and antitrust claims. Defeated an attempt to enjoin the client’s transition to a new physician provider. Case settled on favorable terms while our client’s summary judgment motion was pending.
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Defended a large university health system in a derivative action filed on behalf of a private faculty physician practice entity, alleging that the health system had taken action to “destroy” the physician practice and expropriate its value by hiring away members.
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Represented a health insurer in a bid protest against the award of a multibillion-dollar government contract. Nine-day trial in a special administrative court occurred after extensive electronic discovery, third-party discovery and briefing.
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Represented a private university in a class action pending in the Northern District of California in which the plaintiffs alleged that a group of universities misrepresented their admissions processes and violated consumer protection laws based on the fraud scheme exposed in the “Varsity Blues” investigation. The Court granted our motion to dismiss, and plaintiffs did not appeal.
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Represent clients in commercial and constitutional appellate matters, including, among other recent cases, successfully representing plaintiffs in litigation over constitutional standards to redistricting; securing rights of tenants under a federal public housing program; and winning a ruling on behalf of a technology company related to personal jurisdiction in a business dispute.
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As new counsel in post-trial proceedings, twice persuaded a federal district court to set aside an eight-figure judgment in a novel insurance case. This case, which has produced opinions from three different U.S. Courts of Appeals, alleges “medical defamation” and other torts against a would-be policyholder.
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Represent insureds in high-stakes insurance coverage litigation, including the recent representation of two companies in companion cases before the North Carolina Supreme Court that together resulted in landmark victories for insureds seeking COVID-19-related business interruption coverage.
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Represent clients in data- and privacy-related litigation, including recently obtaining a dismissal of statutory and other claims on behalf of a large, multistate hospital system from a putative class action in federal court involving the alleged disclosure of personal health information caused by website marketing technology. The case also involved responding to state investigative inquiries and preparing notice to a federal agency.
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Represent clients in complex, multidistrict antitrust class action matters, including a domestic drywall manufacturer in an action alleging conspiracy to fix and maintain prices (In re Domestic Drywall Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2437 (E.D. Pa.)) and a cast iron soil pipe and fittings manufacturer in a case similarly alleging conspiracy to fix and maintain prices (In re Cast Iron Soil Pipe and Fittings Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2508 (E.D. Tenn.)).
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Represented a national industrial gas company in a contract case in Tennessee state court seeking tens of millions of dollars from a former customer. After discovery uncovered fraudulent behavior on the part of the customer, the case settled on favorable terms on the eve of trial.
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Serve as lead counsel for a large, multistate hospital system against opposition to its transfer from one organ procurement organization to another, including successfully defending against a preliminary injunction.
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Represent a property management software company in federal antitrust litigation brought by the United States under the Sherman Act alleging the company’s software allows competing landlords to coordinate pricing and increase rental costs.
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- Chambers USA, Band 1 for litigation: general commercial, 2003-25
- Best Law Firms, national Tier 2 for commercial litigation, 2015-21, 2024-26; national Tier 3 for commercial litigation, 2013-14, 2022-23; Charlotte Tier 1 for commercial litigation, 2011-26; Raleigh Tier 1 for commercial litigation, 2021-26; Charlotte Tier 1 for bet-the-company litigation, 2020-26; Rock Hill Tier 1 for commercial litigation, 2025-26; Raleigh Tier 1 for bet-the-company litigation, 2025-26
- Benchmark Litigation, highly recommended firm, 2008-26; North Carolina Firm of the Year, 2013
