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Home > All Attorneys > Robert J. Kopka

Robert J. Kopka has handled a wide variety of business disputes, commercial litigation and insurance defense matters for more than 30 years, including consumer fraud, breach of contract, significant bodily injury, and employment disputes. Bob handles large lawsuits, appeals and a wide range of alternative dispute resolutions. His experience extends to professional liability including insurance and real estate agent errors and omissions, legal malpractice and director’s and officer’s errors and omissions. Bob litigates declaratory judgment actions on behalf of insurance companies and advises them regarding coverage. He also defends toxic tort suits involving asbestos, pesticides, paints, and industrial coatings.

Representing common carriers in hazardous waste and toxic spill litigation, Bob also directs the firm’s transportation department including automobile, UM/UIM, trucking, and FELA defense.

He has argued appeals before the United States Supreme Court, the Illinois and Indiana Supreme Courts and several other federal and state appellate courts. Prior to forming Kopka Pinkus Dolin and its predecessor firm Kopka, Landau & Pinkus in 1999, Bob formed Landau, Omahana & Kopka in 1987.

A member of the Federal Trial Bar, Bob has been admitted pro hac vice, for the purpose of trying individual cases from coast to coast. He is a frequent speaker on various topics, including tort reform, insurance coverage, litigation management techniques, alternative billing arrangements, premises liability, additional insured endorsements, admiralty, and warehouseman’s legal liability. Bob is a founding member of the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association, whose mission is to advance and protect the interests of the retail and restaurant industry; he serves on the Board of Directors and is the Past President.

Awards and Accolades
  • Chicago’s Top Rated Lawyers (2012)
  • Illinois Super Lawyers (2008 and 2013)
Memberships
  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance, National Committee
  • Defense Research Institute, Past Chair (2011) of the Law Practice Management Committee Past President and Co-Founder of National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association (NRRDA)
  • Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc.
  • The Trial Law Institute
  • Litigation Counsel of America
  • Trucking Industry Defense Association

NRRDA

Presentations and Publications
Trial and Case Highlights
  • Appellate experience includes a matter of great significance regarding federal jurisdiction decided by the United States Supreme Court. Sisson v. Ruby, 497 U.S. 358 (1990).
  •  Successfully defended a multistate corporation against claims of retaliatory discharge and breach of contract at trial in Indiana.
  • Successfully mediated a claim for breach of contract which resulted in a settlement of more than $1 million pre-suit by employing an innovative alternative dispute resolution process
  • Successfully defended a corporation against claims of fraud, conversion, violation of the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and other alleged violations stemming from the formation of a competing business by former employees of plaintiff corporation.
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