Robert B. Hille

Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

• Obtained defense verdict for an attorney client in an eight-figure legal malpractice claim brought by a mortgage backed securities company engaged in mezzanine financing following the collapse of the real estate market. The case was based on an alleged conflict of interest when, while acting as outside general counsel to the company, the client assisted his friend, the former company CEO, in devaluing the company so it could be purchased at a steep discount.
• In an eight-figure workplace injury and death case, successfully negotiated the elimination of one of two $1 million insurance policies for carrier client despite an adverse ruling from the trial court holding both policies covering.
• Successfully resolved a number of legal malpractice cases for a group of law firms following their loss of coverage. The loss occurred when their primary insurer collapsed after its reinsurer was forced into receivership because its direct lines business exceeded its book capacity to pay claims for those lines and subordinated its reinsurance obligations. Because the law firms’ primary carrier was a reciprocal under federal law, the New Jersey courts ruled that there was no coverage under the state’s guarantee fund.
• Developed an emergent coverage opinion to assist the general contractor of a New York City commercial tower when an uninsured and ultimately insolvent crane operator dropped a load of steel beams more than 40 stories, causing a project shut down and tens of millions of dollars in losses from the resulting project delay.
• Appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice to serve on the Ad Hoc Committee on Attorney Malpractice Insurance. This two-year project culminating in a 171-page report examined whether legal malpractice insurance should be mandatory and resulted in changes in the law. The Committee’s report was studied nationally with an appearance by Mr. Hille before a California court committee that was studying the same issue.
• While President of the New Jersey State Bar Association, successfully negotiated on its behalf with Governor Phil Murphy a renewal of the Bar’s Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee (JPAC) Compact. The new version also expanded the role of county bar associations that had been eliminated by the prior administration in the review and advice process of Judicial and Prosecutorial candidates.
• Participated in the review of and recommendation of state judges and prosecutors as a member of the JPAC Committee.
• Obtained a seven-figure plaintiff’s verdict in an automobile negligence and dram shop case.
• Obtained a seven-figure plaintiff’s verdict in a wrongful death failure to assist case. The wrongful death concerned approximately $850K in economic losses to children for their domestic servant mother, who was on life support for several weeks. The jury awarded approximately $350K pain and suffering.