Robert J. Gundert

With more than 35 years of successful civil litigation and trial experience, Robert J. Gundert serves as Senior Counsel for Howard Rome Martin Ridley & Master LLP, dba Ridley Master. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Rhetoric at UC Berkeley, then attended Santa Clara University School of Law.

Following law school and admission to the California State Bar, Mr. Gundert joined one of California’s oldest and most esteemed civil litigation law firms located in the heart of Silicon Valley. For the next twenty years, he practiced in San Luis Obispo County, defending lawsuits against every city and town within SLO County, as well as a few in Santa Barbara County.

Mr. Gundert’s trial work has included cases involving personal injury, property damage (including major losses due to fire), products liability, inverse condemnation, defamation, invasion of privacy and estate litigation.  In 2018, he joined Howard Rome Martin & Ridley as Senior Counsel, where he specializes in the defense of public entities. Although the majority of his experience has involved defendant representation, he has tried a variety of cases for plaintiffs and other litigants, including two instances regarding the provision of life-sustaining medical care.

Mr. Gundert is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for California’s Northern, Eastern and Central Districts and has successfully handled a number of civil appeals. Among these are two published cases (Graham v. Beers (1994) 30 Cal.App.4th 1656 and Stewart v. City of Pismo Beach (1995) 35 Cal.App.4th 1600). Mr. Gundert has also written  and spoken on legal topics such as public entity liability and the selection    and utilization of consultants and expert witnesses.

Initially practicing in the Bay Area, Mr. Gundert headed south to the Central Coast, where he raised five terrific kids (now terrific adults) of whom he is very proud. In 2008, he returned to the Bay Area, where he enjoys time with family and friends and following local sports teams (Giants, 49ers, Warriors, and the California Golden Bears). Occasionally, he and his family head back to San Luis Obispo County to relax on the Central Coast with friends, perhaps even getting in some hiking, Santa Maria style tri-tip, and wine-tasting.