Biography | Robert Cooper

Robert Cooper handles appeals, writs and post-trial motions for clients represented by various Wilson Elser offices. Robert is certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization in appellate law. He is personally responsible for developing and executing legal strategies on appeal, selecting the legal issues to be presented to the appellate court, drafting or supervising the brief and presenting oral argument.

Robert has represented various clients by seeking review in the U.S. Supreme Court in both pro bono and paid cases. He has also argued seven cases before the California Supreme Court on various issues in civil and criminal cases as the sole or lead appellate counsel. He has presented 61 oral arguments in federal and state appellate courts, ranging from real estate transaction disputes to class action certification rulings and ERISA matters. He has also prepared more than 40 writ petitions in state and federal courts.

Robert's appellate experience covers various substantive areas, including constitutional law, legal malpractice, attorneys’ fee disputes, and punitive damages. In addition to successfully petitioning the California Supreme Court for review in civil and criminal cases, he has obtained dismissal of appeals filed by opposing counsel based on procedural grounds in intermediate appellate courts.

In a case that garnered national attention, Robert successfully represented on a pro bono basis an undocumented immigrant who was seeking admission to the bar in the California Supreme Court. After the enactment of new legislation and in response to the Supreme Court’s order requesting appellate briefing, Robert prepared and filed appellate briefs addressing the intersection of the new state legislation in relation to federal immigration laws. Given the national publicity associated with the case, numerous amicus briefs were filed on behalf of both sides by more than two dozen law firms and institutions.

Based on his extensive appellate experience in representing plaintiffs and defendants, Robert has delivered presentations on appellate and writ practice from both perspectives. He also has lectured and published an article on attorneys’ fee disputes.

Education

Pepperdine University School of Law (J.D., 2000)
University of Southern California (B.A., 1996)
- magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

California

Court Admissions

Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of California
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Professional Affiliations

Member, California Academy of Appellate Lawyers
Commissioner, State Bar’s Appellate Law Advisory Commission (2015-2019)

Awards & Honors

Selected for inclusion in Rising Stars for Southern California Super Lawyers, 2009-2015

Robert Cooper handles appeals, writs and post-trial motions for clients represented by various Wilson Elser offices. Robert is certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization in appellate law. He is personally responsible for developing and executing legal strategies on appeal, selecting the legal issues to be presented to the appellate court, drafting or supervising the brief and presenting oral argument.

Robert has represented various clients by seeking review in the U.S. Supreme Court in both pro bono and paid cases. He has also argued seven cases before the California Supreme Court on various issues in civil and criminal cases as the sole or lead appellate counsel. He has presented 61 oral arguments in federal and state appellate courts, ranging from real estate transaction disputes to class action certification rulings and ERISA matters. He has also prepared more than 40 writ petitions in state and federal courts.

Robert's appellate experience covers various substantive areas, including constitutional law, legal malpractice, attorneys’ fee disputes, and punitive damages. In addition to successfully petitioning the California Supreme Court for review in civil and criminal cases, he has obtained dismissal of appeals filed by opposing counsel based on procedural grounds in intermediate appellate courts.

In a case that garnered national attention, Robert successfully represented on a pro bono basis an undocumented immigrant who was seeking admission to the bar in the California Supreme Court. After the enactment of new legislation and in response to the Supreme Court’s order requesting appellate briefing, Robert prepared and filed appellate briefs addressing the intersection of the new state legislation in relation to federal immigration laws. Given the national publicity associated with the case, numerous amicus briefs were filed on behalf of both sides by more than two dozen law firms and institutions.

Based on his extensive appellate experience in representing plaintiffs and defendants, Robert has delivered presentations on appellate and writ practice from both perspectives. He also has lectured and published an article on attorneys’ fee disputes.

News Briefs

Cooper Prevails in California Supreme Court in Major Employment Case

August 29, 2019

Events

Robert Cooper handles appeals, writs and post-trial motions for clients represented by various Wilson Elser offices. Robert is certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization in appellate law. He is personally responsible for developing and executing legal strategies on appeal, selecting the legal issues to be presented to the appellate court, drafting or supervising the brief and presenting oral argument.

Robert has represented various clients by seeking review in the U.S. Supreme Court in both pro bono and paid cases. He has also argued seven cases before the California Supreme Court on various issues in civil and criminal cases as the sole or lead appellate counsel. He has presented 61 oral arguments in federal and state appellate courts, ranging from real estate transaction disputes to class action certification rulings and ERISA matters. He has also prepared more than 40 writ petitions in state and federal courts.

Robert's appellate experience covers various substantive areas, including constitutional law, legal malpractice, attorneys’ fee disputes, and punitive damages. In addition to successfully petitioning the California Supreme Court for review in civil and criminal cases, he has obtained dismissal of appeals filed by opposing counsel based on procedural grounds in intermediate appellate courts.

In a case that garnered national attention, Robert successfully represented on a pro bono basis an undocumented immigrant who was seeking admission to the bar in the California Supreme Court. After the enactment of new legislation and in response to the Supreme Court’s order requesting appellate briefing, Robert prepared and filed appellate briefs addressing the intersection of the new state legislation in relation to federal immigration laws. Given the national publicity associated with the case, numerous amicus briefs were filed on behalf of both sides by more than two dozen law firms and institutions.

Based on his extensive appellate experience in representing plaintiffs and defendants, Robert has delivered presentations on appellate and writ practice from both perspectives. He also has lectured and published an article on attorneys’ fee disputes.