News Briefs
Wilson Elser Participating in Mansfield 6.0 Certification Process
August 17, 2022
Bob Roarke is managing partner emeritus of Wilson Elser.
Over his career, Bob’s practice has spanned a broad range of professional and general liability policies, with a focus on specialty risk and contingency coverage matters. Bob has handled numerous high-profile claims under policies for malicious product tampering and accidental product contamination, kidnap and ransom, event cancellation, and high-limit disability for professional athletes, entertainers and wealthy individuals.
Bob joined the firm in 1975 as a paralegal, assisting with administrative as well as legal matters. After graduating from law school, his strong work ethic and dedication propelled him from associate to the level of partner, deputy managing partner and then managing partner, a position he held for more than twenty years. In his current role as Senior Counsel, Bob remains involved with major management issues facing the firm, including conducting due diligence in connection with the acquisition of or merger with other law firms; determining the firm’s resource requirements to support the growth plans for practices and offices; assessing attorney staffing levels; addressing client issues; and negotiating the firm’s real estate transactions.
Areas of Focus
Specialty Risks
Bob has addressed all aspects of kidnap and ransom policies held by corporations on executives and highly skilled workers assigned overseas. He has handled cases involving oil workers in South America, evacuations and kidnappings in the Middle East, and airline passengers who were victims of a skyjacking.
Bob has particular experience with coverage matters arising from specialty risk and contingency policies for the sports and entertainment industry. He has litigated disability insurance disputes involving professional athletes and entertainers, as well as wealthy corporate executives. He has dealt with coverage issues surrounding the cancellation of high-profile sporting and entertainment events. He also has experience defending business managers and other entertainment industry insureds in miscellaneous professional liability claims.
Another aspect of Bob’s specialty risks coverage practice involves product contamination and tampering claims. He has handled a host of significant food recall claims in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia from inception through mediation and any necessary litigation. He also pursues subrogation claims on behalf of clients against responsible third parties.
- Pace University School of Law (J.D., 1981)
- Stony Brook University (B.A., 1975)
- New York
- American Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- Named to “Irish Legal 100,” Irish Voice newspaper, 2012