H. Robert Yates III

Overview

Bob Yates advocates client rights across all forms of civil litigation and trial practice. His deep bench of proven experience includes the resolution of tort defense, transportation claims, premises liability actions, and construction law disputes. Having successfully tried over 100 jury trials in state and federal courts throughout Virginia, Bob brings extensive litigation and trial acumen to resolving even the most seemingly intractable conflict. In and out of court, Bob also resolves single- and multi-plaintiff litigation involving fraud, business torts, commercial and residential landlord-tenant matters, and will contests.

Bob's trial work reflects a highly strategic understanding of how cases evolve from initial pleadings through verdict—allowing him to identify pressure points early and position clients advantageously whether the matter settles or proceeds to trial. He brings a cultivated, multidimensional instinct for reading proceedings in real time and adjusting strategy accordingly. Bob’s forward-thinking approach to problem-solving and advocacy has proven particularly valuable in litigation where technical evidence and multiple parties demand both precision and clarity in presentation.

Bob knows, from many years of litigating and trying serious acrimony, that effective advocacy requires more than legal mastery—it demands the ability to anticipate opposing counsel's moves, manage witness testimony under pressure, and maintain credibility with factfinders throughout lengthy proceedings. Bob’s undeniable competency enables him to resolve serious disputes with significant financial exposure with the composure and tactical flexibility that complex litigation requires.

Beyond his trial capabilities, Bob approaches each representation with a practical understanding of his clients' broader business objectives. He recognizes that litigation outcomes affect operations, relationships, and reputation, not just balance sheets. This perspective informs his counsel at every stage, ensuring that legal strategy aligns with commercial reality and that clients remain positioned to move forward regardless of how disputes resolve.

Experience

• Defense verdict in a wrongful death case where a bus turned right and ran over a mother of three under the age of six; pretrial demand was $4M
• Defense verdict for a security guard who was alleged to have assaulted a store patron during an investigation of a shoplifting incident; pretrial demand was $250,000
• Defense verdict for an employee and partner of an investment management firm sued by a former owner for fraud, conspiracy, and business torts; pretrial demand was $7.8M
• Verdict for $15,127 for national trucking firm whose driver rear-ended the plaintiff, who claimed over $200,000 in medicals from multiple surgeries; pretrial demand was $1.4M
• Defense verdict for a national restaurant chain accused of trespassing and nuisance by a nearby homeowner’s association for silt and mud accumulation in their pond
• Defense verdict for a car manufacturer for alleged lemon law violations relating to a luxury automobile

Honors, Publications, & Speeches

Honors

• Virginia Super Lawyer, Business Litigation and Personal Injury General: Defense, Law & Politics magazine 2012 and 2013-2017, respectively
• Best Lawyer, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, The Best Lawyers in America, 2008 to Present

Publications

• Co-author, “The Unintended Consequences of Wyatt V. McDermott: Its Use as a Sword Against Professionals in Custody Cases,” Journal of Civil Litigation, Vol. XXXI, No. 1, Spring 2019

Presentations & Speeches

• Annual Speaker, Fraud and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, University of Virginia, Darden Business School, 2016 to Present
• Speaker, Cross Examination, Opening and Closing Statements, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, 2016, 2015, respectively
• Appointee, Virginia Supreme Court’s 3 Year Term as a Panelist for the Carrico Annual Professionalism Course for Recent Bar Graduates

News

Professional

• Member, Virginia Bar Association, 1993 to Present
• Member, Former Board Member, Former Chair and Vice-Chair of the Auto & Premises Liability Section, Former Chair and Vice-Chair of the Professional Liability Section, Member of the Long Range Planning Committee, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, 1995 to Present
• Member, VBA Committee on Nominations, Virginia Commissions and Appellate Courts, 2011-2014
• Member, Board of Directors Former Member, Charlottesville Albemarle Bar Association