Robert Larsen is Partner in the Business Transactions, Real Estate, Commercial Litigation, ERISA, and Professional Liability practice groups. Although based in the firm’s Las Vegas office, Robert advises clients on matters throughout the United States. Mr. Larsen’s clients range from internationally recognized companies to small start-up ventures in a variety of transactional and litigation settings.
Robert understands boardroom decisions and the necessity of providing practical, solutions-based legal advice. Prior to joining GRSM, Robert worked as the Chief Administrative Officer and In-House Counsel for a software company where he managed the legal, facilities and human resources departments. That experience translates into his approach with clients where he proactively discusses risk/reward versus legal spend and how to proactively resolve issues to maximize efficiency and minimize disruptions to the client’s business.
Robert has extensive experience with corporate governance and corporate finance and represents corporate clients throughout the United States. He is chair of the firm’s opinion committee.
Business Transactions
Robert has broad based transactional experience primarily focused on mergers and acquisitions, financing, corporate governance, IP licensing, and real estate.
Robert represents large and small businesses through the full corporate lifespan from formation through dissolution. He assists new companies with selecting the proper entity structure, preparing governing documents, and advising on best practices for corporate governance.
Robert’s real estate practice includes advising clients in their purchase, sale, and development of commercial real estate assets. He also represents landlords and tenants with respect to commercial leases and property management.
Robert negotiates and drafts intellectual property licensing and service agreements for domestic and international companies. He assists companies with vendor and distribution agreements. He is often asked to help companies develop template agreements that can streamline the contracting process for his clients.
Robert also leads a sophisticated national financing opinion practice providing services to clients located throughout the United States in large complex financing transactions often involving numerous borrowers and guarantors.
Commercial Litigation
Robert focuses his litigation practice on all areas of civil litigation but has specific expertise in areas of business and commercial disputes, class actions, employment, ERISA, IP infringement, and real estate matters.
Robert has extensive experience in state and federal courts litigating all types of commercial disputes from corporate ownership to UCC based claims. Out of state firms frequently seek out robert to assist on cases for his knowledge of Nevada law, practice and familiarity with judges. He possesses considerable class action litigation experience which includes, among other things, the defense of matters involving antitrust, ERISA governed pension funds, securities fraud, and consumer torts.
Robert’s employment practice is dedicated to representing employers with respect to HR policies and employee relations as well as all types of employment disputes and discrimination claims in state and federal administrative agencies and courts. He also assists clients with workplace investigations.
Robert represents clients in trademark, copyright and false advertising lawsuits. This includes representing both plaintiffs seeking to protect their interests and defendants who have been accused of infringement.
Robert represents clients with respect to a wide variety of real estate disputes. This includes breach of sales agreements and landlord-tenant disputes. He represented dozens of homeowner associations in hundreds of litigation matters related to real estate foreclosure sales in Nevada.
Robert represents a wide variety of professionals against claims of professional negligence including lawyers, brokers, insurance agents and accountants. He recently obtained a favorable decision from the Nevada Supreme Court on a previously undecided issue related to the statute of limitations on litigation malpractice claims.
Robert has significant expertise in ERISA fiduciary litigation defending lawsuits brought by pension plan participants alleging breach of fiduciary duties by pension plans and their directors and officers. He also defends directors and officers in lawsuits brought by pension plans alleging breach of fiduciary duties. Robert recently acted as lead litigation counsel for a multi-state pension trust and its trustees in a large class action involving breach of fiduciary duty claims.
Robert’s ERISA practice also includes benefit-based litigation. He represents employers and insurance companies against claims brought by plaintiffs related to employer-based health and benefit plans. He has had the rare experience of actually taking an ERISA benefits case to trial.
Admissions
- California
- Nevada
- U.S. District Court, District of Nevada
- U.S. District Court, Northern, Central and Southern District of California
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Memberships
- Nevada Bar Association
- California Bar Association