Robert G. Devine

As Chair of the Litigation Department, Bob manages over 70 attorneys in six offices where the White and Williams commitment to excellence in providing optimal results in a cost-effective manner is carried forward into every one of the departments’ lawyers’ practices. In addition, Bob is a member of the firm’s Executive and Partner Compensation Committees. As Chair of the Catastrophic and Excess Liability Group, the focus is maintained on fully and completely preparing matters for trial, at any retention point along the life cycle of the file, which permits the rather unique service of trial lawyers bringing additional levels of analysis, trial strategy and courtroom trial technique to be realized.

• Commercial trucking accident which rendered plaintiff wheelchair bound; retained as lead counsel five days before trial commenced; case settled for $2.9 million after three days of jury selection; eve of trial demand was $4.9 million (Superior Court of NJ, Bergen County)
• Fatal bus accident involving a two-year-old pedestrian girl; retained as co-counsel at conclusion of discovery; settled on eve of trial for $2.65 million (Superior Court of NJ, Middlesex County) 
• Commercial premises/products liability claim brought by delivery driver alleging infectious process from food waste caused total disability; retained during discovery; settled during trial for $8.85 million (Superior Court of NJ, Middlesex County) 
• Products liability case involving residential furniture retailer/manufacturer which arose from death of three-year-old female; retained as lead counsel after discovery; settled at mediation for $2.3 million (Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County)
• Commercial motor vehicle accident case which rendered 40-year-old father catastrophically brain-injured; retained as lead counsel after discovery; settled on eve of trial for approximately $10.6 million (Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County)
• Premises liability case in which a 30-year-old plaintiff medical student suffered debilitating spinal injuries; retained as lead counsel after discovery and one-month prior to trial; high-low agreement secured during trial resulted in $18 million settlement after three-week jury trial verdict for
  $85 million (Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County)
• Construction site fatal accident where construction worker killed from fall down elevator shaft; retained as lead counsel after discovery; settled on eve of trial in excess of $4 million (Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County)
• Products liability case involving commercial refrigeration equipment discharging refrigerant damaging material inventory of stored product; retained as lead counsel during discovery; trial demand was $26 million; jury verdict of $5 million (Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County)
• Fatal commercial trucking accident involving plaintiff physician and a nationwide trucking company; retained as co-counsel near the conclusion of discovery; settled for $1.75 million, below the excess carrier's layer of coverage (Superior Ct. of NJ, Essex County)
• Commercial trucking accident case in which the plaintiff college student lost his leg due to a head-on accident; retained after discovery; pre-trial settlement of $2.9 million (Superior Ct. of Delaware, Kent County)
• Products liability case involving nationwide retailer and garage door opener manufacturer where four-year-old plaintiff was rendered a spastic quadriplegic when she was trapped beneath a garage door; retained as co-counsel; pre-trial settlement of $4 million with $2.2 million structured (U.S. District Court for the Western District of PA)
• Premises liability case involving a catastrophically brain-injured and permanently disfigured 12-year-old boy; retained as lead counsel for resort shortly before trial; case settled three days into trial for approximately $4.8 million (Court of Common Pleas, Lehigh County, PA)
• Products liability case involving industrial manufacturer of packaging equipment which allegedly caused 29-year-old forklift operator spinal injuries rendering her wheelchair-bound; retained as lead counsel and settled on first day of trial for $700,000 (Court of Common Pleas, Westmoreland County, PA)
• Products liability case involving manufacturer of cherry picker in which plaintiff electrician alleged permanent disability due to electrocution; retained during expert discovery as lead counsel; settled at mediation for $3 million, below excess coverage (Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County, PA)
• Products liability case involving handgun manufacturer in which 8-year-old plaintiff was shot in head by 15-year-old resulting in significant head and brain injuries; retained as co-counsel after discovery; settled on eve of trial for $1.3 million (Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County)
• Products liability case involving a vehicle dealer which arose from passenger van rollover causing four deaths and seven injuries; retained as lead counsel after discovery; settled after multiple mediation sessions below the excess carrier's layer of coverage (Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County)
• Products liability case involving nationwide manufacturer of an underground propane tank which allegedly leaked causing a home to explode, killing a 32-year-old father of two; retained as co-counsel; settled during the first day of trial for $9 million (Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County)