Robert J. Kuntz Jr. has represented commercial clients in a wide range of industries including national security, defense, aviation, shipping, private security, undersea cable communications, pharmaceuticals, insurance, payment technology, maritime carriage of cargo and passengers, firearms, design, garment, construction, lending, manufacturing, and gaming. He has successfully handled all manner of business disputes—including fraud, torts, contract claims, class actions, and product liability—at every stage, from pre-suit negotiations, through discovery, trials in state and federal trial courts, and to appeal.
Robert has worked with experts from such varied disciplines as aviation, the maritime trades, industrial manufacturing, the physical sciences, medicine, and forensic accounting. He has deep experience working on both sides of very large fraud, antitrust, and class action cases.
Besides his commercial litigation practice, Robert also serves as professional responsibility and legal ethics counsel to other attorneys. Since 2011, Robert has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Miami School of Law where he teaches attorney ethics and professional responsibility.
He is admitted to practice in all courts of Florida, the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and the Eleventh and Second U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, and he has been admitted pro hac vice before federal district courts across the country.
Before going to law school, Robert was a newspaper reporter and editor for more than 12 years. His undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Science in biology, is from the University of Cincinnati. Robert graduated summa cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, where he finished 6th in a class of 340 and was the Paul B. Anton Scholar, a three-semester Dean’s Fellow, and was a member of the University of Miami Law Review and the Order of Coif.
Robert maintains an extensive pro bono legal practice. His work has included children’s advocacy, immigration, and family law matters. He now concentrates his pro bono practice on representing domestic violence petitioners seeking judicial protection from their abusers.
Robert is a member of the Board of Directors of Vocal Youth Miami. He is a member of the Minister and Church Relations Committee of the South Florida Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America. He was General Counsel of Opsail Miami 2000, where he conducted all legal affairs for the largest-ever convocation of international tall ships, a festival attended by more than 500,000 people. For his work on the event, he was awarded a Public Service Commendation by the United States Coast Guard.
Robert is conversant in Spanish.
Moderator, “Doing Well While Doing Good: Ethics and the Business of Law,” Dade County Defense Bar Association CLE Luncheon, Miami, October 7, 2015
Principal Organizer and Moderator, “Real World Ethics: How to practice law, win cases, and make a living, all while keeping your license,” Dade County Defense Bar Association annual half-day ethics symposium, October 8, 2014
Panelist, “Hot Topics in International Litigation,” The Florida Bar International Law Section’s Annual International Litigation & Arbitration Conference, Miami, February 28, 2014
Panelist, Eleventh Judicial Circuit’s First Civility and Professionalism Action Summit, Miami, September 24, 2013
Panelist, “Recent Developments in Ethical Restrictions on International Practice: Where Are We and Where Should We Go?” 11th International Litigation and Arbitration Conference, Miami, March 1, 2013
Panelist, “Ethics Update for General Practice and Small Firm Lawyers,” CLE Session sponsored by Sabadell Bank and the University of Miami School of Law Alumni Association, Miami, October 2, 2012
Speaker, “Successful Support: Keeping Clients Happy, and Making Lawyers Look Good, While Winning in Court,” South Florida Paralegal Association Fall Seminar, September 27, 2012
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© in Commercial Litigation since 2024
Named, “Top Lawyer,” Aviation, Admiralty and Maritime, South Florida Legal Guide, 2017
Honored at the Twenty-seventh Annual Dade County Bar Association and Put Something Back Recognition Luncheon for outstanding pro bono advocacy on behalf of victims of domestic violence, May 6, 2016
Listed, “Florida Super Lawyer,” Business Litigation, 2013- 2024
Recognitions & Honors
Ranked in the 2021 edition of Benchmark Litigation as a “Local Litigation Star” in General Commercial and Class Action
Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star (2016-2018)
Selected as a Top Rated International Attorney in the 2017 edition of Florida Super Lawyers
Recipient of Harvard Law School’s full scholarship to attend its Accelerated Leadership Program (2015)
Rivero Mestre honored by The American Lawyer as a winner of a Global Legal Award for its work on the Chevron v. Donziger case in the category of Global Dispute of the Year: U.S. Fraud Litigation (2014)
Recognitions & Honors
Ranked in the 2021 edition of Benchmark Litigation as a “Local Litigation Star” in General Commercial and Class Action
Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star (2016-2018)
Selected as a Top Rated International Attorney in the 2017 edition of Florida Super Lawyers
Recipient of Harvard Law School’s full scholarship to attend its Accelerated Leadership Program (2015)
Rivero Mestre honored by The American Lawyer as a winner of a Global Legal Award for its work on the Chevron v. Donziger case in the category of Global Dispute of the Year: U.S. Fraud Litigation (2014)
Recognitions & Honors
Ranked in the 2021 edition of Benchmark Litigation as a “Local Litigation Star” in General Commercial and Class Action
Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star (2016-2018)
Selected as a Top Rated International Attorney in the 2017 edition of Florida Super Lawyers
Recipient of Harvard Law School’s full scholarship to attend its Accelerated Leadership Program (2015)
Rivero Mestre honored by The American Lawyer as a winner of a Global Legal Award for its work on the Chevron v. Donziger case in the category of Global Dispute of the Year: U.S. Fraud Litigation (2014)
Recognitions & Honors
Ranked in the 2021 edition of Benchmark Litigation as a “Local Litigation Star” in General Commercial and Class Action
Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star (2016-2018)
Selected as a Top Rated International Attorney in the 2017 edition of Florida Super Lawyers
Recipient of Harvard Law School’s full scholarship to attend its Accelerated Leadership Program (2015)
Rivero Mestre honored by The American Lawyer as a winner of a Global Legal Award for its work on the Chevron v. Donziger case in the category of Global Dispute of the Year: U.S. Fraud Litigation (2014)
Recognitions & Honors
Ranked in the 2021 edition of Benchmark Litigation as a “Local Litigation Star” in General Commercial and Class Action
Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star (2016-2018)
Selected as a Top Rated International Attorney in the 2017 edition of Florida Super Lawyers
Recipient of Harvard Law School’s full scholarship to attend its Accelerated Leadership Program (2015)
Rivero Mestre honored by The American Lawyer as a winner of a Global Legal Award for its work on the Chevron v. Donziger case in the category of Global Dispute of the Year: U.S. Fraud Litigation (2014)
Experience
Partner, Devine Goodman & Rasco, LLP, 2002-2022
Associate, Holland & Knight LLP, 1996-2002
Newspaper reporter and editor at various publications, 1982-1993
Education
University of Miami School of Law, JD, summa cum laude
University of Cincinnati, BS in Biology
Admissions
All State Courts of Florida
United States District Court, Middle District of Florida
United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
Eleventh United Stated Circuit Court of Appeals
Second United Stated Circuit Court of Appeals
Has been admitted pro hac vice in numerous state and federal courts across the country