Robert W. BoatmanShareholder


With a legal career in personal injury and wrongful death spanning over 39 years, Bob is tireless in his dedication and resolve to seek justice for each and every client. From the very first meeting with a prospective client, Bob’s easygoing manner engenders trust because he is naturally compassionate, sincere, and possesses a unique ability to understand and communicate with clients from all walks of life. This same direct, common-sense approach has proven extremely effective in cases that are ultimately heard by juries.

Robert W. Boatman

Over the course of his career, Bob has obtained some of the largest verdicts in Arizona, including jury verdicts or awards of $17,000,000, $14,000,000, and $5,000,000. In addition, Bob has obtained significant settlements in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Bob is known by his clients and professional colleagues alike to be a man deeply connected to his clients and their causes. For Bob, client relationships don’t often end as a case concludes, especially when an outcome presents an opportunity to affect social change. For example, Bob successfully compelled two major automotive manufacturers to admit their vehicles were defective, yielding a recall to fix the defect in over 500,000 vehicles; a significant win for his client and the consumer at large.

See Bob’s profile on Gallagher & Kennedy’s main website.

Honors & Awards

  • American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
  • International Society of Barristers, 2017-Present
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2006-2025; Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2020-2025; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs, 2021-2025, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 2023-2024
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Phoenix Lawyer of the Year, Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2025
  • Southwest Super Lawyers®, Personal Injury – Products: Plaintiff, 2007-2024
  • Phoenix Magazine, Top Lawyer, Personal Injury and Product Liability, 2023
  • Arizona’s Finest Lawyers, 2011-Present
  • Forbes.com, Best Personal InjuryMotorcycle Accident & Wrongful Death Lawyers Phoenix, AZ, 2024
  • Marquis Who’s Who, “Who’s Who in American Law”
  • State Champions, Arizona Pop Warner Youth Football, 2001
  • America’s Top 100 Attorneys
  • America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators
  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

Education

  • Arizona State University
    J.D., magna cum laude, 1984
    Order of the Coif
    Editor, Law Review
  • Stanford University
    B.A., 1981

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Arizona, 1984
  • California, 1985
  • U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 1984
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, 1991
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 1992
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 1993

Associations & Memberships

  • State Bar of Arizona , Member, 1984-Present
  • State Bar of California, Member, 1985-Present
  • American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
  • International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
  • Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, Member, 1997-Present
  • Arizona Pop Warner and Scottsdale Christian Youth Football, Coach, 1994-2011
  • McCormick Ranch Little League, Coach, 1994-2009
  • McCormick Ranch Little League, Board of Directors, 2001-2004
  • Chaparral High School Booster Club, Board of Directors, 2002-2004

Published Works

  • Product Liability Under California Law, Cambridge Institute, 1987

Press Releases

Live Media