Robert D. Bustamante

Robby Bustamante represents plaintiffs, developers, general contractors, and property owners in a broad range of civil matters, including construction defect litigation, personal injury, premises liability, and alternative dispute resolution.

He brings a unique and strategic perspective to litigation, drawing on a strong foundation in investigative and negotiation techniques developed during his prior career in law enforcement.

Before entering civil practice, Robby served for seven years as a police officer in San Diego, where he specialized in crisis negotiation and complex investigations. As a trained crisis negotiator, he conducted over 85 high-stakes negotiations involving suicidal, barricaded, and hostage-taking individuals, as well as those engaged in paramilitary or terrorist activities—resolving these incidents through persuasion and de-escalation. For his efforts, he received more than 15 commendations and was twice named Officer of the Year. Robby was selected to lead a specialized Crime Prevention and Suppression Team, serving as an incident commander in tactical operations and offering expert analysis and testimony in gang and cartel-related cases.

Robby earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was a Public Interest Fellow and a member of both the Program on Negotiation and Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Innovative Policing Program. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

• J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
• B.A., Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara

• Complex Civil Litigation
• Construction Law and Defect Litigation
• Premises Liability
• Business Litigation and Counseling (Contractor Focus)
• Personal Injury and Product Liability
• Alternative Dispute Resolution