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Rob Wise

Rob Wise

Partner

901 East Byrd Street
Suite 1650
Richmond, VA 23219
T 804.533.3779
robert.wise@nelsonmullins.com
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Rob focuses his practice on appeals and advanced motions, product liability defense, and complex commercial litigation, including class and mass actions. He has experience coordinating the briefing and legal issues strategy for several high-profile class and mass actions, including in ongoing alleged football-concussion-injury litigation, nationwide automotive and vehicle putative class actions, and medical device class...

Rob focuses his practice on appeals and advanced motions, product liability defense, and complex commercial litigation, including class and mass actions. He has experience coordinating the briefing and legal issues strategy for several high-profile class and mass actions, including in ongoing alleged football-concussion-injury litigation, nationwide automotive and vehicle putative class actions, and medical device class and mass actions. Rob’s product liability work focuses primarily on representing manufacturers and businesses in catastrophic personal injury matters around the country.

Rob has also handled appeals before all levels of appellate courts in Virginia in both civil and administrative proceedings and has been involved in appeals throughout the country as lead appellate counsel, on-brief author, and off-brief legal strategy consultant. He has also worked on appeals from the amicus perspective, authoring amicus briefs as well as working with industry and advocacy groups to promote client interests and positions.

Rob is also active in numerous industry and advocacy organizations, and regularly presents on various topics including developments and strategies in appellate and class and mass action litigation.

Rob Wise

and mass actions. Rob’s product liability work focuses primarily on representing manufacturers and businesses in catastrophic personal injury matters around the country.

Rob has also handled appeals before all levels of appellate courts in Virginia in both civil and administrative proceedings and has been involved in appeals throughout the country as lead appellate counsel, on-brief author, and off-brief legal strategy consultant. He has also worked on appeals from the amicus perspective, authoring amicus briefs as well as working with industry and advocacy groups to promote client interests and positions.

Rob is also active in numerous industry and advocacy organizations, and regularly presents on various topics including developments and strategies in appellate and class and mass action litigation.

Experience

Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.

Representative Matters

  • Won affirmance in the Fourth Circuit of dismissal for lack of specific personal jurisdiction for motorcycle manufacturer in alleged personal injury, product liability matter.
  • Successfully defended major automotive manufacturer in putative California class action, including three denials of class certification and multiple appeals before the Ninth Circuit in litigation running from 2012 to 2020.
  • Won dismissal on statute-of-limitations grounds of claims by 54 former football players against sports equipment manufacturer in Illinois state-court action, and then successfully defended the dismissals on appeal.
  • Successfully defended sports equipment manufacturer in putative Illinois federal class action resulting in dismissal with prejudice of all claims.
  • Won grant of directed verdict in South Carolina state court in personal injury, product liability matter, and then successfully defended win on appeal.
  • Lead authored the briefing that led to the exclusions of several experts’ testimony and resulting grants of summary judgment in multiple federal court actions (Texas and Illinois) alleging personal injury, product liability claims against sports equipment manufacturer.
  • Orchestrated and authored briefing leading to the dismissal of putative Ohio mass action against medical device manufacturer, and successfully defended the appeal.
  • Won affirmance of appeal in California lemon-law action on attorney’s fees issue for major automobile manufacturer.
  • Obtained order granting motion to exclude expert in alleged personal injury, product liability matter against major automotive manufacturer in federal court action in Alaska, leading to a favorable dismissal.
  • Successfully defended medical device manufacturer in putative consumer economic loss federal class action in California, obtaining dismissal with prejudice of all claims.
  • Obtained ruling from Illinois federal court striking class allegations from putative class action complaint by multiple former football players alleging personal injury, product liability claims, including precluding attempt to carve out a so-called “issues” class.
  • Co-authored numerous amicus briefs on behalf of several industry groups in appeals before the United States Supreme Court and the Fourth Circuit.
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.

Representative Matters

  • Won affirmance in the Fourth Circuit of dismissal for lack of specific personal jurisdiction for motorcycle manufacturer in alleged personal injury, product liability matter.
  • Successfully defended major automotive manufacturer in putative California class action, including three denials of class certification and multiple appeals before the Ninth Circuit in litigation running from 2012 to 2020.
  • Won dismissal on statute-of-limitations grounds of claims by 54 former football players against sports equipment manufacturer in Illinois state-court action, and then successfully defended the dismissals on appeal.
  • Successfully defended sports equipment manufacturer in putative Illinois federal class action resulting in dismissal with prejudice of all claims.
  • Won grant of directed verdict in South Carolina state court in personal injury, product liability matter, and then successfully defended win on appeal.
  • Lead authored the briefing that led to the exclusions of several experts’ testimony and resulting grants of summary judgment in multiple federal court actions (Texas and Illinois) alleging personal injury, product liability claims against sports equipment manufacturer.
  • Orchestrated and authored briefing leading to the dismissal of putative Ohio mass action against medical device manufacturer, and successfully defended the appeal.
  • Won affirmance of appeal in California lemon-law action on attorney’s fees issue for major automobile manufacturer.
  • Obtained order granting motion to exclude expert in alleged personal injury, product liability matter against major automotive manufacturer in federal court action in Alaska, leading to a favorable dismissal.
  • Successfully defended medical device manufacturer in putative consumer economic loss federal class action in California, obtaining dismissal with prejudice of all claims.
  • Obtained ruling from Illinois federal court striking class allegations from putative class action complaint by multiple former football players alleging personal injury, product liability claims, including precluding attempt to carve out a so-called “issues” class.
  • Co-authored numerous amicus briefs on behalf of several industry groups in appeals before the United States Supreme Court and the Fourth Circuit.

Media

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Recognitions

The bar rules of some states require that the standards for an attorney's inclusion in certain public accolades or recognitions be provided. When such accolades or recognitions are listed, a hyperlink is provided that leads to a description of the respective selection methodology.

Professional Activities

  • Defense Research Institute
    • Past Chair, Appellate Advocacy Committee (2017–2019)
    • Class Action Seminar Planning Committee, Past Member
    • Amicus Committee, Past Member
  • Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
    • Board of Directors, Past Member
    • Long Range Planning Committee, Past Member
  • Virginia State Bar Association
    • Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course, Past Faculty
    • Litigation Section, Appellate Practice Subcommittee

Rob focuses his practice on appeals and advanced motions, product liability defense, and complex commercial litigation, including class and mass actions. He has experience coordinating the briefing and legal issues strategy for several high-profile class and mass actions, including in ongoing alleged football-concussion-injury litigation, nationwide automotive and vehicle putative class actions, and medical device class... and mass actions. Rob’s product liability work focuses primarily on representing manufacturers and businesses in catastrophic personal injury matters around the country.

Rob has also handled appeals before all levels of appellate courts in Virginia in both civil and administrative proceedings and has been involved in appeals throughout the country as lead appellate counsel, on-brief author, and off-brief legal strategy consultant. He has also worked on appeals from the amicus perspective, authoring amicus briefs as well as working with industry and advocacy groups to promote client interests and positions.

Rob is also active in numerous industry and advocacy organizations, and regularly presents on various topics including developments and strategies in appellate and class and mass action litigation.

Experience

Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.

Representative Matters

  • Won affirmance in the Fourth Circuit of dismissal for lack of specific personal jurisdiction for motorcycle manufacturer in alleged personal injury, product liability matter.
  • Successfully defended major automotive manufacturer in putative California class action, including three denials of class certification and multiple appeals before the Ninth Circuit in litigation running from 2012 to 2020.
  • Won dismissal on statute-of-limitations grounds of claims by 54 former football players against sports equipment manufacturer in Illinois state-court action, and then successfully defended the dismissals on appeal.
  • Successfully defended sports equipment manufacturer in putative Illinois federal class action resulting in dismissal with prejudice of all claims.
  • Won grant of directed verdict in South Carolina state court in personal injury, product liability matter, and then successfully defended win on appeal.
  • Lead authored the briefing that led to the exclusions of several experts’ testimony and resulting grants of summary judgment in multiple federal court actions (Texas and Illinois) alleging personal injury, product liability claims against sports equipment manufacturer.
  • Orchestrated and authored briefing leading to the dismissal of putative Ohio mass action against medical device manufacturer, and successfully defended the appeal.
  • Won affirmance of appeal in California lemon-law action on attorney’s fees issue for major automobile manufacturer.
  • Obtained order granting motion to exclude expert in alleged personal injury, product liability matter against major automotive manufacturer in federal court action in Alaska, leading to a favorable dismissal.
  • Successfully defended medical device manufacturer in putative consumer economic loss federal class action in California, obtaining dismissal with prejudice of all claims.
  • Obtained ruling from Illinois federal court striking class allegations from putative class action complaint by multiple former football players alleging personal injury, product liability claims, including precluding attempt to carve out a so-called “issues” class.
  • Co-authored numerous amicus briefs on behalf of several industry groups in appeals before the United States Supreme Court and the Fourth Circuit.

Education

  • University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law, JD, cum laude (1997)
    • Champion, Judge John R. Brown National Admiralty Moot Court
    • Best Petitioner's Brief, Judge John R. Brown National Admiralty
    • Moot Court Board
  • University of Virginia, BS, Architecture (1993)

Admissions

  • Virginia
  • Illinois
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

Practice Areas

Industries

The bar rules of some states require that the standards for an attorney's inclusion in certain public accolades or recognitions be provided. When such accolades or recognitions are listed, a hyperlink is provided that leads to a description of the respective selection methodology.

  • Defense Research Institute
    • Past Chair, Appellate Advocacy Committee (2017–2019)
    • Class Action Seminar Planning Committee, Past Member
    • Amicus Committee, Past Member
  • Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys
    • Board of Directors, Past Member
    • Long Range Planning Committee, Past Member
  • Virginia State Bar Association
    • Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course, Past Faculty
    • Litigation Section, Appellate Practice Subcommittee
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