Robert H. Bunzel

Bartko LLP, A Professional Corporation, is a law firm based in San Francisco, California; one of its principals, Robert H. Bunzel, serves clients across the state and focuses his practice on:

• Business litigation
• Environmental litigation
• Professional malpractice
• White collar crimes
• Employment law
• Data breach
• Class actions

Mr. Bunzel represents clients on both sides of legal disputes, serving as counsel for plaintiffs and defendants in civil, criminal and regulatory matters. His legal practice has involved extensive international involvement, including serving as an expert witness in the U.K. High Court, providing testimony on breach of fiduciary duty under California law. He has also traveled to China, Japan, and Taiwan to gather evidence for American legal proceedings and has represented foreign officials, including heads of state from South Korea, Philippines and Egypt, in U.S. legal matters.

Having represented both for-profit and nonprofit entities, as well as their officers, directors and shareholders, Mr. Bunzel’s cases have covered a wide range of topics, including antitrust, sports, philanthropy, finance, real estate, medical issues, technology and matters related to the Securities and Exchange Commission. He has successfully obtained recoveries for trustees in bankruptcy and defrauded individuals in Ponzi schemes.

In addition to his work in litigation, Mr. Bunzel has represented businesses, agencies and landowners in regulatory challenges; he has handled bar matters, fee disputes and severance litigation issues. Furthermore, Mr. Bunzel has experience in privacy and security breach matters and has even participated in a nationally televised trial. 

Throughout his career, Mr. Bunzel has received recognition for his legal achievements. He has been consistently named in "Best Lawyers" for Commercial Litigation from 2013 to 2021. The Wall Street Journal has also acknowledged him as one of the Best Lawyers in Northern California. In 2021, he became a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He holds memberships in The Bar Association of San Francisco, the American Bar Association's Committee on Environmental Litigation and the United States Supreme Court’s Historical Society.

Mr. Bunzel pursued his legal education at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he obtained his law degree in 1981. During law school, he interned for the Hon. Stanley Mosk of the California Supreme Court and clerked for the Alameda County Public Defender's office. He completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard University, graduating with a B.A. cum laude in 1978.