Robert H. McKirgan

Bob has handled numerous cases across the country and has tried several matters to verdict in jury trials, bench trials and arbitrations.  Some of Bob’s cases include:

• Lead trial counsel in a three-week trial in U.S. District Court (Nevada), obtaining a nationally publicized jury verdict that the writers, director and producers of the Broadway musical, Jersey Boys, infringed the copyright of an unpublished biography of one of the Four Seasons band.
• Lead counsel for three state universities in defense of several class actions seeking tuition and fee refunds for the Spring 2020 semester due to the COVID shut downs, obtaining dismissal of all the class actions.
• Lead trial counsel for a two-week trial in Illinois State Court (Cook County) arising out of a credit card data security breach, obtaining a directed verdict on an $80 million consumer fraud claim.
• Lead trial counsel in two multi-week jury trials in U.S. District Court (Arizona) involving computer software and source code, obtaining a jury verdict in excess of $5 million on copyright and fraud claims.
• Lead counsel for a bankruptcy trustee in an investigation of the demise of a publicly traded company, leading to several claims recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for the bankruptcy estate.
• Represented the majority owner of a professional sports franchise in the successful defense of breach of fiduciary duty claims brought by minority owners.
• Represented an Olympic athlete in successfully obtaining an injunction allowing her to compete in the Olympic trials after being suspended from competition for alleged steroid use.
• Representation of a large University in two NCAA investigations.
• Numerous matters representing law firms in legal malpractice and malicious prosecution actions.
• Several matters serving as an expert witness on standard of care issues in the defense of legal malpractice claims.
• Served as mediator and arbitrator in commercial matters.

Bob McKirgan, Randy Papetti, Bruce Samuels, and Jon Weiss practiced together for over 25 years at a top-tier, full-service law firm, where they handled complex business litigation throughout the country.  Our more than 100 years of combined big-law practice, as well as our trial experience and reputations, make us well-suited to handle all kinds of business litigation—from matters requiring a quick solution to the bet-the-company trial.  We are consistently recognized as among the top litigators and trial lawyers in Arizona through peer-informed recognitions in Chambers International, Benchmark Litigation, and Best Lawyers in America, as well as by Super Lawyers and Martindale-Hubbell. We are honored that when leading lawyers and law firms in Arizona find themselves needing quality legal representation, they frequently turn to us.

But we are more than skilled lawyers.  We launched Papetti Samuels Weiss McKirgan to build a firm that reflects our shared professional values—one that sincerely measures itself by how well it serves its clients, its younger lawyers, our profession, and our community.

To us, these values are not just talk.  We have spent decades standing up for those in need and serving our community. Papetti’s work on wrongful convictions led him to write a leading book on a forensic science issue and is internationally recognized; Samuels has spent more than two decades as a member (and Chair) of the board of directors of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest; Weiss served a decade as a Judge Pro Tempore of the Arizona Superior Court and is part of a nationwide network of lawyers who help college student Dreamers; and McKirgan is devoted to teaching and mentoring young lawyers as well as representing pro bono clients ranging from residential tenants to death row inmates.

Against this backdrop, we founded the Firm to focus on high-stakes, Arizona-based litigation; to create a modern, flexible environment to attract, empower, mentor, and retain the most talented younger lawyers; and to create space to continue contributing to our personal pro bono and community causes. Our mission is to provide exceptional value to any representation we take on.