Atty. Robert L. Pratter
Robert Pratter has brought his broad based legal experience to Cohen, Placitella & Roth where he heads up the firm’s complex litigation group primarily representing public entities, union pension funds and private individuals in securities, anti-trust environmental actions and other complex commercial litigation. Prior to joining CPR, Bob was as a partner in a national general practice law firm (Duane Morris LLP), General Counsel and Senior Vice President of a large regional insurance holding company (PMA Capital Corporation), acting Insurance Commissioner of Pennsylvania and Executive Deputy
Administrative Law & More Attorney · Serving Philadelphia, PA · 56+ Years Experience
Profile Summary
About Robert L. Pratter at a Glance
Robert L. Pratter is a Member based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, practicing at Cohen, Placitella & Roth. They have 56+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1970. Their practice focuses on litigation, government, and insurance. Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania U.S. District Court for th (1970). Educated at University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D., 1969) and Yale University (B.A., 1966). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Active member of American Law Institute Philadelphia Bar Association Pennsylvania Bar Association American Bar Association University of Pennsylvania Inn of Court. Serves clients in Philadelphia, PA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About Robert L. Pratter
- Robert Pratter has brought his broad based legal experience to Cohen, Placitella & Roth where he heads up the firm’s complex litigation group primarily representing public entities, union pension funds and private individuals in securities, anti-trust environmental actions and other complex commercial litigation
- Prior to joining CPR, Bob was as a partner in a national general practice law firm (Duane Morris LLP), General Counsel and Senior Vice President of a large regional insurance holding company (PMA Capital Corporation), acting Insurance Commissioner of Pennsylvania and Executive Deputy General Counsel of Pennsylvania
- Bob’s experience in the private, corporate and public sectors gives him a comprehensive understanding of how businesses and government operate, what drives their decisions, and an ability to make informed, practical judgments on litigation and dispute resolution strategy for Cohen, Placitella & Roth’s diverse body of clients
- His knowledge of & experience with insurance issues is particularly helpful in addressing insurance coverage issues that arise in our cases
- Bob first worked with Cohen, Placitella & Roth in the successful civil suit by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania against Consol Energy, Inc. for the collapse of the state-owned Ryerson Dam, resulting in a $36 Million settlement on appeal from a favorable administrative agency award, the largest recovery in Pennsylvania during 2013
- He also was the senior state attorney working in conjunction with Cohen, Placitella & Roth on successful securities actions resulting in multi-million dollar recoveries
- Mr. Pratter also spearheaded the successful defense in HAP v
- Commonwealth Department of Insurance, in which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the Commonwealth’s right to use over $700 Million of cigarette taxes for general fund purposes to help end the 2009 budget crisis in Pennsylvania
- Bob began his legal career at Duane Morris in 1969, practicing at the firm for 30 years
- He chaired its Administrative Law practice group and served on the firm wide Partners Board before departing in 1999 to become PMA Capital Corporation’s General Counsel
- In 2008, after guiding PMA through the process of becoming a publicly held company and providing counsel during the company’s expansion, he joined the Pennsylvania Office of General Counsel as its Executive Deputy General Counsel for litigation
- From July 2008 to July 2011, Mr. Pratter supervised and participated in litigation conducted by the 29 Commonwealth executive agencies under Governors Rendell and Corbett and personally represented the Commonwealth in major litigation involving the Commonwealth’s budget, insurance health care reform, prevailing wage enforcement, civil rights and natural resources
- Throughout his legal career and particularly during his Commonwealth service, Mr. Pratter has also participated in numerous legislative and regulatory reforms, drafting projects and litigation relating to such legislation
- Mr. Pratter is an honors graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a magna cum laude graduate of Yale University
- He is a member of the American Law Institute and University of Pennsylvania Inn of Court
- Bob has been an active supporter of a number of charitable enterprises, including Board membership for the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, the oldest such specialized school in the United States serving blind children and young adults
- Contrary to what many people may believe, blindness in children has not been eradicated, and many babies suffer blindness and other disabilities for a variety of reasons
- Bob has also been an avid supporter of the performance arts and has been a Board member of the Mann Performing Arts Center in Philadelphia
- He also sings in the Wayne Oratorio Chorus, a 200 member mixed chorus that performs sacred works regularly in Philadelphia, and more recently at the Washington National Cathedral
- This year, in recognition of his 50th year of graduation from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, Bob and his wife have established an endowed fund to support law student academic travel expenses
- Bob is also a member of the Penn Inn of Court and the American Law Institute
Practice Areas Explained
Robert L. Pratter's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Robert L. Pratter handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in Philadelphia.
Civil Litigation in Philadelphia
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Robert L. Pratter is one of 450,751 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Pennsylvania →
Government & Administrative Law in Philadelphia
Attorneys for administrative law, agency hearings, government contracts, licensing, and public benefits.
Robert L. Pratter is one of 131,162 government attorneys indexed nationally. Browse government attorneys in Pennsylvania →
Insurance Law in Philadelphia
Insurance attorneys for coverage disputes, bad faith claims, denied claims, and policy disputes.
Robert L. Pratter is one of 120,903 insurance attorneys indexed nationally. Browse insurance attorneys in Pennsylvania →
Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in Philadelphia
Practicing law in Pennsylvania. Legal matters in Pennsylvania are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Philadelphia are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Pennsylvania state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Pennsylvania brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Pennsylvania courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Philadelphia Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a Philadelphia-based attorney means your counsel already knows the local docketing timelines, preferred filing formats, and how individual judges typically rule on procedural motions — details that only come from practicing in this jurisdiction day after day. That local familiarity can translate to better strategy, faster filings, and fewer costly surprises.
Looking for additional Pennsylvania attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Philadelphia or all attorneys in Pennsylvania.
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Professional Profile
Why Clients in Philadelphia Choose Robert L. Pratter
Selecting an attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you can make when a legal matter arises. Below are the core qualities that distinguish Robert L. Pratter's practice in the field of litigation, government, and insurance.
Decade-Tested Legal Experience
Robert L. Pratter brings 56+ years of hands-on legal practice — enough to have navigated the recurring fact patterns, procedural traps, and negotiation dynamics that shape case outcomes.
Broad Practice Area Coverage
Covering litigation, government, and insurance, Robert L. Pratter can address the full spectrum of a client's legal needs without requiring referrals to separate specialists for each issue.
Local Presence in Philadelphia
A Philadelphia-based practice means Robert L. Pratter attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
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