Atty. Robert Schwartz
As a partner at Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer, Rob Schwartz exclusively represents plaintiffs in employment, civil rights, and personal injury cases throughout California. Mr.
Profile Summary
About Robert Schwartz at a glance
Robert Schwartz is a personal injury and employment attorney based in Oakland, California, practicing at Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer. Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Employment Law - Individuals (2026) and Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs (2026). Serands clients in Oakland, CA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- As a partner at Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer, Rob Schwartz exclusively represents plaintiffs in employment, civil rights, and personal injury cases throughout California
- Mr. Schwartz received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Michigan
- An idealist, he decided to attend law school to focus on social justice and environmental issues
- Mr. Schwartz attended the University of Oregon School of Law, receiving certificates in public service law, pro bono, and environmental and natural resources law
- He then served as staff attorney for a Bay Area environmental nonprofit organization
- After two years, Mr. Schwartz was ready for a change, wanting to work more directly with people to make a difference in their lives
- He found a home at Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer, a firm with a long history of important civil rights and personal injury cases, litigated with compassion
- Mr. Schwartz immediately jumped into a complex case involving 130 plaintiffs, who alleged that they were wrongfully terminated because of their age
- After more than six years and two trials, the case finally settled for $37.25 million
- For their work on the case, Mr. Schwartz and his partners, Gary Gwilliam and Randy Strauss, were finalists for the 2016 Trial Lawyer of the Year award given by Public Justice
- That experience taught Mr. Schwartz important lessons both about successfully litigating cases and persevering on behalf of his clients
- He applies those lessons to all his cases, big or small
- Mr. Schwartz specializes in employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation
- whistleblower retaliation
- civil rights
- and personal injury cases
- He is a board member of the Alameda County Bar Association Trial Practice Section and regularly speaks at Minimum Continuing Legal Educations programs
Practice Areas Explained
Robert Schwartz's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Robert Schwartz handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Robert Schwartz is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in California →
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
Robert Schwartz is one of 169,120 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in California →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in California
Practicing law in California. Legal matters in California are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Oakland are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate California state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in California brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in California courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional California attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Oakland or all attorneys in California.
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