Robert D. Brownstone advises clients on: retention/destruction policies; electronic discovery; electronic information management (EIM) and “eWorkplace” policies; information-security and data privacy; and social-media rewards and risks. Robert collaborates with clients as to computer solutions enabling legal compliance. He also advises on the impacts of international privacy laws such as the EU GDPR and U.S. states' laws such as the CCPA/CPRA.

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A nationally recognized advisor, thought leader and resource on ESI, Robert has authored over 100 articles. scholarly pieces and lengthy book chapters on law/tech issues, been cited in at least 100 law review articles and been featured or quoted more than 180 times in various legal publications and major mainstream media outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, AP, Forbes and BusinessWeek.

 

He has also delivered more than 500 presentations and chaired over 25 conferences on the following topics: Compliance; Data & Records Retention/Destruction; eDiscovery/ Electronic Information Management; ESI, Privacy and/or Social-Media in the Workplace; Information Security; and Metadata. Since 2009, Robert has taught more than ten Electronic Discovery Law & Process law school courses at the University of San Francisco (USF), Brooklyn, Santa Clara University and University of Puerto Rico schools of law. He has also been a guest lecturer at several other non-law-school universities.

 

Robert is a member of the State Bars of California and New York and is a past Chair of the executive committee of the State Bar of California’s Law Practice Management and Technology (LPMT) Section. He has served on the Advisory Boards of the National Employment Law Institute (NELI) since 2008 and of the ASU-Arkfeld eDiscovery, Law and Technology Conferences since 2018. Robert also served in the Advisory Board for the American Lawyer Media (“ALM”) LegalTech from2015 to 2020. In 2006, he was named a Northern California Super Lawyer and featured in a cover story of ABA’s Law Practice Magazine.

 

Before starting his 20-year run at Fenwick & West LLP in 2000, he had a varied career. From 1995 to 2000, Robert was the Moot Court Program Coordinator at USF School of Law. During 1997-98, he also acted as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Legal Research & Writing at JFKU School of Law. From 1992 to 2000, Robert taught Legal Research Writing & Analysis at USF Law.

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Between 1990 and 1995, he had key roles in some publicized cases.  For example, from 1986 to 1990, Robert was on plaintiffs' counsel's team in the civil suit against Claus von Bulow and on Lowell Milken's defense team in the Drexel Burnham matters.  And, for seven years, he successfully led the prosecution of a civil-RICO / bribery / collusive-bidding scheme on behalf of a New York State government client.

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In 1986, Robert received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School, where he was an editor (a/k/a assistant managing editor) and a published author on the Brooklyn Law Review.  In 1982, Robert received his B.A. in English literature and political science from Swarthmore College, where he was class president as a senior and student body president as a sophomore.