California license and practice

Robert Allen Curtis is admitted to practice law in California and is a member of the State Bar of California in good standing (State Bar of California #203870). Verify the current individual Bar record at apps.calbar.ca.gov/attorney/Licensee/Detail/203870 before hiring an attorney.

Robert A. Curtis is the managing partner of Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis, LLP in Santa Barbara, where he has been with the firm for 27 years. His practice covers complex business litigation, mass torts, lender liability, class actions, wildfire litigation, and real estate litigation. He is admitted to the State Bar of California and to the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Eastern, Southern and Northern Districts of California, the Western District of Michigan, the District of Columbia, and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. With other partners he has litigated cases producing over $1.15 billion in settlements and verdicts; the firm says he has not lost a jury trial in over 20 years. Named settlements include multi-million dollar results against Southern California Edison, East West Bank, Shell Oil, Verizon Wireless, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, U.S. Airways and Bank of the West — the firm’s claims. In 2014 he was lead trial counsel for the plaintiff in a 7-week lender-liability trial in Los Angeles Superior Court against East West Bank — a $38.9 million jury verdict (the firm says the 12th largest verdict in California and the 54th largest in the U.S. for 2014). In 2016, as lead or co-lead counsel, he settled cases totalling $91.2 million for the firm’s clients. In 2018 he was appointed to the leadership team for the Thomas Fire / Montecito mudslide litigation against Southern California Edison (the firm represented 500+ plaintiffs; settlements over $290 million). In 2019 he settled a 5-year real estate partnership dispute for $109 million and a class action against U.S. Airways for $9.85 million, and was appointed to the leadership team for the Woolsey Fire litigation (1,200+ plaintiffs; settlements over $429 million). In 2025 he was co-lead counsel in the Maui (Lahaina) wildfire class case — the firm says the settlement exceeded $4 billion; he was also one of six co-liaison counsel for Palisades Fire victims and was appointed to the Eaton Fire litigation team against Southern California Edison. He earned his undergraduate degree from UCLA and his J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law. His recognition includes Best Lawyers in America 2024 (mass tort / class actions – plaintiffs), National Law Journal “Elite Trial Lawyer Finalist” 2021, Martindale-Hubbell “AV – Preeminent” since 2011, Super Lawyer in each of the last ten years, and Super Lawyers “Rising Star” 2008–2014.

Matters this legal field covers

Business litigation legal work may cover complex business litigation, mass torts, lender liability, class actions, wildfire litigation, and real estate litigation.

Questions to ask

Ask which type of business matter the lawyer handles, the relevant California county, potential filing deadlines, and the scope of legal fees. Confirm whether the firm can handle your location, matter type and timing.

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