About Robert Baum

Bob’s goal is to help you resolve your dispute in the fastest, most cost-efficient way. Although Bob is a skilled litigation lawyer, he’d prefer to help you resolve your conflict before it gets to the courthouse. Before you head into litigation or need the services of a litigation trial attorney, he suggests that you first consider using an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process.

Bob believes that most disputes can and should be resolved without the expense and emotional wear and tear of a courtroom battle. His preferred method of resolving disputes is through “Alternative Dispute Resolution,” sometimes referred to as “Appropriate Dispute Resolution.” Any of the ADR methods– mediation, arbitration, and collaborative law is a less contentious way of settling cases without the cost and bitterness of a courtroom trial. Bob will also use less common forms of ADR-neutral fact-finding, neutral case evaluation, and med-arb (a combination of mediation and arbitration) if requested.

Bob’s goal is to help you end the dispute through whatever process works. Through ADR, it is the parties and not a government-appointed judge who controls the process. He can assist you through your dispute resolution either by serving as the neutral in the ADR process (e.g. serving as the mediator or arbitrator), or by counseling you through the ADR effort (i.e. being your attorney in mediation or arbitration while someone else mediates/arbitrates or by being your collaborative law attorney).

However, there are cases where alternative dispute resolution either does not work or is inappropriate. For example, if the other side is unwilling to be reasonable, or has abused you, then litigation may be the only option. In that case, Bob will represent you aggressively and personally, giving you the full benefit of his 29 years of litigation experience.

If you retain Bob, he will be your personal lawyer. He will not meet with you the first time and then shuffle you off to be handled by younger attorneys. You hire him personally as your litigation attorney, collaborative law attorney, or mediation advisor, or as your mediator or arbitrator. Yet because he is “of counsel” to a prominent Rockville, Maryland law firm, Robert L. Baum, he has access to all of the resources of a major law firm when necessary.

Because Bob’s office is in suburban Maryland rather than Washington, D.C., his rates are generally significantly lower than his peers in Washington, D.C.

Whether you choose the ADR or litigation route, he is there to help you, including evenings and weekends.