Robert J. Maguire

Partner

Chair, Litigation Practice

Rob Maguire co-chairs the firm's litigation practice group nationwide. Rob is an experienced litigator trying cases, responding to government investigations, and defending clients in adversarial regulatory proceedings. He often handles high-stakes, high-profile, or sensitive matters with a balanced approach combining zealous advocacy with diplomacy. In addition to complex commercial litigation, trade secret litigation, and complicated employment-related disputes, Rob has substantial experience handling constitutional, election, campaign finance, and political matters. Whether through forming political committees, drafting ballot measures, and advising campaigns to enact new law, or litigating in the courts or before administrative tribunals to apply the law fairly, Rob solves clients' problems.

Rob has represented Microsoft, Uber, Starbucks, The Seattle Times, the King County Superior Court, numerous trade associations, various statewide ballot measure committees, political parties, candidates, and foundations. He has also served as a special County Prosecuting Attorney to represent a Washington County, litigating the matter from trial court through the Washington Supreme Court.

Rob has successfully defended class actions, including through trial, and complex cases involving fiduciary duty, trust obligations, Uniform Commercial Code issues, commercial contracts, high-value real property disputes, and international commercial disputes. He has defended numerous C-Suite executives in depositions and other proceedings.

Based on feedback from his clients and peers, Rob has repeatedly been recognized as a leading litigator and trial lawyer by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business since 2014.

Practice Highlights

Disputes with regulators

Rob regularly helps clients respond to government investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, and litigation with government agencies and regulators up and down the West Coast. In addition, Rob brings claims for clients against government entities challenging unconstitutional actions, violations of federal or state law, and rulemaking violations.

Election and political law

Rob was one of the lead lawyers in Washington's first-of-its-kind gubernatorial 2005 election contest trial and regularly represents clients in election and political matters. His work includes advising candidates, businesses, trade associations, foundations, policy organizations, and political committees. He assists clients forming political committees, drafts ballot measures, provides campaign finance compliance counseling, responds to investigations, and litigates ballot measure and election disputes from the trial court to the Washington Supreme Court.

Employment, trade secrets, and noncompetes

Over the last decade, Rob's practice has included defending complicated employment disputes including Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower retaliation claims; wrongful discharge in violation of public policy claims; novel workplace safety claims concerning alleged mental health injuries from content moderator duties; and discrimination claims. For more than twenty years, Rob has counseled Fortune 100 companies and represented them in litigation over trade secret and noncompete issues including high-profile matters ranging from the theft of boat designs in the America's Cup sailing race to raiding claims against a financial institution for mass hiring of brokers.

Complex Commercial Litigation

Chamber of Commerce v. City of Seattle

Represented Rasier LLC, subsidiary of Uber Technologies Inc., in federal antitrust lawsuit challenging Seattle’s first-of-its-kind ordinance authorizing for-hire drivers who are independent contractors to unionize, and compelling ride-referral companies to collectively bargain with those unions. District court initially granted preliminary injunction but later dismissed suit based on city’s defense of state-action antitrust immunity under Parker v. Brown, 317 U.S. 341 (1943). 9th Circuit enjoined the ordinance pending appeal and then reversed on the merits (9th Cir. 2018). After years of litigation and favorable appellate rulings rejecting city’s defense of state-action antitrust immunity, city amended ordinance and settled. (W.D. Wash. 2020)

Rasier LLC v. City of Seattle

Represented Rasier LLC, a subsidiary of Uber Technologies Inc., in filing a constitutional writ of certiorari challenging Seattle’s rules and rulemaking process concerning the implementation of an ordinance purporting to allow independent contractor drivers to collectively bargain but limiting the pool of drivers who would have the right to vote on representation. (King Cnty. (Wash.) Super. Ct. Ongoing)

California Public Utilities Commission proceedings

Represented Rasier-CA LLC, a subsidiary of Uber Technologies, Inc., since 2014 in administrative proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission. (Cal. Pub. Utilities Comm. Ongoing)

Engstrom / Stockwell v. Microsoft

Obtained summary judgment for Microsoft on claims of wrongful termination in violation of public policy brought by two former employees. (King Cnty. (Wash.) Super. Ct. 2017) Affirmed by Washington Court of Appeals. (Wash. 2019) Plaintiffs are seeking review by Washington’s Supreme Court. (Ongoing)

International food company litigation

Defended publicly-traded Asian food manufacturer in litigation over the acquisition of a U.S. company, including international depositions and multi-jurisdiction proceedings. (W.D. Wash. 2015)

Noncompetition Agreements & Trade Secrets

Amazon, Inc. v. Hall

Enforced Amazon's noncompete agreement against former senior Amazon Web Services' executive who accepted parallel position with Google. After obtaining extended temporary restraining order barring employee, the matter settled on confidential terms. (King Cnty. (Wash.) Super. Ct. 2020)

Zillow, Inc. v. Urban Compass, Inc., et al.

Defended Compass against claims Compass misappropriated Zillow's trade secrets through a former Zillow Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning employee. Alleged claims included both state and federal trade secret misappropriation, as well as breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, tortious interference, breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment. (W.D. Wash. 2019)

JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. v. Bach, et al.

Represented bank against 16 former mortgage loan officers pursuing claims including breach of fiduciary duties, breach of nonsolicitation and nondisclosure agreements, and violations of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, RICO, and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Obtained temporary restraining order preventing solicitation of customers and requiring the return of all confidential information. Settled after obtaining multiple extensions of TRO. (W.D. Wash. 2009)

Starbucks v. Twohig

Represented Starbucks in high-profile litigation against former senior executive for breach of noncompete agreement. Twohig, who had reported directly to the president of Starbucks U.S., accepted a senior executive position with Dunkin' Donuts. After expedited discovery and entry of an order limiting Twohig's activities with Dunkin', the case was successfully resolved at mediation. Twohig paid $500,000 to Starbucks and agreed to continue post-employment restrictions protecting Starbucks' confidential information and trade secrets. (W.D. Wash. 2009)

Fatigue Technologies, Inc. v. Horvath

Successfully defended Mark Horvath, a former Fatigue Technologies, Inc., employee, against claims associated with a noncompetition agreement. Defeated motion for preliminary injunction and achieved dismissal of all claims. (King Cnty. (Wash.) Super. Ct. 2009)

Political Counseling and Litigation

Campaign finance counseling

Counsels political committees and candidates regarding state and federal campaign finance issues. (Ongoing)

No on 1631

Represented a political committee in one of the largest initiative campaigns in Washington state history. (2018)

Spokane Entrepreneurial Center v. Spokane Moves to Amend the Constitution

Successfully represented a coalition of businesses, nonprofits, city council members, and individuals in Spokane in a pre-election challenge to proposed local ballot initiatives. Litigated emergency proceedings from the trial court through the Washington Supreme Court, ultimately prevailing in a unanimous Washington Supreme Court decision. (Wash. 2016)

Chiafolo v. Inslee, et al.

Represented Washington State Republican Party in responding to "faithless electors" case involving members of the electoral college seeking to challenge Washington's statute imposing penalties on electors who fail to fulfill their pledges to cast electoral college votes for the presidential candidate receiving the most votes in Washington. Successfully resolved with defeat of electors' motion for preliminary injunction and 9th Circuit denial of electors' emergency appeal. (9th Cir. 2016)

Libertarian Party of Washington v. Reed, et al.

Represented Romney for President Inc. and the Washington State Republican Party in litigation seeking to block Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan from appearing on the general election ballot in Washington State. Succeeded in defeating a motion for preliminary injunction and obtaining dismissal of all claims. (Thurston Cnty. (Wash.) Super. Ct. 2012)

Admitted to Practice

Alaska, 1998
Washington, 2000
U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, 1999
U.S. District Court, District of Alaska, 2000
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington, 2005
U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, 2000

Education

J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 1998
- Contributing Editor, Journal of Law Reform
- Member, Child Advocacy Law Clinic
A.B., Politics, Princeton University, 1994, with honors
- Certificate in Political Economy

Memberships & Affiliations

- Vice-President, Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association
- Member, 2006-2013; Director and Co-treasurer, 2011 – Northwest Children's Fund
- Executive Board Member, Puget Sound Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society, 2000-present
- Lex Mundi Institute Alumnus, 2005
- Republican National Lawyers Association
- Captain, Seattle Breakers Hockey Club, 2001-2015

Professional Recognition

- Named as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" by Chambers USA in Litigation: General Commercial (Washington), 2014-2024
- Selected to "Washington Rising Stars," Thomson Reuters, 2006-2008, 2010-2012
- Selected to "Washington Super Lawyers," Thomson Reuters, 2013-2024
- Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Commercial Litigation by Best Lawyers, 2013-present