Bob’s practice is more like having your own in-house attorney than hiring an outside firm. He has a select client base to which he provides personal service in an efficient and timely way. There is no calendar to squeeze into; Bob takes only the assignments for which he can meet your expectations.
A very detail-oriented, organized person, Bob quickly grasps new business propositions and adapts prior models to new uses. He drives other attorneys towards the goal of completing the deal without losing sight of the consensus needed among parties.
Two entrepreneurs, one of whom had worked with Bob Carpenter in a prior business, sought his help in negotiating and documenting a new business venture – a first of its kind. As these partners observed above, Bob’s practice model is perfect for novel and difficult transaction work in which numerous competing interests must be reconciled.
In this entrepreneurial engagement, Bob stood with major law firms as a peer. National law firm counsel for another party in this deal complimented Bob on behalf of his own client:
. . . we were so very appreciative of your good work and steadfast approach. I’m sure you felt many times like you were in the eye of a hurricane, but you always helped people make progress with issues and move in the right direction for closing.
A recent client bank holding company sought Bob’s advice and assistance. The company’s subsidiary banks were not satisfied with the service of their information technology provider and were seeking to leave. Their provider was holding the banks’ data hostage and insisting upon a large contract payout, even though services had deteriorated.
Bob evaluated the bank holding company’s legal position in both an arbitration demand and a court challenge. He negotiated and structured a favorable settlement and a new information technology outsourcing contract that allowed his client to preserve $1.2 million in capital.
When the job was done, the CEO told Bob:
It has been great working with you. I admire the work you have done for us. I look forward to working with you in the future, and I will recommend you whenever possible.
The General Manager of a national information technology outsourcing provider, who has worked with Bob for over 7 years, thinks he “rocks”:
Many times the most important skill in a complex negotiation is to be able to articulate both the legal and business perspectives. Bob has the unique ability to identify and explain both. He works from all sides to allow the parties to see what might otherwise be missed when working through emotional and sensitive contract negotiations and legal disputes. Bob is detail oriented and thoroughly researches his positions before moving forward. With Bob’s style and approach, I feel prepared when working through antagonistic situations or critical new business contracts.
The chair of a national law firm’s financial institutions practice, who has known Bob for over 15 years, says:
He has been my client on some matters, counsel to opponents and my co-counsel . . . Bob is both careful and creative in his legal advice, always keeping his focus on the business goals of his client . . . a can-do lawyer who does see both the forest and the trees and is always ready with a practical suggestion on how to resolve an issue when impasse seems to be looming.
When necessary, Bob can be a forceful advocate for his client's position. In adversarial regulatory proceedings and in managing litigation, I have been impressed by Bob's ability to marshal and present arguments in a persuasive manner. His presentations are carefully thought through, flexible enough to adapt to the concerns expressed in a meeting and never overdone in a manner that can undercut his argument.
With a keen understanding of the importance of compliance for regulated entities, and as an advocate for doing things the "right way," Bob is effective at convincing business people that an ounce of prevention really is worth more than a pound of cure . . . an aspect of his regulatory background and the reflection of his proactive style of practicing law - more than merely knowing the rules and answering the questions as they come.
A consultant to the banking industry on information technology outsourcing, who brought Bob into a recent engagement, says:
Once again, Bob is the driving force in resolving a major contract dispute. He understands difficult issues from the legal and relationship perspectives, and then crafts strategies to resolve the disagreement with positive results. Bob’s advice on both the arbitration and the face to face negotiations made the difference and tipped the balance in our favor.
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