Robert G. Cain Director
Robert Cain is a senior member of the civil litigation team. While he devotes a significant portion of his practice to defense work, which has included the dismissal of a four million dollar property damage case, he also handles substantial personal injury cases on behalf of plaintiffs, which has included a four million dollar recovery.
Bob’s civil litigation practice, in both state and federal courts, covers a variety of areas, including product liability, professional liability, premises liability, automobile liability, dram shop liability, civil arson, airplane crash liability, construction accident liability, school liability, municipal liability, general tort liability, insurance bad faith, workers’ compensation, subrogation, uninsured motorist litigation, insurance coverage matters, First Amendment litigation, and asbestos liability. Bob has appeared extensively before the Vermont Supreme Court and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, resulting in a substantial number of reported appellate decisions.
Professional + Community
American Association of Justice, Associate Member
American Bar Association
Bar Examiners, Associate Board and Board, 1982-1996
Chittenden County Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Tri-State Defense Lawyers Association
Vermont Bar Association
Boys’ & Girls’ Club of Burlington, Board of Directors, 2001-Present
Burlington Ward Clerk, 1986-1987
Burlington Zoning Board of Adjustment, 1983-1986
Champlain College, Law Instructor, 1982-1985
Greater Burlington YMCA: Camping Services Committee, 2000-2016, Development Committee, 2000-2007
Ruggles’ Foundation, Trustee, 1986-2002
United Way of Chittenden County: Board of Directors, 2004-2010; Board Secretary, 2007-2010; Annual Campaign Cabinet, 2003, 2004 & 2005; Ambassador, 2001 – 2017
Vermont Handball Association, Treasurer, 1978-2000
Honors
Benchmark Litigation, 2009 – present
Best Lawyers in America® 2009-2020
New England Super Lawyers 2011-2018
Representative Matters
Gilmour v. Town of Barnet, 141 Vt. 640 (1982);
Westchester Fire Ins. Co. v. Deuso, 146 Vt. 424 (1985);
Merrill v. Town of Ludlow, 147 Vt. 186 (1986);
Lavoie v. Pacific Press & Shear Co., 975 F.2d 48 (2d Cir. 1993);
Hudson v. Town of East Montpelier, 161 Vt. 168 (1993);
Lauzon v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 164 Vt. 620 (1995);
Zukatis v. Perry, 165 Vt. 298 (1996);
State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Roberts, 166 Vt. 452 (1997);
Estate of Fatovitch v. Burlington Free Press, Dept. of Labor, Op.# 19-97WC (1997);
Thompson v. Dewey’s So. Royalton, Inc., 169 Vt. 274 (1999);
Longe v. Boise Cascade Corp., 171 Vt. 214 (2000);
IBM v. Tokyo Electron America, Inc. and Semifab, Inc., U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont, Doc. # 2:04 – CV-260 (2005);
Sperling v. Allstate Indemnity Co., 2007 Vt. 126, 182 Vt. 521 (2007);
Pion v. Vermont Asbestos Group, Inc., Dept. of Labor, Op.# 02-07WC (2007);
Pion v. Vermont Asbestos Group, Inc., Vt. Supreme Court, Doc. # 2007-387 (2008);
Stoll v. Burlington Electric Dept., 2009 Vt. 61, 186 Vt. 127 (2009);
Estate of Murphy v. Sentry Insurance, Vt. Superior Court, Chittenden Unit, Doc. # S653-06 CnC (2011);
Estate of Murphy v. Sentry Insurance, 2014 Vt. 25 (2014)