Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto > Ballard Spahr LLP > New Jersey, United States > Lawyer Profile

Work Department

Litigation

Position

Partner 

Career

Justice Roberto A. Rivera-Soto is a trial and appellate lawyer who served for seven years on the Supreme Court of New Jersey before joining Ballard Spahr.

Justice Rivera-Soto is well positioned to maximize clients’ ability to succeed at the trial and appellate levels. Starting with his tenure as an Assistant United States Attorney, continuing through both private practice and corporate in-house practice, and culminating with seven years on the Supreme Court of New Jersey, he persuasively and effectively appeals to judges, both orally and in writing. He provides valuable insight on appellate and trial court judges’ expectations and point of view to the benefit of his clients.

Awards:

Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, 2008-present

Recipient, Ballard Spahr’s 2013 Alan J. Davis Award, for his pro bono work as a member of the Prisoner Civil Rights Team

Recipient, New Jersey State Bar Association’s Commendatory Resolution, 2011, and NJSBA’s inaugural annual Military Support Award, 2010

Recipient, Association of Latin-American Law Students of Rutgers School of Law-Newark’s Commendatory Plaque, 2010

Recipient, Latin American Law Students Association of Seton Hall University School of Law’s Commendatory Plaque, 2005

Recipient, Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey’s Lifetime Achievement Award, 2005

Recipient, U.S. Department of Justice’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant U.S. Attorney

Recipient, commendations from FBI, U.S. Customs Service, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms

Admissions:

Delaware

District of Columbia

Nevada

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Languages

Fluent in Spanish 

Memberships

Hispanic National Bar Association, Honorary Committeeman, 2012 mid-year meeting

District VII Ethics Committee of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, member and Chair, 2000-2004

Rutgers School of Law-Camden, past instructor of trial advocacy

New Jersey Development Authority for Small Businesses, Minorities’ and Women’s Enterprises, 1988-1994

Please Touch Museum, 2001-2003

Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board of the State Bar of Nevada, 1997-1999

Education

Cornell Law School (J.D. 1977)
Recipient, Charles K. Burdick Scholarship; Member, Moot Court Board

Haverford College (B.A. 1974, with departmental honors)
Recipient, José Padín Scholarship

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class actions: automotive/transport - defense

With extensive experience in class actions, Ballard Spahr LLP has ‘deep knowledge’ of the automotive industry and ‘takes a pragmatic approach to litigation’. In New Jersey, ‘highly responsive’ practice head Neal Walters and Roberto Rivera-Soto are representing longstanding client Kia Motors in a class action alleging consumer fraud and breach of warranty based on brake defects; Walters is also defending Subaru against allegations that several of its vehicle models suffer from engine rod defects. In other work, the team is acting for automotive seat manufacturer Johnson Controls in two lawsuits claiming the plaintiffs sustained enhanced injuries in motor vehicle accidents as a result of certain seat defects. New Jersey-based associate Casey Watkins, who has ‘excellent legal skills’ is also recommended. John Kearney retired in December 2017.