Robert S. Shafer

Robert S. Shafer is part of the Commerical Litigation Practice Group where he is of counsel and concentrates his practice on appellate advocacy in state and federal court, representing clients in industries such as banking and financial services, transportation and energy.

He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Law since 2007 and named Lawyer of the Year 2013, Little Rock.

Robert also has broad experience in initiative and referendum law.

• University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1981
• University of North Carolina, M.A., 1977
• Miami University, B.M., summa cum laude, 1975

• Arkansas Bar Association; Member of the Drafting Committee, “Handling Appeals in Arkansas”
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Law, since 2007
  • Named Lawyer of the Year, Appellate Law, Little Rock, 2013
• Named Local Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, since 2017
• Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
• Served as a Special Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court in Brumley v. Ark. Dep’t of Human Servs., 2015 Ark. 356, and Gordon v. Planters & Merchants Bankshares, Inc. 326 Ark. 1046, 935 S.W.2d 544 (1996).

• Bly v. Collister, 2014 Ark. App. 476, 2014 Ark. App. LEXIS 659
• Mack v. Union Pacific Railroad Co., 2012 Ark. App. 115, 2012 Ark. App. LEXIS 231
• Pulaski Choice, L.L.C. v. 2735 Villa Creek, L.P., 2010 Ark. 91, 2010 Ark. LEXIS 125
• Centerpoint Energy, Inc. v. Miller County Circuit Court, 372 Ark. 343, 276 S.W.3d 231 (2008)
• Bullock v. Barnes, 366 Ark. 444, 236 S.W.3d 498 (2006)
• Morris v. Union Pacific Railroad, 373 F.3d 896 (8th Cir. 2004)
• Sparr v. Ward, 306 F.3d 589 (8th Cir. 2002)

• Anglican Mission in America, Board Member
• Evangelical Alliance for Immigration Services, Director
• National Lawyers Association
• Pulaski County Bar Association

• Arkansas, 1981
• United States Supreme Court
• United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Eighth Circuits
• United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas