Biography

Bob Waterman Jr. joined Lane & Waterman in 1981 and for 40 years has focused his civil litigation practice for the defense primarily in the areas of professional malpractice, product liability, and insurance coverage litigation. He served as the firm’s Managing Partner from 2017 to 2021.

Bob is recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, for the areas of Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law, Medical Malpractice Law, and Bet-the-Company Litigation, in Martindale-Hubbell with an AV rating, in Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers with a “Band 1” rating for Litigation: General Commercial, and in the Iowa Super Lawyers Top 10 List for the years of 2011-2019. In 2014, Bob was awarded The 2014 Client Choice Award for Litigation in Iowa. Bob Waterman is viewed as an “excellent, top-notch attorney” and an “outstanding litigator.” Clients add that he is “very knowledgeable, analytical and has a great understanding of the applicable law.”

Bob is a past President of the Iowa State Bar Association (2011-12), and remains active in numerous law related organizations, including:

• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (State Chair, 2008-2010)
• Fellow, Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers (Director, 2015-present)
• Director, Iowa State Bar Foundation (2006-2018)
• Advocate, American Board of Trial Advocates
• Member, Iowa Defense Counsel Association (Director, 2005-2008)
• Member, Illinois Association of Defense Counsel
• Member, Defense Research Institute
• Member, American, Iowa, and Illinois Bar Associations
• Member, Scott County Bar Association (President, 2000-2001) and Rock Island County Bar Association

Bob is active in the Quad Cities community, currently serving as a Trustee of the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation, Director of the Friendly House (past President 1990-92), and member of the Investment Committee of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Senior Warden, Vestry, 1996). He received his B.A. from Northwestern University and his J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of The Iowa Law Review. He resides in Bettendorf with his wife Kim, and they have two adult sons.

Examples of recent accomplishments include:

• In December 2019, Bob Waterman and his law partner, Abbey Furlong, successfully defended at trial, a Dubuque County Chiropractor in a professional malpractice action in which the Plaintiff alleged a chiropractic manipulation caused permanent spinal injuries.  The Dubuque County, Iowa, jury returned a unanimous defense verdict and awarded no damages to the Plaintiff.
• In October 2019, Bob Waterman and his law partner, Ben Patterson, successfully defended at trial, two cardiologists and their eastern Iowa cardiology group, in a professional malpractice action in which the plaintiff alleged the Defendants breached the standard of care causing the death of Plaintiff’s spouse. The Plaintiff sought $3 million in damages.  The week-long jury trial ended with the jury returning a unanimous verdict finding the cardiologists were not liable and awarded no damages.
• In March 2018, Bob Waterman and his law partner, Abbey Furlong, successfully defended an eastern Iowa chiropractor in a professional malpractice action in which the plaintiff alleged a chiropractic adjustment caused her injury.  The Iowa District Court for Scott County entered an order granting summary judgment in favor of the chiropractor and dismissing all claims, finding the plaintiff (1) failed to present required expert testimony establishing the applicable chiropractic standard of care; (2) failed to establish the chiropractor breached that standard of care; and (3) failed to establish a causal relationship between the alleged breach and plaintiff’s alleged injuries.
• In November 2018, Bob Waterman successfully defended on appeal a jury verdict in favor of Lane & Waterman’s client, an eastern Iowa obstetrical group, whose patient sought monetary damages for an alleged delay in diagnosing a rare pregnancy condition. After a 5-day trial, the jury returned a unanimous defense verdict on May 12, 2017, and awarded no damages to the patient/plaintiff. The plaintiff then appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court, which transferred this appeal to the Court of Appeals.  Presiding Judge Tabor entered their unanimous decision on November 7, 2018, affirming the defense verdict by finding evidentiary rulings by the trial court were correct and did not prejudice the plaintiff’s case at trial.
• In November 2017, Bob and his law partner, Mikkie Schiltz, successfully defended an eastern Iowa family practice physician and his group in a medical malpractice lawsuit seeking in excess of $5 million. After a 2-week trial, the Henry County jury returned a unanimous defense verdict on November 17, 2017, awarding no damages.
• In September 2017, Bob and his law partner, Jason O’Rourke, successfully represented clients in recovering a jury verdict of $3 million in an accounting malpractice action tried in Scott County, Iowa.
• In September 2017, Bob successfully defended an eastern Iowa surgeon in a medical malpractice lawsuit where the estate of a deceased patient sought in excess of $10 million. Bob’s client was dismissed from this suit after the second day of trial. The Dubuque County jury later returned a verdict for $10 million against the remaining co-defendant not represented by Lane & Waterman.
• In May 2017, Bob successfully defended an eastern Iowa obstetrical group and its midwives in a medical malpractice lawsuit brought by a patient who sought monetary damages for an alleged delay in diagnosing a rare partial molar pregnancy. The jury returned a unanimous defense verdict on May 12, 2017.
• In November 2015, Bob successfully defended an eastern Iowa law firm in a legal malpractice lawsuit brought by a former client who sought monetary damages in excess of $1 million for alleged negligence in preparing an agreement concerning the sale of farm land and subsequent trust administration support. After a 6-day trial, judgment was entered on April 13, 2016, in favor of the law firm and awarded no damages to the plaintiffs.
• In April 2015, Bob and his law partner, Mikkie Schiltz, successfully defended an eastern Iowa anesthesia group and its CRNAs in a medical malpractice lawsuit brought by a patient who sought monetary damages for personal injuries from a nerve block. The jury returned a unanimous defense verdict on April 17, 2015.
• In February 2015, Bob successfully defended a Davenport, Iowa, obstetrician  in a medical malpractice lawsuit brought by a patient who sought in excess of $4.2 million for birth injuries resulting from a delivery complicated by a Shoulder Dystocia presentation. The Scott County jury returned a unanimous defense verdict on February 13, 2015.
• In May 2014, Bob successfully defended a Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, chiropractor in a malpractice lawsuit brought by a 30-year old patient and her husband who sought in excess of $350,000 for injuries following chiropractic manipulative therapy, which allegedly caused bilateral vertebral artery dissections and a resulting stroke. The Lee County jury in Ft. Madison returned a unanimous defense verdict on May 23, 2014.
• In May 2014, Bob successfully defended a local general surgeon in a medical malpractice lawsuit brought by a patient who sought $1.25 million for injuries from a bowel perforation following liposuction surgery.  The Rock Island County jury returned a unanimous defense verdict on May 9, 2014.
• In February 2014, Bob successfully defended a local family practice physician and hospital in a medical malpractice lawsuit brought by the estate and family of a deceased patient who suffered a deadly heart attack 3-weeks following a normal cardiac stress test.  The Scott County jury returned a unanimous defense verdict on February 17, 2014.
• In October 2013, Bob successfully defended an Iowa law firm in a legal malpractice lawsuit brought by an Iowa municipality which sued to recover $4.5 million it had agreed to pay to settle an underlying whistle-blower case. After 3 weeks of trial, the Scott County jury returned a unanimous defense verdict in favor of the law firm.

Additional Profile

Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation
• Medical Malpractice
• Product Liability & Mass Torts
• Professional Malpractice