Baynard-Cooke, Sara

Robert Baumgartner has formed hundreds, if not thousands, of new businesses. He has watched mom and pop businesses achieve family goals, and has seen small businesses with big dreams implement legal and business solutions to become major players in their industries.

He cites positive client interaction with business owners who are trying to achieve their goals as a strong motivator in his decision to focus his practice on business and commercial law. He regularly works with optimistic, upbeat, and aggressive entrepreneurs and business owners to create short and long-term business strategies and legal needs. He has the experience to provide the practical legal solutions to complicated business situations. Time and again he has found that the pure legal analysis and legal courses of action may not be the best solution for businesses and business owners. Rather, seeking win-win solutions, which involve a balancing of the legal positions against the monetary and non-monetary costs leads to alternative, non-litigation solutions.

Business owners usually want cost effective solutions, not legal positions that lead to polarization and the loss of business deals and transactions. A transaction should never fall through because of attorneys advocating positions that create adversity. Rather, a lawyer should always seek solutions that will allow transactions to be consummated and problems to be resolved.

When dealing with employees and employment situations, he has found that employers want solutions that will minimize or remove the threat of litigation. With the cost of defending major employment suits averaging over $125,000, most business have to find solutions to employment problems that protect the business interests while bringing closure to the problems.

Admitted to the Virginia bar in 1978 and to the District of Columbia bar in 1994, Mr. Baumgartner brings considerable experience to the practice of business and commercial law in Northern Virginia.