Prior to forming Lesperance Mendes, Robert was a partner in a large Vancouver law firm and the chairperson of its intellectual property practice groups.

Robert is a Co-Chair of a practice section with the Canadian Bar Association.   His clients in this area are diverse and include international oil companies, property owners and private corporations.

Robert's intellectual property experience commenced with litigation to enforce the trade-marks of the Expo 86 Corporation during the World Fair. Robert has represented clients in intellectual property cases involving patents, trade-marks and copyright infringement before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the Court of Appeal of British Columbia and the Federal Court of Canada. He has also appeared before the United Nation's World Intellectual Property Organization.

Robert has practiced in the area of employment law since he was called to the Bar in 1984. His services include advising employers and employees on employment contracts, severance packages and wrongful dismissal disputes. In 2001 he commenced one of the first "mass dismissal" class actions in Canada, on behalf of a large group of employees resident throughout the country.  Robert continues to represent small and medium sized businesses practicing which includes incorporations, corporate re-organizations and shareholders agreement, with an emphasis on employment and intellectual property matters.

Robert was appointed as an Adjunct Professor of the University of British Columbia's Law Faculty in 2004, and has taught a course on the Law of Armed Conflict since that time. He received the Law Faculty's Outstanding Adjunct Professor award in 2004.

Robert volunteers at the employment law pro bono legal aid clinic organized by the Western Canada Society for Access to Justice at the Vancouver Supreme Court Courthouse.

Robert's military service began as a Black Watch Cadet in 1969. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in November 1993 and received the Canadian Decoration in 1998. Robert has been a reserve legal officer in the Office of the Judge Advocate General since 1986.

Robert is a past president of the Vancouver East Cultural Center and the McGill Society of Vancouver. He was raised in Montreal, Quebec and is fluent in French.