Hon. Robert C. Bonner (Ret.)

The Honorable Robert C. Bonner is widely respected for a long and distinguished career as both a jurist and as a private litigator. He has been actively engaged in the practice of law for more than 40 years and spent over half of his legal career in private law practice at two prominent law firms where he represented clients in high stakes civil litigation and represented corporations and individuals in federal criminal and regulatory investigations.

In 1984, Judge Bonner was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to the United States District Court for the Central District of California where he served with distinction over the next five years. While on the bench, he presided over numerous trials, and sat by designation on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In 1989, he resigned from the bench to accept an appointment as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration which was followed by his nomination by President George W. Bush to the position of Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service where he served from 2001 to 2003. Thereafter, as part of the homeland security re-organization in 2003, Judge Bonner was appointed first Commissioner of the U. S. Customs and Border Protection. Prior to his service on the U.S. District Court, Judge Bonner served as the United States Attorney for the Central District of California from 1984 to 1989.

Over the last 15 years, Judge Bonner has arbitrated and mediated a wide variety of disputes including securities, anti-trust, real estate, patent licensing and other intellectual property issues, construction and real estate transactions, alleged breaches of contract and fiduciary duty, and attorney fee issues. He has the skills necessary to digest and analyze expert testimony, complex contracts and documents, as well as the ability to render prompt and well-reasoned decisions. Judge Bonner is known to be well prepared and adept at comprehending even the most challenging issues and, as a mediator, is persistent in his effort to assist parties in reaching and finalizing a mutually agreed upon resolution.

As a trial lawyer, he specialized in complex civil litigation and white-collar defense. Judge Bonner’s years of public service have given him a unique familiarity in a number of areas of the law, including high stakes contract disputes, antitrust treble damage claims, construction defects, environmental litigation, consumer class actions, fraud, insurance coverage, financial transactions, tax fraud and securities.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and former Chair of the California Commission on Judicial Performance. Judge Robert Bonner is available to arbitrate and mediate cases throughout the United States.