Robins Borghei

What Robins Borghei does

Robins Borghei LLP is a California-based litigation law firm founded in 2013 by Todd E. Robins and Jed J. Borghei, specializing exclusively in groundwater contamination cost-recovery representation for public water suppliers. The firm's practice is organized around four core service areas: 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) cost-recovery litigation against Shell and Dow, nitrate contamination cost-recovery, general water utility litigation, and regulatory advocacy before agencies such as the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The firm serves as co-lead plaintiffs' counsel in California's statewide coordinated TCP products liability litigation in San Bernardino Superior Court, representing approximately 40 cities, water districts, and water companies, and has collectively tried more than 200 cases to verdict for over 100 public entity clients.

The firm's underlying technology consists of legal expertise, case strategy, and regulatory knowledge rather than a proprietary technology platform. The firm pioneered a two-track strategy combining contamination litigation with regulatory advocacy to secure replacement water orders, and maintains deep technical expertise in water treatment methods including Granular Activated Carbon and microfiltration systems. There is no proprietary software, AI/ML tooling, or digital product disclosed; the website (rbwaterlaw.com) operates as a standard law firm information and contact portal. The firm operates from San Francisco (headquarters) and Central Coast offices in San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles, with shared attorney rosters and a sister firm relationship with Adamski Moroski Madden Cumberland & Green LLP (AMMCG).

Revenue is generated through professional legal fees, typically structured on a matter-by-matter basis through engagement agreements specific to each litigation or regulatory matter. The firm's go-to-market motion relies on industry reputation, speaking engagements at water industry conferences (American Groundwater Trust, ACWA, AWWA, NRWA), media coverage, and referrals from existing municipal clients. Customer segments are concentrated in public water suppliers — municipalities, water districts, special districts, mutual water companies, and investor-owned utilities — with adjacent representation of private property owners and public entities in environmental, water, and property damage matters. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

Name

Robins Borghei

Legal name

Robins Borghei LLP

Website

https://rbwaterlaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Robins Borghei LLP is a California litigation law firm founded in 2013 that represents public water suppliers in groundwater contamination cost-recovery litigation, serving as co-lead plaintiffs' counsel in California's coordinated TCP litigation against Shell and Dow.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Litigation Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Collections & Litigation Support (Judgments, Garnishments) (FSAKAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Water utility litigation
• Groundwater contamination recovery
• Environmental legal services
• Regulatory advocacy representation
• Toxic tort litigation

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Legal Services – Litigation and Regulatory Advocacy: The firm generates revenue by providing legal representation to public water suppliers in groundwater contamination cost-recovery litigation against polluters (e.g., chemical manufacturers Shell and Dow), and in regulatory advocacy before agencies such as the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Services include toxic tort litigation, breach of contract, products liability, and regulatory compliance matters. Revenue is earned through legal fees, typically on a matter-by-matter basis for its client roster of municipalities, water districts, and water companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Robins Borghei LLP provides legal representation to public water suppliers in groundwater contamination cost-recovery litigation against polluters such as Shell and Dow, and engages in regulatory advocacy before agencies including the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The firm specializes in 1,2,3-TCP litigation, nitrate contamination cost-recovery, toxic tort litigation, breach of contract, products liability, and regulatory compliance matters for municipalities, water districts, mutual water companies, and investor-owned utilities. Revenue is earned through legal fees on a matter-by-matter engagement basis.

Product overview

Robins Borghei LLP is a litigation law firm serving the water utility industry, not a technology product company. The firm offers legal services organized around its core practice areas: 1,2,3-TCP litigation (representing water suppliers in coordinated litigation against Shell and Dow), nitrate contamination cost-recovery, general water utility cost-recovery litigation, and regulatory advocacy before agencies such as the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The firm's services are demonstrated through case studies including the Oildale Mutual Water Company nitrate case, California Water Service Company breach of warranty case, and City of Wasco TCP contamination case.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 1,2,3-TCP Litigation Legal representation for public water suppliers in cost-recovery litigation against Shell and Dow for 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) groundwater contamination caused by soil fumigants used from the 1950s-1980s, including coordinated products liability litigation.
• Nitrate Contamination Cost-Recovery Legal services for water suppliers to recover costs of treating or replacing groundwater contaminated by nitrate from agricultural fertilizers, employing a two-track strategy of litigation and regulatory advocacy before the Regional Water Quality Control Board.
• Water Utility Cost-Recovery Litigation General groundwater contamination cost-recovery legal services for municipalities, water districts, water companies, and investor-owned utilities to hold polluters accountable, including toxic tort litigation, breach of contract, and products liability matters.
• Regulatory Advocacy Advocacy before regulatory agencies including the Regional Water Quality Control Board to recover contamination response costs and obtain replacement water orders for water suppliers facing groundwater contamination.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 public entity clients represented effectively across water contamination matters
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Adamski Moroski Madden Cumberland & Green LLP (AMMCG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdamski Moroski Madden Cumberland & Green LLP is the firm's sister law firm operating out of two Central Coast offices in San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. The firms share attorneys (partners and of counsel appear on both firm rosters) and the combined resources enable Robins Borghei LLP to leverage AMMCG's diverse litigation and transactional services. AMMCG has been ranked as one of California's top law firms from 2013–2015, achieving the prestigious AV Preeminent rating.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP: Plaintiff-side complex litigation firm with environmental, toxic tort, and consumer protection practices. Comparable as a plaintiff specialist capable of running large coordinated contamination cases against corporate defendants.
• Nossaman LLP: Infrastructure-focused firm with a substantial water practice advising utilities, districts, and public agencies on water quality, supply, and regulatory litigation.
• Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC: Plaintiff-side firm with a dedicated environmental tort practice representing public and private plaintiffs in contamination matters. Comparable in taking on well-funded corporate defendants in coordinated environmental litigation.
• Baron & Budd, P.C. National plaintiff-side environmental and mass tort firm where Jed Borghei previously practiced. Comparable in plaintiff contamination and toxic tort work, though at significantly larger scale.
• Best Best & Krieger LLP: California-based firm with one of the largest public agency and water utility practices in the state. Comparable in serving municipalities, water districts, and special districts on water law and contamination matters, though more breadth than pure litigation focus.
• Somach Simmons & Dunn: California firm specializing in water rights, environmental law, and contamination litigation for public agencies and water suppliers. Directly comparable in serving water utilities on regulatory and litigation matters.
• Downey Brand LLP: Sacramento-based firm with a deep water law practice serving municipalities, irrigation districts, and water utilities on quality, supply, and contamination matters across California.
• Sher Leff LLP: Environmental litigation boutique where both founding partners previously practiced. Directly comparable in plaintiff-side environmental and water contamination work, with similar case-style matters and client base.
• Adamski Moroski Madden Cumberland & Green LLP: Sister law firm sharing attorneys and operating the Central Coast offices of Robins Borghei LLP. Provides adjacent real property, water rights, land use, and municipal law capacity and shares partners across rosters.

Broad incumbents

• Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP: Large full-service firm with a significant water and environmental practice advising utilities, municipalities, and water districts. Comparable subject-matter expertise but broader portfolio and corporate-defense orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rbwaterlaw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Robins Borghei