ROBERT SOLOMON

1938 - 2021

SOLOMON--Robert H. Former DOJ attorney and Navy officer Bob Solomon died on April 17, 2021 at his home in Sausalito, CA, of complications from progressive Multiple-System Atrophy (MSA), a rare neurodegenerative disease of the autonomic system. He was 82. Born October 4, 1938, in Boston, MA the son of Harvey Solomon and Lena (Asarkof) Solomon, Bob was a graduate of Boston Latin School '56. Bates College B.A. '60 and Columbia Law School J.D. '63. Bob began his career in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Based in Washington, DC he represented the government in courts throughout the United States. At the time, Robert Kennedy was attorney general and a big civil rights push was underway. Bob was temporarily assigned by the Justice Department to prosecute federal cases in Louisiana in the tumultuous early years of the Civil Rights Act. A voracious reader, avid sailor, world traveler and raconteur, Bob's stories of those days have all the intrigue of a Hollywood movie -- sneaking through the bayous with F.B.I. agents to interview witnesses who were afraid to be seen talking to the "feds." He joined Boston law firm Burns & Levinson in 1967, prior to his move to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1969, where he joined the Oakland law firm of Johnston, Klein and Horton. In 1998, Bob retired as a senior partner in McCutchen Doyle, Brown & Enersen (subsequently merged into Bingham McCutchen and, now, Morgan Lewis). A member of Massachusetts (1964) and California (1970) Bar Associations; Bob Solomon argued cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for several circuits and the Supreme Court of the U.S., admitted January 1967 on motion of Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall. Bob entered military service following graduation from Columbia. Throughout much of his distinguished career, Bob continued to serve in the U.S. Naval reserve in the Judge Advocate General's Corps, attending the U.S. Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island in 1977. He retired in 1993 with the rank of Captain (CAPT, 06). In 2003 Bob received a heart transplant. His last milestone was the 18th anniversary "out" on April 4, 2021. Bob is survived by his wife of 30 years, Karen (Kovacik) Solomon; daughters, Margaret Solomon, MD (Chris Eisenberg) and Deborah Solomon, Ph.D. and their mother, Deene Goodlaw; granddaughters, Anna and Rachel Eisenberg; and his beloved sister, Barbara Fleischer (Edward). Bob and Karen were frequent visitors to Martha's Vineyard and enjoyed cruising destinations aboard Seabourn, developing lasting friendships the world over. Bob will be forever remembered by family and friends for his knowledge, judgment and unequaled intellect. Bob's final cruise was Sydney to Auckland, returning home in January 2020 just as travel came to a halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Bob's name may be made to the following institutions and will be gratefully accepted: https://www.multiplesystematrophy.org Multiple-System Atrophy Coalition is a 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to this rare neurological disorder; or Stanford University School of Medicine https://www.stanforduniversityschoolofmedicine.org
A celebration of Bob's life will be held at a date to be announced.