Robert H. Loeffler

Robert H. Loeffler, 82, of Washington, D.C., died peacefully on February 9, 2026, after battling Parkinson’s disease for over fifteen years. Throughout his illness, he remained optimistic, determined, and deeply committed to his family and friends.

Born in Chicago and raised in Glencoe, Illinois, Bob graduated from New Trier High School in 1961. At Harvard College, he edited the yearbook and developed a passion for photography, graduating magna cum laude in 1965. He went on to Columbia Law School, where he served as editor of the Columbia Law Review and Chairman of the Board of Student Advisors, graduating cum laude in 1968. A formative internship with Neighborhood Legal Services in Anacostia strengthened his commitment to public service. After law school, he clerked for Judge Harold R. Medina of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Bob joined Covington & Burling in 1969. He became a founding partner of Morrison & Foerster’s Washington office in 1979 and later guided its growth as managing partner. He played a central role in firm leadership and helped establish its New York office. His primary client was the State of Alaska; his work on pipeline cases generated more than $7 billion in increased revenues to the state. His Alaska work fueled a lifelong adventure and more than 150 visits, where he combined legal expertise with his love of photography. Traveling across remote landscapes—even inspecting pipeline routes in a twin-Otter plane—offered him immense pride and breathtaking views of glaciers and wilderness snowscapes, which he artfully photographed.

Practicing for over three decades before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Bob handled natural gas, oil, and electric and renewable energy cases. Other clients included AES Corporation, Liberty Natural Gas, and Fujitsu. His pro bono work supported the Wilderness Society, the World Bank and other human rights and development efforts. He contributed widely to the legal community, co-chairing the Steering Committee of the Administrative Law Section of the D.C. Bar, serving on the Board of the National Appleseed Network and presiding over the Columbia Law School Association of Washington DC. He earned the D.C. Bar’s Distinguished Service Award and Columbia University’s Distinguished Alumni Service Medal for his efforts.

An avid reader, Bob faced life with curiosity and a generous spirit. He was a man of integrity. He also loved chocolate chip cookies. More than anything, he cherished his family and their achievements and was grateful to learn of his granddaughter’s college acceptance shortly before his death.

He is survived by his wife of fifty-five years, Jane; sons James (wife Rachel) and Charles (wife Amy Chen); and grandchildren Talia, Eli, David, and Peter.

Services will be held Thursday, February 12, 2026, 10am, at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, DC, followed by burial at Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park in Clarksburg, MD.

Donations in Bob's memory can be made to Palliative Care at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital or Levine Music