Philadelphia Native Rob Seiger Making Global Moves at Robinson+Cole
More Than a Culture Fit—An Added‑Value Platform for Authentic Collaboration and Growth

As Robinson+Cole continues its deliberate growth across key markets, lateral partners play a critical role in shaping both culture and opportunity. In the first installment of our Attorney Spotlight series, Christine B. Cottrell, the firm’s Senior Manager, Lateral Partner Recruiting, sat down with Partner Rob Seiger, who joined the firm to help build its Philadelphia presence while advancing a fast-paced, niche practice at the intersection of immigration, sports, and entertainment. His perspective offers insight into what collaboration, leadership engagement, and entrepreneurial opportunity look like in practice.

Christine B. Cottrell (Christine): What originally drew you to Robinson+Cole, and how has your experience compared with your expectations of your first year?

Robert C. Seiger (Rob): What stood out for my team was Robinson+Cole’s targeted commitment to growing in Philadelphia. This is my hometown, where I practice law and have built my career. I’m entrepreneurial by nature, and the unique opportunity to help establish and grow the firm’s brand here was wildly attractive.

Philadelphia is a special city with its own culture. To really understand it, you have to be from here. Many long‑established Philadelphia companies are now firm clients, which reinforces that this commitment is real. It was meaningful to help expand the firm’s footprint in a way that truly fits the market.

Even in a short time, you can see that growth accelerating. We’re doubling in size, expanding our space, increasing visibility, and creating a consistent office look and feel. It’s motivating to be part of that growth and culture we’re building every day.

Robinson+Cole’s culture isn’t staged—it’s real. It meant a lot to my team that firm leadership was engaged throughout the recruiting and onboarding processes, particularly former Managing Partner Rhonda Tobin. That matters, both to clients and to people making significant career decisions.

The firm’s commitment to diversity and collaboration aligns with what my clients and I value. And the size of the firm is right. We’re large enough to remain sophisticated, but not so large that people become siloed. There’s real collaboration here. People want to understand your practice, support your success, and help clients benefit from that collaboration.

Christine: What advice would you give to other laterals joining Robinson+Cole about how to make the most of their first year?

Rob: Take the time to make yourself known—not just within your practice group or office, but across the firm. Get out of your silo. Build relationships. Learn the culture.

That’s how meaningful collaboration happens. You can’t build real client relationships or move matters forward by sitting in your office. The firm encourages those connections through retreats, leadership check‑ins, and regular interaction, and that support makes a difference. It’s very different from a checkbox approach where someone asks for a 90‑day memo and then disappears.

Christine: For those who may not know your work yet, how would you describe your practice focus and the value you aim to bring to clients?

Rob: For all intents and purposes, we’re global mobility attorneys. We handle U.S. immigration, but we also address international needs—helping clients move people around the globe for sporting events, entertainment projects, and business operations.

Our niche is sports and entertainment, which comes with its own urgency and pace. When things go wrong in those industries, they’re often very public. Our success comes from building true partnerships with our clients. We don’t just handle transactions, we take on their urgency as our own.

Through those experiences, we build trust and loyalty. We’ve handled complex matters for high‑profile clients and earned repeat referrals because of how we work. We aren’t starstruck, and we treat every client as equally important. Our clients value that approach, and it fits naturally with the collaborative culture at Robinson+Cole.

Christine: Outside the practice of law, what do you enjoy doing—either in your home office city or beyond—that helps people get to know you on a personal level?

Rob: Giving back is important to me. I’ve been teaching sports law at Villanova Law School for nearly 15 years. It keeps me connected to the community and helps me stay sharp in my own practice. I don’t just teach immigration, I cover legal issues across sports and entertainment.

Through Villanova, I also serve as a liaison between the law school and the U.S. Marine Corps for the Marine Corps JAG program. We help active‑duty Marines explore law school opportunities, and we also help law students consider careers in public service. It’s about giving back and staying engaged.