Biography
Bob Zinn is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading corporate lawyers. As a strategic corporate legal adviser, he provides transactional and interdisciplinary advice on important business challenges and opportunities. Bob’s experience includes mergers and acquisitions (“M&A”), financial restructuring (typically out of court), and corporate finance (including strategic and venture capital investments, debt financings and public offerings), as well as corporate governance and commercial matters.
Bob’s practice is global and includes private as well as public middle-market and large companies, start-ups, and other emerging growth companies. He also represents restructuring advisers, investment banks and private equity, and other investors in transactions and financial restructurings. Industries served include manufacturing and industrials, technology, metals and mining, financial services (including FinTech), healthcare, and events.
Bob is consistently ranked at the highest levels by peer publications as a trusted adviser and corporate/M&A lawyer. Bob is a member of the Legal 500 United States Hall of Fame for M&A: Middle-Market (U.S. $500m-999m), one of two lawyers in the country currently awarded that distinction. The 2025 Chambers Guide to the USA: Corporate/M&A & Private Equity (Band 1) describes Bob as “strategic and savvy on commercial and legal matters”, “always available and a tough negotiator”, “adept at explaining complex legal concepts in a clear and understandable manner”, and notes that his “ability to foresee, anticipate and address issues before they materialize sets him apart.”
Bob has served as lead counsel on hundreds of domestic and cross-border transactions, from very small deals to those valued in excess of five billion dollars. Publicly announced transactions in which he was lead counsel include a €2.25 billion restructuring of a global metals company, a carve-out divestiture of an advanced manufacturing company with operations on four continents, and a $145 million cross-border sale of a leading events industry company.
Bob has particular experience with large family-owned enterprises. Working with multiple stakeholders and other advisers, he regularly assists with the design and implementation of needed transitions and navigating challenging business and industry conditions.
Bob has represented numerous operating companies and investors, including private equity and hedge funds, in acquisitions and dispositions of distressed companies. He has substantial experience in debt and equity restructuring; modification of executive compensation and employment arrangements; disclosure issues; tax planning; fraudulent conveyance; look-through and successor liability analysis and planning, including with respect to environmental, toxic tort and pension funding liabilities; director and officer liability issues; insurance coverage litigation (solely on behalf of companies); related party transactions; and fairness, solvency, and valuation opinions.
Prior to joining Blank Rome, Bob was a partner at an AmLaw 50 global law firm. From 2007 to 2023, Bob co-led its firm-wide corporate practice.
Recognitions
- 2007–2025, Corporate/M&A & Private Equity in Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh & Surrounds (Band 1 since 2019), listed by Chambers USA
- 2020–2025, Hall of Fame for M&A: Middle-Market (U.S. $500m-999m), listed by The Legal 500 United States
- 2022, Lawyer of the Year for Mergers and Acquisitions Law, listed by The Best Lawyers in America®
- 2007-2019, Leading Lawyer for M&A: middle-market (US$500m-999m), listed by The Legal 500 United States
- 2013–2026, Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law in Pittsburgh, listed by The Best Lawyers in America®
- 2014, Top 50 North American M&A Lawyers (part of the Top 50 Americas Dealmakers List), listed by Global M&A Network
Credentials
Admissions
- New York
- Pennsylvania
Education
- University of Michigan, BA
- Yale Law School, JD
