Portrait of Robert Herrmann

Robert Herrmann

Principal

Robert F. Herrmann represents design professionals and other construction-related firms, privately held businesses and New York City housing cooperatives and condominiums. Bob acts as general counsel to a number of architects, landscape architects, interior designers, lighting designers, engineers, owners, developers and contractors, advising them on general business matters and representing them in litigation, arbitration and mediation.

Prior to joining Offit Kurman, Bob was, for thirty-four years, the managing partner of the New York City law firm of Menaker & Herrmann, where he advised a number of the most prominent architecture and design firms in the country.

Bob is a graduate of Yale University and Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He clerked for Judges Harold R. Medina and Sterry R. Waterman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and began his private practice career at Hughes Hubbard & Reed. He is trained in mediation and is on the American Arbitration Association panel of construction mediators. He also serves as a mediator for the New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division.

Bob is an Adjunct Professor at the Columbia University School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, where he teaches Advanced Professional Practice to third-year masters students. He is also a Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute School of Architecture, where he teaches Special Topics in Professional Practice to undergraduate architecture students. Bob has led numerous seminars for design professionals on a variety of topics. He is the lead author of Law for Architects: What You Need to Know, published by W.W. Norton.

    Education

    • Columbia Law School (J.D.)
    • Yale University (B.A.)

    State Bar Admissions

    • New York

    Professional Affiliations

    • Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Adjunct Professor
    • Pratt Institute, School of Architecture, Visiting Professor and Co-Coordinator Professional Practice
    • Construction Lawyers Society of America, Fellow
    • New York City College of Technology Executive Council on Design Education and Engagement, Member
    • New York Chapter, Advisory Board, Society of Design Administrators, Chair
    • New York Building Congress, Member
    • Panel of Mediators, American Arbitration Association
    • Panel of Mediators, Commercial Division of the New York Supreme Court, Member
    • Board of Directors, Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation, Former Board Member
    • Broadway Mall Association, Chair of the Board
    • Community Board 7, Manhattan, Former Board Member
    • Luxury Property Forum, US Founding Member

    Recognitions

    • AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5
    • Named toThe Best Lawyers in America® for Construction Law, Litigation - Construction (2025-2027)

Featured Publications & News

<p>115 Offit Kurman Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch Lists</p>

115 Offit Kurman Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch Lists

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  • Biography
  • Publications & News
  • Featured Works

Firm Highlights

  • Events
    AIA Tri-State Conference
    Princeton will serve as the backdrop for three days of connection, learning, and design leadership. From keynotes to tours to the Tri-State Design Awards, this year’s conference is designed to go far beyond education sessions. Kick off the week with pre-conference intensives and individual state component Design Award celebrations, followed by three days of education, inspiration, networking, and design excellence at the 2026 AIA Tri-State Conference—featuring pre-conference intensives, three keynote speakers, 25 education sessions, curated tours, an expo, spec academies, and the AIA Tri-State Design Awards—bringing together architects and design professionals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania to connect, learn, and celebrate the best of the profession. G2. Designing Secure Practices: Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Contractual Provisions, and Insurance Risks for Architects (4:00 PM - 5:30 PM) Architects and design professionals increasingly rely on cloud platforms, BIM software, and digital tools to manage sensitive data, creating cybersecurity and privacy risks. A single incident can trigger liability claims, regulatory obligations, reputational harm, and insurance challenges. Yet many firms underestimate how contracts, insurance, and internal practices intersect during a breach. This program offers legal and insurance perspectives on cyber risk in architecture, examining liability exposure, risky contract provisions, and mitigation strategies. A cyber insurance expert will explain policy responses, coverage gaps, coordination with professional liability, and best practices for aligning insurance with contractual risk and protecting firms from evolving cyber threats. Learning Objectives: Identify key cybersecurity and data privacy risks faced by architecture firms and explain how these risks can impact professional liability and project outcomes. Analyze common contractual provisions to determine which clauses may increase exposure to cyber incidents and propose strategies to mitigate these risks. Evaluate the scope and limitations of cyber insurance policies, including coordination with professional liability coverage, to determine how a policy would respond in a breach scenario. Develop actionable risk management strategies by integrating legal, contractual, and insurance considerations to protect sensitive client and project data.