Robert graduated from Howard University, Washington DC, with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 1979 and earned a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1982. After graduation from Yale, Robert worked in the Litigation Department of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis in Philadelphia. In 1985, he co-founded the firm Brown & Vance, with offices in Philadelphia and Washington DC, and began the Law Offices of Robert T Vance Jr in 1996. His practice is focused primarily on class actions, employment discrimination litigation, civil and human rights litigation, both domestically and internationally, and commercial litigation.

He has served as lead or co-lead counsel in multi-plaintiff and class actions that have resulted in multi-million dollar settlements against some of the nation’s leading corporations, such as Sunoco, Inc., Kraft Foods and Hygrade, Inc. (a subsidiary of Sara Lee Corporation). In addition, he has obtained substantial settlements and verdicts against municipalities and governmental entities who have violated his clients’ civil rights.

Robert has briefed and argued many cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

His professional affiliations include and have included the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Barristers Association of Philadelphia, and the Hispanic Bar Association. He has served in a number of governmental capacities, including Chairman of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

He is fluent in Spanish, French, and Portuguese.