Busy, busy, busy
BOB GORDON
Senior vice president, secretary, general counsel and governance officer,
Safeway Inc. Age 58
COMPANY PROFILE
Safeway Inc. is North America’s second-largest super-
market chain, and one of the United States’ biggest
retailers. It dates to 1926, with the merger of Idaho’s
Skaggs Stores and Los Angeles’ Sam Seelig Co. Today,
it is most heavily concentrated in the Western states
and Canada, with approximately one-third of its 1,750
stores in California. The company also conducts busi-
ness under the names Von’s, Dominick’s, Randall’s
and Tom Thumb. In 2001, it established the Black-
hawk Network, a startup company that sells third-party
gift cards. Headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif., Safe-
way (publicly owned since 1990) has approximately
200,000 employees. It reported 2007 sales of $42
billion, ranking No. 52 on the Fortune 500.
DAILY DUTIES
Gordon’s raison d’être is to “achieve the company’s
goals with appropriate legal and compliance risk.” No
two days at the office are the same. Generally, the
most pressing matters are placed on the front burner.
Gordon cited litigation, transactions, board issues and
“any emergency” as focal points.
LEGAL TEAM AND OUTSIDE COUNSEL
Gordon manages Safeway’s legal group of 33 attorneys, including those affiliated with the Blackhawk
Network. He works particularly closely with Mike Boylan
(the head of the general legal department) and Tom
Hanavan (leader of the real estate law team). Gordon
OUTSIDE COUNSEL
reports directly to Robert Edwards, Safeway’s chief
financial officer.
The general legal group performs one-third of its work
in-house. Some 80% of the real estate team’s work
is handled inside. Corporate matters go to Latham &
Watkins and regulatory concerns to Pillsbury Winthrop
Shaw Pittman. Outside litigation goes to a variety of
firms. Gordon hires external counsel, as needed, for
his cases. Safeway’s corporate diversity is reflected
in its 25% rate of minority lawyers.
Safeway was involved in several lawsuits at the dawn
of Gordon’s tenure. Numerous antitrust actions against
the grocer alleged price-fixing. Two of the cases went
to trial, both of which ultimately vindicated Safeway.
Its legal chief counts these wins among his career
highlights. Litigation also arose during a period when
Safeway acquired several regional chains, but has
since run its course.
The legal department is only tangentially involved
in lobbying, which primarily is the responsibility of the
government affairs department. Various environmental groups have targeted the use of plastic shopping
bags. In 2003, the company collected approximately
7,000 tons of plastic bags to transform into Trex, a
COMPANY
SAFEWAY INC.
TORTS AND NEGLIGENCE
Grunsky Law Firm; Latham & Watkins; Laughlin, Falbo, Levy &
Moresi; McGuire Woods; Miles & Stockbridge; Reilly, Janiczek &
McDevitt; Spigelman & Cecere; Tate & Associates
EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR
LITIGATION
Dillingham & Murphy; Holland &
Hart; Littler Mendelson; Payne &
Fears; Seyfarth Shaw
IP LITIGATION AND PATENT
PROSECUTION
Prickett, Jones & Elliott
