Even when he was in high school, Robert Lavitt knew he wanted to be a lawyer. But over a decade into his legal career, he realized that surety was where he wanted to be.
“Frankly, I wish I’d specialized in surety sooner than I did in my career,” Lavitt says.
Now, as Vice President, Director of Surety Claims, Counsel, Lavitt handles claims on multimillion-dollar bonds and coordinates the issuing of bonds all around the world.
Private practice to surety specialist
After studying law at Boston University, Lavitt moved back to New Jersey and worked as a general litigator for various private practices. That’s where he first encountered surety work and enjoyed it.
“In surety, you write bonds that cover all different areas of industry and human interaction,” Lavitt says. “So I’m never bored.”
There are bonds for appeals, so attorneys can be exposed to it through litigation. Bonds are common in the construction industry, where they ensure that projects are completed and that subsystems like air conditioning and electrical are installed properly. There are also bonds that ensure labor and material suppliers are paid.