Robert Leonard Furst

A retired attorney, Robert devoted much of his career to public service, including 15 years in the Office of the Solicitor of the Plan Benefits Security Division at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C.

Born in Washington, D.C., Robert attended public schools in Montgomery County, Maryland. He graduated from the University of Maryland Phi Beta Kappa in 1973, with a B.A. in Economics. He attended the University of Virginia School of Law and graduated Order of the Coif in 1978. After working in private practice in New York and Washington, he transitioned to government service, where he specialized in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and securities litigation and enforcement. He served as a trial attorney and Assistant General Counsel at the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, an Enforcement attorney at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and an Enforcement and Market Regulation attorney at FINRA/NASD. At the Labor Department, he led federal district court litigation and investigation of violations of fiduciary obligations under Title 1 of ERISA, and briefed and argued appellate cases in U.S. courts of appeal as amicus curiae on behalf of the Secretary of Labor. He managed and led teams in complex ERISA district court litigation, including trials. He worked with, mentored, counseled, and taught less experienced attorneys; he supervised investigators in major investigations, including litigation stemming from the Bernard Madoff fraud, leading to total recovery and injunctive relief of more than $325 million.

In his spare time, Robert loved cycling, walking in the woods near his house with his rescue dogs, and meeting friends for coffee. A lifelong athlete, Robert played competitive youth and college tennis in spite of never having taken a lesson. He completed the New York City Marathon in 1999 and, for several decades, played in a co-ed softball league in the District, capping his career as a pitcher for his team. More recently, he approached his cancer diagnosis and treatment with the same intellectual rigor, tenacity, and determination he applied to the rest of his life. His family will miss his generosity, integrity, and grit, his compassion, curiosity, and kindness, his intellectual gifts, his fun-loving nature, and his sense of humor. We love him awful, with all our hearts, to the stars and back.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Ray K. Saline and Joseph Furst; and his brothers Mitchell Furst and Lawrence Furst.

He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Joan Quigley; his son, Dylan J. Furst; and his nieces Lisa Furst and Jennifer Furst.

A private family celebration of Robert’s life will be held at a later date.

For those who wish to honor Robert’s memory, donations may be made to Pawfect Match Rescue in Holly Springs, N.C.