Robert “Bob” Cavoto is an expert witness and experienced forensic accountant who provides dispute resolution and consulting services on commercial, real estate, leasing and construction matters in both domestic and international disputes. Bob has served as an expert witness on disputes on mixed use / commercial / residential development projects, heavy civil, energy and industrial projects, and for accounting and fraud investigations including financial statement errors and misrepresentations.
His financial and operational expertise includes valuations, financing/structuring, acquisition/dispositions, development, asset management, strategic planning/analysis, financial modeling, and budgeting. His accounting expertise includes forensic accounting and fraud investigations, preparation, analysis and resolution of contract disputes involving lost profits, commercial damages, productivity impacts and delay and disruption damages.
His experience spans projects in all stages of development, construction and/or operation from a private or public perspective and is drawn from his consulting experience and prior positions including as COO/CFO for a development, construction and operations company, VP – Asset Management/VP - Fund Controller for a REIT/MLP Advisor overseeing eight publicly traded real estate funds, VP – Finance and Special Projects for an investment, syndication and property management company and Senior Manager – Audit and Advisory for a Big Four public accounting firm. He is a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Cavoto has provided expert reports and testimony in ICC, ICSID, ICDR, UNICITRAL and AAA arbitration forums and in US Federal and various State courts.
- Provided analysis and prepared expert reports on extra work, delay and disruption damages, loss of productivity and lost profits totaling in excess of $3 billion related to the $5.2 billion expansion of the Panama Canal.
- Prepared expert reports in case involving accounting and financial reporting (GAAP) violations and audit (GAAS) deficiencies for a large engineering & construction company. Issues related to improper revenue recognition on long-term contracts for the construction of heavy civil and industrial plants and asset valuation impairment. Provided analysis of violations impacts on reported results and non-compliance with accounting policies and procedures.
- Prepared expert report for a full service data center hosting company related to breach of Non-Disclosure Agreement, unjust enrichment and violations of Virginia Conspiracy Act and Uniform Trade Secrets Act. Damages related to the value of services in identify a data center facility that met requirements of large governmental agency. Multiple damages were calculated based on applicable legal theories.
- Prepared expert report for the state community college system in a case involving loss of business valuation damages claimed by a contractor in a dispute regarding contractor’s performance.
Education
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Northern Illinois University
B.S. in Accountancy (Honors)
Licenses/Certifications
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Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Illinois
Honors
Who’s Who Legal
- Consulting Experts, Construction Quantum and Delay
- Construction
- Client Choice Award, Construction – Expert Witness
Publications
- Expert Witnesses: Construction Cases, Philip R. Croessmann, Jeffrey E. Fuchs, Peter L. Warren,
Co-authored Chapter 9, “Damages Experts”, Thomson Reuters Westlaw, 2013-2014
Affiliations
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American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Languages
English