Robert Rivkin

The United Airlines legal team was named Corporate Counsel’s Best Legal Department in 2023. Bob has earned multiple honors, including the Burton Awards “Legend in Law,” recognition by Chambers as a leading in-house lawyer and the Supreme Court Historical Society’s Amicus Curiae Award.

Prior to joining United, from 2017 to 2019, Bob was Chicago’s deputy mayor under Rahm Emanuel, overseeing the implementation of key priorities across city departments and agencies while focusing his efforts on economic development, job creation and infrastructure. Bob served as the Mayor's chief liaison with business, civic and cultural organizations, and his surrogate at local, national and international events. He was previously deputy general counsel at Delta Air Lines, and held senior legal positions at Aon and the Chicago Transit Authority. From 2009 to 2013, Bob served as general counsel of the U.S. Department of Transportation after being nominated by President Obama and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. He has also worked in private law practice, as a federal prosecutor, for a British Member of Parliament and at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium.

Bob currently serves as a member of the boards of directors of Amrize, Ltd., and Steppenwolf Theatre Company, among others. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard, earned his J.D. from Stanford Law and clerked for Judge Joel M. Flaum on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. He and his wife, Cindy Moelis, have three adult children.