Richard is a partner and manages BBC’s New York City office. He is an experienced trial attorney, having defended a wide variety of cases in state and federal courts as well as successfully argued before several Appellate Divisions. His practice is concentrated in the areas of toxic and mass tort litigation matters, catastrophic injuries, products liability, environmental contamination claims, chemical exposures, lead paint, mold, benzene, indoor air pollution, sick building syndrome, Legionella and asbestos claims, CERCLA cost-recovery actions as well as complex casualty claims including premises liability, construction defect and labor law.
Richard is one of the lead defense liaison counsel heading the litigation strategy, defense and settlements for the World Trade Center Litigation (In Re: World Trade Center (WTC) Lower Manhattan Disaster Site Litigation) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. He oversaw and managed the defense group consisting of more than 75 different law firms comprising over 180 individual defendants, with an aggregate number of claims in excess of 13,000. He developed methodology for assessment and approval of individual settlements utilized by Judge Hellerstein in granting motions to approve settlements.
Richard also represented several environmental consultants and construction companies in actions filed by thousands of rescue and recovery workers who allegedly developed respiratory illnesses as a result of exposure to nanoparticles, heavy metals, dust, asbestos, fuel oil and other toxins at and around Ground Zero (World Trade Center Disaster Site Litigation – S.D.N.Y Dockets 21-MC-100, 102, 103).
In the construction labor law area, Richard has experience handling construction labor law matters on behalf of premises owners in which it is alleged that construction workers have been injured due to violations of Sections 200, 240 and 241 of the Labor Law of New York. He has handled numerous matters in which workers and the general public claimed injury due to construction related debris and exposure, as well as property damage cases. He has also defended elevator companies in catastrophic construction site accidents.
Richard is admitted to practice before the New York State and Federal Courts, Florida State and Federal Courts as well as in the District of Columbia. He graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 1995. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in 1992. He is a member of the American Bar Association and an appointed member of the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on State Courts.