A trial attorney who has first chaired more than 50 trials, Rick defends clients in complex toxic tort litigation and catastrophic personal injury cases.
Rick primarily represents private companies—often those with a Fortune 500 ranking—in high-exposure toxic tort cases, including exposures allegedly resulting in death. He routinely handles complex multi-plaintiff and class action cases, and he has tried cases at bench and jury trials across the country, appearing in courthouses in more than 20 states. Rick’s experience also includes representation of insurers in toxic tort cases, and he has decades of experience defending mold litigation matters. He has served as national counsel for construction product manufacturers as well as for military housing providers. This work has recently involved defeating an effort to certify a class action.
Rick thrives on the excitement and strategy of trial: his interest in law dates to observing attorneys at trial at a courthouse near his summer job as a teen, and he still finds his work to be just as much fun as it looked all those years ago. While many cases do settle, Rick is always prepared for trial—and motivated to intensely prepare by the possibility that he may find himself in court.
Acknowledged by his opponents as “one of the best cross-examiners” in practice, Rick regards litigation simply as storytelling. He knows that winning a case is a matter of first presenting a compelling narrative that relies on clearly-explained facts and science—along with performing the research necessary to discredit the opposition. Rick also understands the importance of humanizing both the client and the legal team: he calls on corporate witnesses who remind jurors of their friends and neighbors, and he assembles a diverse team so that juries hear the defense’s case from multiple perspectives.
Rick’s experience goes beyond the corporate world: formerly an active-duty JAG officer, Rick first cut his teeth in court as a prosecutor for the Army. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney, prosecuting federal cases in Minnesota.
Known for his 100% commitment to his cases, Rick prioritizes client communication and ensures that clients have all the information necessary to make strategic decisions. Clients can have confidence that he is determined to achieve the best result possible whether through settlement, at trial, or on appeal.