Richard began his legal career as a deputy public defender and later served as an assistant district attorney. From this foundation, Richard has become one of the nation’s foremost trial attorneys and skilled negotiators, with unparalleled experience in complex securities and investor fraud, antitrust, consumer protection, and personal injury and mass torts cases. Richard supervises Lieff Cabraser's securities and financial fraud practice.

Richard has successfully tried over 30 civil jury cases, highlighted by the FPI/Agretech and Edsaco securities class action trials and the Wells Fargo Bank overdraft fees consumer protection class action trial. In Edsaco, the jury returned a $170.7 million verdict. Commenting on Richard’s advocacy in the case, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston stated,

“Counsel for the plaintiffs did a very good job in a very tough situation of achieving an excellent recovery for the class here. You were opposed by extremely capable lawyers. It was an uphill battle. ... The recovery that was achieved for the class ... is remarkable, almost a hundred percent.”

For his work in the Wells Fargo case, California Lawyer magazine awarded Richard its prestigious California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award. In 2010, the Daily Journal recognized Richard as one of the Top 100 Attorneys in California, noting he possessed “a level of doggedness that is making him a feared litigator.”

Richard also supervised the firm’s landmark litigation against the tobacco industry on behalf of Massachusetts, California, and several other states. The litigation was resolved in 1998 as part of a record $206 billion master settlement agreement with the state Attorneys General.