Practice Expertise

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Real Estate
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  •  

Areas of Practice

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Real Estate
  •  

WSG Practice Industries

Profile

Rich has tried numerous jury and court trials in a range of cases spanning real estate, business torts, commercial contracts, insurance bad faith, product liability and bank, general partner and fiduciary fraud. He also has successfully represented California attorneys, real estate and insurance brokers, mental health professionals, police officers and financial advisors in professional liability claims.

Rich's practice emphasizes litigation and other disputes related to real estate, general business, professional liability and insurance. He has significant additional experience in hotel and motel business issues. He serves as a court-appointed evaluator, mediator or special referee and has conducted many arbitrations as an alternative to litigation in the courts. Rich's clients also often turn to him for advice on avoiding disputes or preventing disagreements from escalating.

Rich is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He is a past president of The Mediation Society and the San Francisco Barristers Club. Rich has lectured to lawyers in various continuing legal education seminars and has co-authored or contributed to various articles and books for lawyers. He is involved in diverse professional and community activities and has served on the boards of the Legal Aid Society of San Francisco, the Bar Association of San Francisco, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, the San Francisco Education Fund, the City Club and the San Francisco Day School.

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

Education
J.D., Harvard Law School (1972)
MSc, London School of Economics and Political Science (1969)
A.B., Harvard College (1968)

Areas of Practice

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution
  • Real Estate

Professional Career

Professional Associations
  • San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Board Member (2012-2015)
  • American College of Trial Lawyers, Northern California State Chair (2008-2010)
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers of Northern California
  • The Mediation Society, Founding Officer and Past President
  • Appellate Mediation Panel for the First District Court of Appeal
  • Early Neutral Evaluation and Mediation Panel for Federal District Court
  • Mandatory Settlement Conference Panel of San Francisco Superior Court
  • State Bar of California, Litigation and Real Property Sections
  • Legal Services for Children, Attorneys Task Force for Children, Past Chair
  • Harvard Law School Association of Northern California

Professional Activities and Experience
Accolades
  • American College of Trial Lawyers
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Northern California Super Lawyers, Real Estate (2004–2020)
  • Top 10 Northern California Super Lawyers (2004)


Articles

Co-author, Real Property Litigation (2 vols.), "California Civil Practice" series, West Publishing, formerly Bancroft Whitney (1994 - present)

Blogs

HB Briefly

Briefly is designed to provide readers with updates on the latest litigation developments in California. Our focus is on general litigation as well as issues surrounding class actions, products liability, discovery, privacy, cybersecurity, and the professional practice of law.

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