The scope and breadth of Rick’s legal experience over the last 25 years makes him uniquely qualified to take ownership of his clients’ legal problems. He practiced high stakes litigation for 10 years at national and international laws before joining the legal department of a publicly traded Fortune 1000 propane company. During his 10 years as in-house counsel, he became the company’s General Counsel and also led several other departments, including the risk, safety, and real estate departments. In his role as General Counsel, he gained valuable business experience and handled numerous asset purchases and divestitures. He continued to try lawsuits, too.
In 2019, Rick took the legal and business knowledge and experience he had acquired and formed his own law firm. His clients include individuals, small and medium sized businesses, and even large international corporations. On the litigation side of his practice, his business experience allows him to approach legal problems in ways that most full-time litigation lawyers often do not consider. On the transactional side, his litigation experience allows him to spot the deal points that present true legal risks and focus on those, rather than engage in over-lawyering that results in inflated invoices and often jeopardizes good business deals.
Rick was named to the 2007 BTI Client All-Star Team, one of only 176 lawyers nationwide who was selected for outstanding client service. In 2024, Rick was named among The Best Lawyers in America, an award that only recognizes the top 6% of practicing attorneys nationwide.
Rick is a native Nebraska and a proud graduate of Omaha South High School. In 2016, he was inducted into his high school’s hall of fame. When not helping his clients, he enjoys outdoor activities with his family, distilling whiskey, building cabins, and taking care of an abandoned cemetery adjacent to his farm.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
- Business formation and outside general counsel services
- Contract drafting, review and negotiation
- Asset purchases and divestitures
- Real estate purchases and sales
- Corporate and regulatory investigations
- Executive employment and separation agreements
- Non-competition agreements and trade secret litigation
- Business litigation
- Employment litigation
- Products liability litigation
- Personal injury litigation (on select basis only)
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Missouri
- Kansas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court District of Kansas
- U.S. District Court District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida
EDUCATION
- University of Nebraska College of Law – 1999
- Juris Doctor (Highest Distinction)
- Class Valedictorian
- University of Dayton – 1995
- Bachelor of Science (Summa Cum Laude)
