Richard takes the time to understands his client’s objectives. The solutions they receive are appropriate for their situation, take into account his deep understanding of tribal and environmental matters, and are ultimately effective for his clients.

Biography

Richard is a member and serves as chair of the firm’s tribal government practice group. His practice focuses on environmental and natural resources law and tribal government matters, with an emphasis on environmental regulation and litigation, water and natural resource law, Native American law, administrative law, and inter-governmental negotiations.

Richard counsels private and public sector clients in regulatory program development, compliance and enforcement, environmental risk management, hazardous substance cleanup, natural resource damages, Brownfield development, and tribal economic development.

Richard received a B.B.A from the University of Miami in 1968, his J.D. from New England School of Law in 1975 and a LL.M. in Law and Marine Affairs from University of Washington School of Law in 1976. He was featured in the 2012 Top Rated Lawyers Guide to Energy/Environmental/Natural Resources Law by The American Lawyer.

  • American Bar Association
  • Washington State Bar Association
  • Massachusetts Bar Association
  • LL.M., University of Washington School of Law, Law and Marine Affairs
  • J.D., New England School of Law
  • B.B.A., University of Miami
  • Presenter, "Implementing Treaty Rights and Enforcing Tribal Sovereignty to Protect Reservation Homelands," Tribal Environmental seminar for Tribe Environmental leaders, program managers, and attorneys. Virtual program, Seattle, WA. March 2022
  • Co-Presenter, "Tribal Land Reacquisition; A New Direction in Tribal Brownfield Program Enforcement," Tribal Environmental Law/Healthcare Law seminar for Tribal leaders, program managers and attorneys. Virtual program, Seattle, WA. March 2022
  • Presenter, "Current best strategies and tactics for conducting Tribal NRD Assessments," The Fifth Annual Comprehensive Seminar on Tribal Natural Resource Damage Assessments, Seattle, Washington, December 2019
  • Presenter, “Tribal Homelands and Brownfield Development”, EPA Brownfield’s 2019 Conference, Los Angeles, CA, December 2019
  • Presenter, “Exercising Tribal Sovereignty: What does the future hold?" Tribal Environmental Seminar for Tribal Leaders, Tribal Environment Program Managers & In-house Counsel, Seattle, Washington, March 2019
  • Co-Presenter, “How Tribes can Develop the Capacity to Implement and Enforce Environmental Programs to Protect their Natural Resources under Tribal Law and Federal Law,” Tribal Lands and Environment Forum: A National Conversation on Tribal Land and Water Resources, Spokane, Washington, August 2018
  • Council House (HUD subsidized senior housing) - Member and Board of Directors, 2007-2008
  • Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Cong. – Chair Security Committee, 2007-2020
  • Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Cong. - Chair Legal Committee, 2003-2006
  • Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Cong. - President, 2000-2002
  • Lakeridge Heights Homeowners Association – Chair, Allocation Committee, 1998-2000; 2016-2020;2020-2023
  • Washington Research Council - Member, Board of Trustees and Member Issues Identification Committee, 1997-1999
  • Mercer Island Boys & Girls Club - Member and Board of Directors, 1993-2000
  • 82nd Airborne Association - Secretary, Evergreen Chapter, 1990-1992
  • Congregation Beth Shalom - President, 1985-1987
  • Environmental and Land Use Law Section, 1980-2022
  • Indian Law Section - Founder, First Chair and Member, of the Washington State Bar Association, 1985-2022
  • Washington Public Ports Association - Associate Member, 1997-2014
  • Legal Advisor to the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Research Center, 1997-2002
  • ABA-SONREEL Brownfields Task Force - Member, 1995-1998
  • Environmental Law and Management Education Committee – Member, 1984-1999
  • Washington Environmental Industries Association – Member, 1993-1999
  • Department of Ecology Underground Storage Tank - Advisory Committee Member, 1989-1991
  • U.S. EPA Pacific Northwest Hazardous Waste Advisory Council - Member, 1988-1990
  • Adjunct Faculty to the University of Washington with the Institute for Environmental Studies and the Graduate Environmental Management MBA Program - 1978-2000
  • Speaker, Vice Chair (Programs), Native American Resource Committee of the Environment, Energy and Resources Section of the American Bar Association, 2006-2007
  • Recognized as a Washington "Super Lawyer" by Super Lawyers Magazine, (2005-2016)
  • Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer review as AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5.* (2022)