Richard began his legal career working in the legal and business affairs department of a large corporation. In early 2003 he co-founded m.e.t.a.l law group, LLP (currently known as m.e.t.a.l. IP), a boutique law firm with clients in the media, entertainment, tech, action sports, and lifestyle brand industries. Throughout his career, Richard has represented clients (mostly defendants) in litigation, arbitration, mediation, administrative proceedings, transactions, and settled disputes with major record labels, music publishers, distributors, and music streamers (e.g., Spotify, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Bros.); television networks, studios, and digital platforms (e.g., Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Peacock, Apple, Fox, HBO, OWN, Discovery, Disney, Lionsgate, Discovery, PSSI Live, HSN); video gaming companies (e.g., Electronic Arts, Blizzard Entertainment, Square Enix, Capcom); and high profile brands (e.g., Triller, Pepsi, Pioneer, Nike, Red Cross, American Heart Association, Wells Fargo, Heineken/Red Stripe, Jägermeister, Primo Water N.A., LG Electronics, Vizio, Converse).
Intellectual Property
Entertainment
Business
Richard earned a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from The Ohio State University and received his Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School. He completed mediation training with the Los Angeles County Bar Association – Center for Civic Mediation in 2013.
Richard is an active member of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the California State Bar, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Los Angeles Intellectual Property Law Association, ASCAP, BMI, and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc./The Grammys. He has had numerous articles published, provided legal commentary for publications, television shows, and motion picture projects, conducted seminars, and presented or appeared on panels for many conferences (including SXSW and NATPE).