Richard was previously a senior shareholder at Suggs, Kelly & Middleton, P.C. in the firm's Savannah office. He is a Past President of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and previously served as President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Parliamentarian and since 1986 on the Board of Governors, he currently serves as President of the Roscoe Pound Institute, and as a Trustee of the ATLA Permanent Endowment, and of ATLA PAC. Richard has spoken throughout the United States and Canada on civil trial matters and has served on the faculty of the National College of Advocacy and the Editorial Board of the Maritime Law Reporter.