Richard Welsh has served as lead trial, appellate and arbitration counsel for well-known companies in diverse industry sectors, such as energy, entertainment, finance, retail and real estate. His cases range from complex class actions to commercial contract and tort disputes throughout the United States. In many of his cases, he has obtained dismissal, even in cases where he replaced prior counsel well into matters gone awry. In his cases that have gone to trial, his clients have prevailed and preserved those victories on appeal.

In 2010, the Daily Journal recognized Mr. Welsh as one of the top 20 attorneys under 40 in California in its annual “Top 20 Under 40” edition.  Similarly, Law360.com recognized him that year as one of the top 10 energy lawyers under 40 nationwide. In 2008, Los Angeles Business Journal recognized him as one of the leading environmental lawyers in Southern California. In addition, for several years running, Super Lawyers recognized him as a “Rising Star” in intellectual property or general litigation.

Mr. Welsh earned his J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law. He received the Boalt Hall Award for Excellence in Legal Writing and was on the National Mock Trial Team. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Los Angeles, where was selected as an Alumni Scholar. He also received High Honors for his thesis on the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Before college, Mr. Welsh served as a noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Army’s elite 1st Battalion 75th Airborne Ranger Regiment, during which time he graduated from some of the military’s top and toughest leadership and tactical schools. He draws heavily from this experience in leading his litigation teams against teams from other international firms.

Mr. Welsh has lectured on appellate and trial advocacy at Loyola and UCLA law schools, and on climate change, arbitration and commercial dispute resolution. 

Select Representations

• Eidos Inc. v. Game Warehouse Inc.: Successfully represented as trial counsel a leading videogames publisher in a breach of contract suit in San Mateo County, California, involving over $10 million in lost profit damages. Obtained three-year restraining order against opponent’s president based on threats that he made in court immediately after his cross-examination.
• In the Matter of the Rehabilitation of Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance Corporation: Successfully represented as lead litigation counsel to a leading Wall Street investment bank in connection with a $500-million film finance deal embroiled in the largest insurance rehabilitation proceeding in U.S. history, in Dane County, Wisconsin.
• First California Bank v. Commerzbank, Spyglass Entertainment: Represents international bank as lead counsel in breach of contract dispute in Los Angeles involving a $275-million film finance deal under New York law.
• Universal Music Group Recordings, Inc., et al. v. Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., Grouper, MySpace, et al.: Represented a global entertainment company and its related user-generated-content Web site in the Central District of California in Digital Millennium Copyright Act  (“DMCA”) litigation seeking millions in damages for the alleged infringement of its music videos.
• Village of Kivalina, et al. v. Exxon-Mobil Corp., et al.: Represent as lead counsel a global power company in the Northern District of California in an action brought against several leading energy producers for $400 million in coastal property damage to an Alaska village allegedly caused by their greenhouse gas emissions and contributions to global warming.
• Steadfast Ins. v. The AES Corporation: Represent as lead counsel a global power company in an insurance coverage dispute of first impression in Virginia pertaining to whether commercial general liability (“CGL”) policies cover property damage claims based on the company’s emission of greenhouse gases, as alleged in Village of Kivalina.
• AES Redondo Beach LLC; Williams Power Co. v. City of Redondo Beach: Represented, as trial and appellate counsel, a power company in a dispute involving over 100 million dollars in utility tax assessments. Obtained reversal of the tax administrator’s assessment.
• State of Hawaii ex rel. Perry v. The AES Corporation, et al.: Represented a global power company in qui tam and class action litigation in Hawaii state court alleging that consumers on Oahu were overcharged for electricity. Obtained dismissal based on statute of limitations and exhaustion of remedies grounds before a state trial court. Affirmed by the Hawaii Supreme Court.
• All American Telephone, Inc., et al. v. Qwest Communications, Inc., et al.: Replaced prior counsel and obtained summary judgment in Texas state court for a telecommunications company on numerous common-law and statutory claims for over $25 million in lost enterprise value. Also obtained summary judgment on affirmative claims and fees.
• Crane Environmental, Inc. v. Edward Closuit, et al.: Obtained as plaintiff’s trial and appellate counsel judgment for client in a case involving non-competition, intellectual property and indemnity rights obtained in connection with the purchase of a business in Sarasota County Court and the 2nd District Court of Appeal, Florida.
• Zahra Security & Communication v. Hughes Electronics Int’l: Successfully represented satellite provider in Karachi, Pakistan, in a matter involving a nonexclusive sales and representative agreement, as well as complex issues of international law and comity.
• Nat’l Rural Telecommunications Coop., et al. v. DIRECTV Inc., et al.: Represented satellite provider in the Central District of California in a complex contract, business tort and unfair competition class action. Obtained two motions for summary adjudication on tort and unfair competition claims involving over $250 million in lost revenue.
• Julio Barillas, California League of Homeowners, et al. v. The Home Depot, et al.: Represented retailer in a nationwide class action alleging client committed fraud in connection with its at-home services business. The plaintiffs dismissed their complaint after the removal of the case to the Central District of California under the Class Action Fairness Act (“CAFA”) and the filing of a motion to dismiss.
• Kenneth Rothschild Trust, et al. v. Morgan Stanley Dean Witter: Represented a global financial services provider in a class action alleging securities fraud and unfair business practices in connection with a security transaction. Removed the matter from L.A. Superior Court and obtained dismissal with prejudice based on preemption doctrine.
• Hotels Nevada v. L.A. Pacific: Represented real estate investor as trial counsel in a four-week trial in Los Angeles Superior Court in which plaintiff attempted to invalidate a property sale and arbitration agreement based on allegations of fraud relating to the sale of a Las Vegas hotel property worth over $250 million.
• D.B. Zwirn v. SunCal: Represented a hedge fund in several receiver and foreclosure proceedings against a developer for defaulting on loans relating to real property located in Southern California and Nevada. Also represented fund in a related guaranty action against the developer in New York, N.Y.