Richard “Rick” Seely focuses his practice on construction matters. With more than 30 years of experience, he represents contractors, developers, corporations and insurers in business litigation, construction defect and product liability matters. Richard has handled numerous cases from initial evaluation through trial and appeal and has extensive experience in mediation and arbitration proceedings.
- Obtained a defense verdict in a construction defect matter involving a claim of improperly placed rebar. After a two-week bench trial, the court issued a defense verdict against a claim of over $500,000 in damages. The court also awarded over $300,000 in attorney fees, based on prevailing party status.
- Secured a finding of no liability for traffic coating subcontractor client upon conclusion of 71-day arbitration proceeding related to construction defects of an apartment complex.
- Author, When The Clock Starts Running, Construction Claims, 2022
- Speaker, We Hold Civility to Be Self Evident: Claims, Litigation, and the Pursuit of Happiness, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar, 2026
- Speaker, Mind the Gap: Training the Next Generation for Construction Litigation and Claims Management, CLM Construction Seminar, 2025
- Speaker, Strive Mightily: Act Civilly, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar, 2025
- Speaker, You Can’t Handle the Roof!, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar, 2025
- Speaker, Civility: Honor Amongst Adversaries, Claims Xchange, Education on Location, Napa, 2025
- Speaker, Civility: Honor Amongst Adversaries, Claims Xchange, Education on Location, Nashville, 2024
- Speaker, Civility, Wherefore Art Thou?, Claims Xchange, Education on Location, Napa, 2024
- Speaker, A Dose of Civility to Boost Your Ethics, CLM Construction Seminar, 2023
- Speaker, Subro, Subro, Who’s Got the Subro?, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar, 2022
- Speaker, C’Mon People, Smile on Your Brother Through the Mask!, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar, 2021
- Speaker, Civility, Wherefore Art Thou?, Orange County Bar Association Construction Seminar, 2019
- Speaker, Come At Me, Subro’!, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar, 2019
- Speaker, Subcontractor Wars, the Last A/I, West Coast Casualty Construction Defect Seminar, 2017
Admission
- California
Memberships
- Orange County Bar Association
- Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
Community Involvement
- El Camino High School Mock Trial Team, Coach
Education
- J.D., Loyola Law School, 1993
- B.S., Political Science, University of California, Riverside, 1990