Richard M. Freeman

Richard Freeman is currently Of Counsel in the Real Estate, Energy, Land Use & Environmental and Labor and Employment Practice Groups in the firm’s San Diego (Del Mar) office. Richard serves as Team Leader of the Tribal and Indian Law Team. Richard was an equity partner of the firm until 2021 and was a founder of the 200 plus San Diego/Del Mar office in March of 1986.

Areas of Practice

Richard specializes in business related matters, with a heavy emphasis on Indian and Tribal law, including contract and litigation issues, as well as real estate and construction litigation and labor and employment matters. Richard’s Indian Law practice includes matters involving sovereign immunity, commercial leases, Indian water rights, the Indian Gaming and Regulatory Act, Tribal Compacts, Tribal contracts, Indian Tax issues, Indian environmental regulatory and compliance issues and labor and employment issues on tribal lands. He represents numerous non-Native commercial enterprises that deal with Indian Tribes, including loans, leases, service agreements, medical facilities and technology agreements, transfers and protections. He also is outside counsel to Tribes and their economic development entities relative to a variety of business ventures. He is well versed in corporate structuring in Indian Country.

Richard's litigation experience includes numerous state and federal court jury trials, injunctions, arbitrations, class actions and administrative trials. He has argued cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on a number of occasions, the California Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Richard has been litigating real estate and construction disputes for over 40 years. This litigation has taken the form as first chair in more than 10 jury trials of over two weeks in length (with more than a 90% success rate); dozens of judge trials; and dozens of arbitrations. He represents large landowners and landlords against corporate tenants and represents corporate tenants against corporate landlords. He also represents numerous owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in construction disputes.

Richard has been named as one of the top Southern California "Super Lawyers" every year since this honor was created. He has also consistently been named one of San Diego’s “Top Lawyers” by San Diego Magazine and is listed in Who's Who in American Lawyers. He has been a member of the Board of Governors of the San Diego Association of Business Trial Lawyers. He has spoken before national attorney groups on a variety of subjects including Indian law issues, trial issues and employment issues.

Honors

San Diego Magazine, Top Lawyer, 2013-2021

San Diego Super Lawyer, 2015-2022

Southern California Super Lawyer, 2007-2011, 2013-2014

"Martindale Hubbell "AV" rating"

Events

Memberships

Member, Board of Directors, San Diego Association of Business Trial Lawyers