Richard A. De Palma

Practices

• Business Litigation
• Construction
• International Trade & Customs

Professional Experience

Richard is a partner in the firm's Business Litigation, Construction, and International practice groups. He is a trial lawyer, commercial litigator, arbitration practitioner and business/risk counselor with more than 18 years experience practicing law on an international platform. Richard currently sits on the firm's International Committee.

Richard focuses his practice on the trial and hearing of civil cases. He has particular experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in large-exposure cases where coordination of multiple venues is involved and when preliminary relief is sought.

Richard has handled a broad range of disputes, primarily concentrated in complex domestic/international commercial, construction, banking, partnership, professional liability, insurance, trust and general litigation/arbitration matters. He represents clients in diverse industries, including accounting, information technology, domestic and international banking, financial services, insurance, manufacturing, food production and distribution, heavy civil construction, health care, cosmetics, aviation, offshore oil, natural resource/energy and mining.

Richard is admitted to practice in the state of New York.

Education

• Pace University School of Law, J.D., 1991, magna cum laude, Dean's List, Casenote and Comment Editor, Law Review; Moot Court - Winning Team, Best Brief, Best Oralist
• Mercy College, B.S., 1988, summa cum laude, Dean's List, Departmental Honors, Criminal Justice - Specialization: Law

• Represented state-owned Chinese bank as plaintiff in multi-jurisdiction RICO/fraud case and subsequent retrial. Upon retrial, obtained verdict on RICO and fraud counts and judgment entered in amount of $110 million.
• Represented and obtained dismissal of all claims for financial services company in two proceedings brought alleging breach of an LLC agreement, fraud and employment discrimination (age) seeking $12 million in damages and declaratory relief as to entitlement of profits in the future.
• Represented manufacturing client in dispute over failure to deliver equipment for New York facility. Lead trial counsel in three-week jury trial on apparent authority theory, seeking damages, including lost profits for prime season. Obtained verdict of $3.2 million for plaintiff/client.
• Represented plaintiff public company against U.S. patent law firm in connection with legal malpractice claim. Obtained settlement for client exceeding $1.3 million.
• Represented premier international philanthropic organization as lead counsel in ICC arbitration proceeding against foreign sovereign. Obtained award for client in excess of $1.2 million.
• Represented Colorado-based heavy civil construction company in connection with a dispute arising from an airport modernization project. Obtained settlement of $101 million.
• Represented major international oil company in ICDR/AAA arbitration proceeding arising from $12 million dispute over payment of Gabonese taxes on African oil operations. After full hearing, client’s liability reduced by 50%.
• Represented special investment company in LLC/partnership dispute. Judgment for defendant/client after trial.
• Represented plaintiffs on breach of contract and fraud claims in dispute over failed transaction to sell wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary. Verdict of $11 million resulting in $7.5 million judgment for plaintiffs/clients.
• Represented plaintiffs in dispute arising from sale of U.S. hotel chain to defendant. Prior to any discovery, obtained summary judgment of $50 million for plaintiff/client.
• Represented respondent state-owned telecommunications company in ICC arbitration proceeding regarding dispute over installation of country-wide wireless phone system and seeking $7 million in damages. Obtained award in favor of client, dismissing claims and awarding no damages.
• Represented client in shopping center expansion dispute with landlord. Obtained settlement for client in the amount of $460,000, including waiver of post trial motions and any appeal rights.
• Represented provincial Chinese airline as plaintiff in fraud case against U.S. leasing company. Obtained $20.8 million verdict for client.
• Represented defendant, a national supplier of liquid fuels, in personal injury/brain damage case seeking $4 million. Obtained defense verdict in favor of client after liability phase and subsequently settled for nominal amount.
• Represented client in automobile purchase agreement dispute concerning a 1933 Duesenberg coupe. Obtained judgment in favor of client.
• Represented law firm in $12 million legal malpractice claim involving allegations of a failure to take action necessary to prevent ouster from board and loss of controlling interest in of public company. Obtained defense verdict for client.

• Co-Author; Chapter 16, "Calendar Practice" and Chapter 26, "'Trial and Post-Trial Motions" · Commercial Litigation in New York State Court, 1996