Richard's practice focuses on land use, real estate, and environmental law, with special emphasis on large master planned developments, residential subdivisions, and commercial business parks in Western Washington. He has obtained and successfully litigated entitlements for major development proposals throughout Washington, at both the trial and appellate court levels.
Representative Matters
Lead counsel for The Quadrant Corporation (subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser) in its long-term development of the 2,500-acre Redmond Ridge and Trilogy at Redmond Ridge master-planned communities in unincorporated King County. Obtained necessary community plan designation of the site; participated in drafting County ordinance to create Urban Planned Development (UPD) permitting process; obtained UPD and Fully Contained Community permits; obtained master plat and implementing subdivision approvals; and successfully defended Redmond Ridge and Trilogy land use entitlements in more than 15 related legal challenges before the Growth Management Hearings Board, King County Superior Court, U.S. District Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Washington Court of Appeals, and Washington Supreme Court, e.g., The Quadrant Corporation v. State Growth Management Hearings Board, 154 Wn.2d 224, 110 P.3d 1132 (2005).
Lead counsel for Intracorp Real Estate, LLC, and Oly/Intracorp General Partnership, in development of the 635-acre Talus master-planned community in the City of Issaquah. Secured 1996 annexation of property to the city, negotiated detailed development agreement for long-term development of Talus, and obtained master plat and implementing subdivision approvals. Negotiated series of agreements with state and local agencies for improvement of state highway and city streets, extension and installation of utilities, and improvements to regional water system.
Lead counsel for Lowe Enterprises Northwest, Inc., in its 15-year development of the Klahanie master-planned community on the East Sammamish Plateau in King County. Secured necessary community plan designation, subsequent rezoning, and 26 successive subdivisions of 900-acre property; prepared detailed community covenants and real estate documentation for lot sales to homebuilders.
On behalf of Trendwest Investments, Inc., negotiated 2002 agreement with City of Cle Elum, Town of South Cle Elum, and City of Roslyn for development of new regional waste water treatment plant to serve the three communities and Trendwest's MountainStar master-planned resort.
On behalf of developer Cougar Mountain Associates, obtained reversal of King County's denial of preliminary plat on unsupported environmental grounds, Cougar Mountain Associates v. King County, 111 Wn.2d 742, 765 P.2d 264 (1988).
Represented the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in King County Superior Court and Washington Supreme Court, in its successful defense of land use entitlements for development of the convention center in downtown Seattle, Convention Center Coalition v. City of Seattle, 107 Wn.2d 370, 730 P.2d 636 (1986).
Represented Hewlett-Packard Co. in its successful defense of county planning and rezoning decisions enabling development of H-P's high-tech facility in Snohomish County, Save Our Rural Environment v. Snohomish County, 99 Wn.2d 363, 662 P.2d 816 (1983).
Professional and Civic Involvement
Washington State Bar Association (Environmental and Land Use Law Section; Real Property, Probate, & Trust Section; Administrative Law Section)
American Bar Association (State and Local Government Section)
American Planning Association
City of Medina Planning Commission: Member and Vice Chair, 1990-1992
Quality Child Care Services, Inc. (Montessori Garden School, Seattle): Secretary and Director, 1980-present
Plymouth Housing Group, Trustee, 1994-2001; President 1998-2000
Speaker, "Transportation Concurrency," University of Washington Law School Foundation, 2004
Speaker, "The State Environmental Policy Act," Law Seminars International, 2003
Speaker, "Urban Infrastructure and Concurrency," University of Washington Continuing Legal Education, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004
Honors / Awards / Unique Recognition
Repeatedly ranked by Chambers USA as a Leading Individual for Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use, most recently in 2012
Repeatedly recognized as one of the "Best Lawyers in Seattle" in Seattle Metropolitan magazine, most recently in 2012 (Environmental, Natural Resources and Real Estate categories)
Repeatedly recognized as a “Super Lawyer” by Washington Law & Politics and Thomson Reuters' Washington Super Lawyers, from 1998 through 2012
Recognized for eleven consecutive years in the Best Lawyers in America (Energy Law, Environmental Law, Land Use & Zoning Law, Natural Resources Law and Real Estate Law)
Repeatedly recognized in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in American Law
Education
J.D., University of Washington School of Law, 1976
B.A., Yale University, cum laude, 1971
Senior Essay under Robert Penn Warren
German Department book prize
Bar/Court Admissions
Washington State Courts
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Personal
I enjoy singing, biking, writing poetry, genealogy, and rare book collecting. While my wife and I are ardent playgoers, my own days of performing in amateur theater are now largely behind me, unless the right Broadway offer comes along. I reenact verbatim The Story of the Origin of the Lone Ranger only if provoked.
