Rick’s practice focused on the defense and counseling of clients on complex civil matters, including product liability, construction, real estate, commercial, employment, environmental, general liability and recreational cases.
Rick was consistently recognized as one of the top civil litigators and trial attorneys in Massachusetts. He was an experienced trial attorney who, for over three decades, had handled cases throughout New England and who had successfully tried jury and non-jury cases in both state and federal court. Rick argued numerous appeals before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Appeal’s Court. For over ten years, Rick’s practice earned him elite recognition by his peers as both a “Massachusetts Super Lawyer” and a “New England Super Lawyer.” He was privileged to have been awarded the highest “AV Preeminent” peer review rating afforded by Martindale-Hubbell.
In addition to his trial and litigation work, Rick was honored to be selected as the only area defense attorney agreed upon by both the plaintiffs and defendants to serve as an arbitrator in the arbitration of landmark sexual abuse claims against the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. Rick authored a chapter in the Massachusetts Tort Law Manual on the Preparation of the Defendant’s Case. In addition, his article, “The Intelligent and Efficient Use of Discovery” was selected for republication by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education in The Best of MCLE Journal. Rick also published an article in the Suffolk University Law Review.
Prior to joining Hamel, Marcin, Dunn, Reardon & Shea, Rick was the founding attorney and managing partner of Melick, Porter & Shea.
Associations and Organizations
Board Member, Praesidium, Inc.’s National Advisory Council
Past Statewide Chairman, Massachusetts Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
National Institute of Trial Attorneys
Guest Lecturer, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education
Guest Lecturer, Massachusetts Academy of Trial Lawyers
Boston Area Claims Executives
National Association of Ski Defense Attorneys
Professional Coach/Advisor to Tufts University’s National Mock Trial Team
Speaking Engagements/Seminars
Willis’ National Products Liability Webinar, Keynote Speaker, “Products Liability Law and Claims Practice”
National Resort Hotel Association, Guest Speaker, “Dos and Don’ts of Claims Litigation” (Naples, Florida)
Willis’ National Settlement Conference Webinar, Keynote Speaker
Randstad/Willis Claims Workshop & Webinar
Massachusetts Venue Training (Chesapeake, Virginia)
Boston Bar Association
Suffolk University Law School
Construction Safety Roundtable of Eastern Massachusetts (CSR-EM) Alliance
Ace Construction Northeast and New York, Annual Seminar, Keynote Speaker (Boston)
L.E.A.P., Sexual Harassment Training at Yale University (Connecticut)
Willis’ National Products Liability Webinar, Keynote Speaker
National Resort Hotel Association, Guest Speaker (Naples, Florida)
Willis’ National Settlement Conference Webinar, Keynote Speaker
Randstad/Willis Claims Workshop & Webinar
Massachusetts Venue Training (Chesapeake, Virginia)
Boston Bar Association
Suffolk University Law School
Construction Safety Roundtable of Eastern Massachusetts (CSR-EM) Alliance
Ace Construction Northeast and New York, Annual Seminar, Keynote Speaker (Boston)
L.E.A.P., Sexual Harassment Training at Yale University (Connecticut)
Medicare Secondary Payer Act, Guest Speaker at Risk Management Foundation (Cambridge), Dana Farber Hospital (Boston) and Lifespan (Rhode Island)
2015 ISI Ice Arena Conference and Trade Show, Emergency Preparedness and Catastrophic Loss, Panelist (Boston)
