Attorney Profile

Richard Kopelman is licensed in federal and state courts throughout Georgia, where he has practiced law since 1987. Richard began his legal career representing businesses and insurance companies, but soon realized that as a champion of the underdog, defending “big business” was not his calling. In 1991, Richard dedicated his practice exclusively to representing victims of serious personal injuries caused by the carelessness of other people and corporations. This includes representing individual clients as well as those whose cases are filed as part of mass tort, multi-district litigation (MDL), in which the firm is involved on both a local and national level. With regard to the firm’s mass-tort pharmaceutical work, Richard has been appointed to numerous nationwide MDL committees.

Richard is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, having successfully secured jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients of at least $1 million, notably before reaching the age of 40. Richard attributes his success to his commitment to be the best-prepared lawyer in the courtroom and to communicate to judges and juries the respect and compassion he has for his clients. "It is our responsibility, in fact our duty," Richard says, "as the client’s advocate, to make the members of the jury feel like they have known the client all of his or her life, because only then can jurors truly understand the devastating effects of the client’s injury. Without such an understanding, a jury cannot possibly return a just and proper verdict in our client’s favor."

Richard earned his undergraduate degree, with honors, from Washington and Lee University in 1984. Three years later, Richard earned his law degree from the University of Georgia. He represented the University in numerous moot court competitions, including the National Moot Court Competition, where Richard’s team placed first in the Southeast Region. Richard took top honors when he was named the competition’s Best Oral Advocate. In addition, Richard was selected to be a National Member of The Order of Barristers, having exhibited excellence and attained high honor through the art of courtroom advocacy.

Richard is a member of the American Association for Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA); State Bar of Georgia; and the Atlanta, DeKalb County and American Bar Associations.