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David H. Rich

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David H. Rich is a partner in the firm. He joined Todd & Weld upon his graduation from law school in 1996. His practice is varied, but he spends the majority of his practice focused on complex business and commercial litigation, first amendment law, intellectual property litigation, and criminal defense work.

Mr. Rich has successfully tried several cases in the state and federal courts involving diverse matters such as the representation of a state superior court justice suing a media entity for defamation, a harness horse racing facility suing a contractor for fraud, defense of a lender liability lawsuit, prosecution of a federal trademark infringement case against a major national bank, defense of a regional automobile distributorship sued in a class action lawsuit by its dealers for alleged violations of the RICO statute, and the prosecution of a matter on behalf of a national music retailer suing over a proposed lease extension.

In 2008, David Rich acted as lead counsel in two major pieces of litigation.

In the summer of 2008, Mr. Rich, along with Julie Green and Megan Deluhery successfully obtained a preliminary injunction on behalf of Commerce Bank prohibiting TD Banknorth from using the name "TD Commerce Bank" in the Boston and Worcester metropolitan areas. TD Banknorth had announced plans to begin using the name “TD Commerce Bank” after its merger with New Jersey-based Commerce Bancorp. Mr. Rich brought suit on behalf of Commerce Bank, a Massachusetts bank headquartered in Worcester, and on May 2, 2008, Judge F. Dennis Saylor of the U.S. District Court in Worcester granted Commerce Bank's motion for preliminary injunction, agreeing that Commerce Bank's mark was worthy of trademark protection and that TD Banknorth's proposed mark was likely to cause confusion. Following a hearing on May 7, Judge Saylor issued an order prohibiting TD Banknorth's use of the proposed mark in Suffolk, Worcester, Middlesex, Norfolk and Essex counties. The injunction prohibited TD Banknorth from renaming its branches, referring to itself using Commerce Bank's mark, using the new mark on the TD Banknorth Garden, or advertising under the new mark within Commerce Bank's market, pending a trial on the merits. The matter was eventually resolved through TD Banknorth's agreement not to use the “TD Commerce Bank” in Massachusettts.

In early December, 2008, Mr. Rich successfully obtained a $20+ million-dollar verdict on behalf of a local private equity firm, Realty Financial Partners. The legal action was commenced after an affiliate of Realty Financial Partners made a series of high risk loans to a developer, Meadow Creek, LLC, for a real estate development project involving the construction of an 18-hole golf course and a 178-lot residential subdivision in Dracut, Massachusetts. The developer failed to pay the loans when due and later commenced a “lender liability,” usury and fraud-based lawsuit. After a nine-day jury-waived trial, Justice Ralph Gants, Chief Judge of the Massachusetts Superior Court's Business Litigation Session, issued a verdict in favor of Realty Financial Partners and against Meadow Creek, LLC and its principal, Frederick Fahey. The Court's verdict included an award to Realty Financial Partners' affiliate of $20+ million in compensatory damages plus an award of attorneys' fees. The Court's award also held Mr. Fahey personally liable for in excess of $670,000 of the verdict, plus an award of attorneys' fees. The Court's decision specifically rejected Meadow Creek, LLC's multi-million dollar “lender liability,” usury and fraud-based claims, holding that the actions of Realty Financial Partners were lawful, appropriate and justified.

In 2005, Mr. Rich successfully tried two matters, each of which resulted in a million dollars plus verdict. Specifically, Mr. Rich, along with Howard Cooper, successfully represented a state superior court justice in a suit against a local media newspaper. After a month long trial, the jury awarded a $2.09 million dollars verdict. Mr. Rich and J. Owen Todd also successfully prosecuted a case on behalf of a local horse racing facility in which the Court, after a 33 day trial, entered a verdict in excess of one million dollars, plus attorneys' fees.

In 2003, Mr. Rich, along with fellow Todd & Weld attorneys Lisa Arrowood and Edward Foye, successfully defended a high profile author and nutritionist sued for breach of contract in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The case was voted among the “Biggest Defense Wins of the Year” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Mr. Rich was named a "Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star" in Boston Magazine in 2007, 2006, and 2005.

Mr. Rich received his Bachelor of Science from Syracuse University where he majored in finance, with a minor in economics. Mr. Rich received a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School, where he graduated cum laude and served on the Moot Court Board. While in law school, Mr. Rich worked as an intern with the United States Department of Justice's Organized Crime and Racketeering Section and the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office.

Related News
Related News
David Rich of Todd & Weld Quoted in Boston Globe Story on Suits by Doctors re Web Posts by Patients

16 Todd & Weld Attorneys Named New England Super Lawyers or Rising Stars in Super Lawyers Magazine

David H. Rich Quoted in MA Lawyers Weekly Re Privacy Issue Raised in USDC Suit Against Bain Capital

David Rich & Suzanne Elovecky of Todd & Weld Defend Worcester Businessman Client in Bankruptcy Suit

Judge Enjoins Dracut Golf Course From Further Operations

David Rich of Todd & Weld Obtains $600,000 Settlement for Client Forced by Insurer to Defend Claim

David Rich of Todd & Weld Files $1Million Suit on Behalf of Client Whose Picture Published in Error

David Rich of Todd & Weld Gains $6.8 Million Verdict for Client in Suit Alleging Deceptive Practices

Court Rules Boston Herald Misled Public about Todd & Weld Client and Orders Defamation Case to Trial

David Rich and Megan Deluhery Successfully Defend Against Motion for Preliminary Injunction

Half of Todd & Weld Attorneys Named 2010 "New England Super Lawyers"

Todd & Weld Wins Defamation Suit on Behalf of The Cadle Company Against Attorney Jan R. Schlichtmann

Todd & Weld Files Defamation Suit on Behalf of Prison-Rights Advocate Against the Boston Herald

David H. Rich Quoted in Trademark Rights Article

Todd & Weld Obtains $20 Million Verdict

Todd & Weld protects Commerce Bank's trademark from infringement by TD Banknorth

Todd & Weld LLP Assists Area Muslims In Building Of A Mosque And Center for Inter-Faith Dialogue

Appeals Court Upholds Todd & Weld's Victory

Eight Attorneys from Todd & Weld Named "Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Stars"

Todd & Weld Wins Victory in Defamation Suit

Todd & Weld Secures Two of the Top Massachusetts Jury Verdicts in 2005

$2.3 Million in Attorneys' Fees Awarded in Racetrack Battle

Todd & Weld Client Vindicated

Todd & Weld featured in “The Biggest Defense Wins of the Year”

Practice Areas
Practice Areas
Bar Admissions
Bar Admissions

Massachusetts (1996)

United States District Court, Massachusetts (1997)

United States Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit (1999)

Education
Education

Suffolk University, J.D. (1996), cum laude

Syracuse University, B.S. (1993)

Background
Background
Todd & Weld LLP, 1996 to present
Professional Activities
Professional Activities

Boston Bar Association

Massachusetts Bar Association

Awards/Achievements
Awards/Achievements

Named a "New England Super Lawyers Rising Star" in Business Litigation in 2012 edition of New England Super Lawyers in Boston Magazine

Named a "Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star" in General Litigation in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011 editions of Boston Magazine