Richard Asfar Photo
  • Bio
  • Credentials
  • Background
  • Memberships
  • Achievements

Richard N. Asfar

Partner, Practice Director - Appeals

Ric Asfar joined the firm as a Partner in 2022 to lead the firm’s Tampa office and its appellate practice. Ric is an AV-rated civil litigator and appellate advocate who has represented individuals, government entities, and businesses of all sizes in a wide range of high-exposure matters in both federal court and state court, including matters involving insurance coverage, personal injury, wrongful death, construction defects and liens, commercial and contested residential foreclosures, and employment disputes.

As an admitted “law geek” who annually reads thousands of court opinions, Ric uses his in-depth knowledge of the finer points of law to successfully advance his clients’ objectives. He is often sought out by other experienced attorneys to address thorny legal issues that can derail a deserving client’s case.

Ric has spent months of his life in high-exposure civil jury trials which have resulted in tens of millions of dollars in verdicts for his clients (all of which have been affirmed in their entirety on appeal). He has also handled numerous oral arguments before Florida appellate courts, resulting in many favorable outcomes for his clients.

Ric joined Almazan Law after three years as a partner at an international law firm serving the construction industry, where he enjoyed a national practice focused primarily on high-exposure insurance coverage, construction defects and liens, commercial, employment, and products matters. Before that, Ric spent approximately four years at a boutique law firm representing plaintiffs in high-exposure civil litigation and appellate matters involving insurance coverage and bad faith, catastrophic personal injury or wrongful death, and products liability claims. Ric also has significant experience with creditors’ rights matters, having represented asset owners in commercial foreclosures, contested residential foreclosures, and bankruptcy cases; the FDIC in federal court litigation involving business torts and alleged breaches of contract, and pre-suit investigations into alleged errors or omissions by the directors and officers of failed banks; and a liquidating agent in a number of complex adversary proceedings. Ric began his career at a boutique central-California law firm, where his practice was focused on high-stakes commercial litigation, land use, and environmental litigation and appeals.

Ric obtained valuable legal experience while still in law school. As a student at Pacific McGeorge, Ric served as a full-time judicial extern to The Honorable Consuelo M. Callahan of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, paid law clerk at a mid-sized insurance defense firm, summer associate at a boutique San Francisco entertainment law firm, law clerk at the tort section of the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, and legal intern at a digital music distribution company.

Since graduating law school, Ric has received over a dozen professional recognitions from publications and attorney ratings services, including Martindale-Hubbell and Florida Super Lawyers.

Ric received his Juris Doctor, with distinction, from The University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in 2006. While enrolled at Pacific McGeorge, Ric served as President of the Student Bar Association, Assistant Comment Editor for the Pacific McGeorge Global Business & Development Law Journal, Vice President of the Middle Eastern South Asian Association, and Captain of the McGeorge Runners’ Club. Ric was also selected for inclusion on the Dean’s List on a number of occasions.

Ric received his Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from the City University of New York—Baruch College in 2002. Ric financed his college education through full-time employment and was a DJ at a college radio station. While at CUNY Baruch, Ric was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society, and selected for inclusion on the Dean’s List on a number of occasions.

Since graduation, Ric has spent the majority of his career handling a broad range of high-value matters in Florida and California state courts, federal courts, trial courts, and appellate courts.

Ric has volunteered for a number of worthy causes, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and the Glazer Children’s Museum. He also served on the City of Tampa’s Citizens Budget and Finance Committee for several years, and on the Pacific McGeorge Alumni Board of Directors for eight years.

In his spare time, Ric enjoys spending time with his adorable children, exercising, cheering for several hapless New York sports teams, and reading recent published opinions.

Admissions

  • Florida Bar
  • California Bar
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

Awards

  • AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell (2016 to present)
  • Super Lawyer, Florida Super Lawyers (2021, 2022)
  • Legal Elite, Florida Trend Magazine (2019, 2020, 2021)
  • Top Lawyers, Tampa Magazine (recognized for commercial practice in 2020 and 2021; and for appellate practice in 2020 and 2022)
  • Rising Star, Florida Super Lawyers (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019)

Memberships

  • Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section
  • City of Tampa Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, 2014 – 2016
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
  • The Tampa Connection, Class of 2013
  • Pacific McGeorge School of Law Alumni Board, 2006 – 2014
  • American Inns of Court, past member of the Tampa Bay Inn, the Consuelo M. Callahan Inn, and the Anthony M. Kennedy Inn
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, Inc., former Big Brother

Achievements

Ric has obtained a number of favorable published opinions for his clients, including Money v. Home Performance Alliance, Inc., 313 So. 3d 783 (Fla. 2d DCA 2021); Cavey v. Wells, 313 So. 3d 188 (Fla. 2d DCA 2021); Williams v. CVT, LLC, 295 So. 3d 883 (Fla. 2d DCA 2020); and Allen v. State Farm Florida Insurance Company, 209 So. 3d 11 (Fla. 2d DCA 2016). Ric also served as local appellate counsel for amicus curiae AARP in support of the successful appellants’ position in Charles v. Southern Baptist Hospital of Florida, Inc., 209 So. 3d 1199 (Fla. 2017).

Ric has received over a dozen awards and recognitions during his career. He has been recognized by Martindale-Hubbell, Florida Super Lawyers, and others.

When graduating from law school, Ric was awarded the Outstanding Student Achievement Award for his graduating class, and inducted into the Roger J. Traynor Honor Society.

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