Rich Newsome, Esq., is the senior partner of the Newsome Melton law firm and practices in the fields of Personal Injury and Products Liability, with a focus on representing crime victims and their families. He has represented crime victims for over 20 years in cases of Negligent Security/Premises Liability, battery, sexual assault, shootings, child molestation, and schemes to defraud.

After graduating from the University of Florida College Of Law, Rich worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern and Middle Districts of Florida which ignited his passion to fight for the rights of crime victims.

Rich has also spent substantial time helping to protect the justice system in Tallahassee and in Washington D.C. As a Past-President of the Florida Justice Association, a previous member of the Board of Governors of the American Association of Justice and a current member of the Executive Committee of the National Trial Lawyers, Rich has advocated to protect the rights of families and has fought efforts by insurance companies to limit crime victims’ access to courts and juries.

In addition to a long list of awards and accomplishments, Rich was recently honored by being invited to be a member of The Summit Council, which is an exclusive group of today’s top civil justice attorneys who are committed to the highest levels of trial advocacy, to obtaining justice for individuals and families who have been hurt and for the protection of the civil justice system. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers of America, Florida’s Legal Elite, Best Plaintiff’s Lawyers in America, and Orlando’s Top Lawyers.

In 2016, Rich was named Best Lawyers' 2016 Orlando Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year". Only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community is being honored as a "Lawyer of the Year."

Bar Admissions

State of Florida, 1989
State of Texas, 2009
State of New Mexico, 2009
U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1992
U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 1992
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1992
U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1990
U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 1998

Education

University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 1989 - Doctor of Jurisprudence
Honors: Moot Court, 1987-1989
Honors: American Jurisprudence Book Award in Evidence
Honors: Member, Board of Masters
Honors: Chancellor, Student Honor Court
Winner, National Prince Evidence Appellate Moot Court Competition, 1988
Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 1986 - Bachelor of Science, Economics, Political Science

Honors and Awards

Best Lawyers' 2016 Orlando Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year"
AAJ Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award, 2015
The Summit Council, 2012-Present
The Best Lawyers in America, 2003-Present
Best Lawyers in Orlando, Orlando Magazine, 2004-Present
AV Rated Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, 2004-Present
Florida's Legal Elite by Florida Trends Magazine, 2005-Present
ATLA Top 100 Trial Lawyers
FL Lawyer’s Action Group, Chairman’s Outstanding Electoral Achievement Award, 1999
United States Department of Justice Special Achievement Award, 1991
Million Dollar Advocates
US News “Best Law Firms”, 2011-Present
The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2013-Present

Professional Associations and Memberships

Florida Justice Association (FJA), President, 2010-2011
Florida Justice Association (FJA), Executive Committee, 2005-2012
5th District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Commission, Member and Chairman, 1999-2002
Central Florida Trial Lawyers Association (CFTLA), President, 2004
Orlando Federal Bar Association, President,1990-1996
The National Crime Victim Bar Association