Overview
Rich is an international corporate and renewable energy lawyer with more than thirty years of experience assisting companies and individuals with their foreign commercial transactions.
Rich is chair of the International Group at Fredrikson and assists clients in international business transactions. His practice focuses on international joint ventures, partnerships, mergers, acquisitions, distributorships, licensing, franchising, contract matters, customs regulations and anti-corruption laws. He is fluent in French, Spanish, and Italian and reads Portuguese.
Rich assists clients with renewable energy projects in the United States and internationally. His clients have relied on his expertise to successfully complete renewable energy projects in over twenty-five countries. He has represented companies in the biodiesel, ethanol, biomass and bioenergy industries for over twenty-five years, and focuses specifically on contract matters, technology licensing, construction issues, joint ventures, strategic alliances and dispute resolution in the renewable energy industry.
Prior to joining Fredrikson, Rich worked in Puerto Rico, at an Italian firm in New York City and at an American firm in Brussels.
Services
Experience
International
- Several of Italy’s largest international companies have called upon Rich to assist them in successfully establishing, developing and expanding their businesses in the United States.
- Rich has assisted a Fortune 100 company in the acquisition of a multinational corporation with subsidiaries in twelve countries around the globe.
- Rich has assisted a large South American grain company with its business dealings in the United States.
- Rich has advised a large restaurant franchise company with its expansion worldwide.
Renewable Energy - Fuels
- Rich has advised a US renewable fuels company in the design, manufacture, construction, installation and sale of equipment in biodiesel plants in more than twenty countries around the world.
- Rich has advised a US renewable fuels company in the design, manufacture and sale of equipment in ethanol plants in the United States and Europe.
- Rich has advised a UK equipment manufacturer in the installation and sale of equipment in ethanol plants in the United States.
- Rich has advised a US ethanol company in the construction and installation of modular ethanol plants in the United States.
- Rich has advised a Russian multinational energy company with its business dealings in the United States.
Credentials
Education
- Stanford Law School, Fellow, 2013-2014
- University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1982
- Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland, Research for Doctoral Dissertation in Linguistics, 1978-1979
- University of Michigan, M.A., Linguistics, 1977
- Cornell University, B.A., Linguistics, 1976, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions
- Minnesota, 1986
- California, 1983 (inactive)
- New York, 1985 (inactive)
Languages
- French
- Italian
- Portuguese
- Spanish
Recognition
- Minnesota Super Lawyer
Civic & Professional
Professional Activities
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- California State Bar Association
- Canada-Minnesota Business Council, Director
- Brazil-Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, Director
News & Insights
Speaking Engagements
Legal Updates
Publications & Presentations
Panel Moderator, “Track 4: Leadership and Financial Management – Tracing the Interplay between Board Stewardship, Profitability and Plant Valuation,” Fuel Ethanol Workshop, Omaha, NE, June 14, 2023
Co-Presenter, "Strengthening Ties Between Minnesota and Brazil," Brazil-Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Event, March 18, 2021
Co-Presenter, “Doing Business in Latin America in the Age of COVID-19,” Fredrikson & Byron Webinar, June 30, 2020
Co-Presenter, “Global Supply Chain Trends and Developments: Asia and Latin America,” Fredrikson & Byron and Global Minnesota Program, June 18, 2019
Co-Presenter, “Cross-Border Legal and Tax Issues in the Age of COVID-19,” Fredrikson & Byron Webinar, June 16, 2020
Co-Presenter, “Contingency Planning for Businesses Impacted by Brexit,” Fredrikson & Byron International Seminar, May 1, 2018
Co-Presenter, “Conducting Business in Canada,” Fredrikson & Byron International Seminar, June 22, 2017
Co-Presenter, “Key Issues in Cross-Border M&A,” Fredrikson & Byron Cross-Border M&A Seminar, April 11, 2017
“Bright Future Ahead for Ethanol Exports,” Ethanol Producer Magazine, January 2017
Co-Presenter, “Trends in Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management,” Fredrikson & Byron Foreign Manufacturing Seminar, January 19, 2017
“New Mandatory Reporting Requirements Impact Biofuel Companies,” co-authored with Barbara Müller, Biodiesel Magazine, February 2, 2015
“New US Sanctions Against Russia Impact US Biofuels Companies,” Biodiesel Magazine, November/December 2014
“New EU Sanctions Against Russia Impact European Biofuels Companies,” Biodiesel Week, October 29, 2014
“The EU Slaps Penalties on Biodiesel Imported from Argentina and Indonesia,” Biodiesel Magazine, July/August 2013
“The UK Bribery Act Reaches Beyond the UK,” Biorefining Magazine, May/June 2012
“Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: The Essentials,” Biorefining Magazine, September 2011
“Establishing Business Operations in Japan,” Biorefining Magazine, June 2011
“Four Steps to a Successful Joint Venture in China,” Biorefining Magazine, March 2011
“Getting Paid: Repatriating Funds from Your Foreign Biodiesel Customer,” Biodiesel Magazine, June 2009
“Protecting Biodiesel Trade Secrets Overseas,” Biodiesel Magazine, June 2008
“Resolving Disputes with Foreign Biodiesel Customers and Suppliers,” Biodiesel Magazine, February 2008
“Risks and Challenges for Overseas Biodiesel Projects,” Biodiesel Magazine, December 2007