Rick is a member in MGC’s Charlotte office and is the firm’s Chief Development Officer. With over three decades of legal practice, he was a founding partner and, for nearly 20 years, the managing partner of Goldberg Segalla—a nationally-recognized insurance defense firm. In his prior role, Rick was an instrumental leader in the firm’s geographic expansion, as well as the development and implementation of their strategic direction. As a former Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) instructor, he also lectured insurance professionals on risk management for over a decade.
Rick has held leadership positions in top legal organizations such as Claims Litigation Management (CLM) Alliance as chair of their National Committee and Defense Research Institute (DRI) as co-chair of their Insurance Company Relations Subcommittee. He is also a fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel as well as the American Bar Foundation—both invitation-only honors presented to a select group of attorneys.
Rick is a former champion physique competitor. He can also juggle, walk on his hands, make balloon animals, ride a unicycle and draw, which makes him a hit at birthday parties for his nine kids.
Practice Areas
- Litigation
Education
- State University of New York at Buffalo Law School (JD, cum laude)
- State University of New York at Buffalo School of Management (BS, with distinction)
Professional Memberships
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (National Committee, Former Chair)
- Defense Research Institute (Law Practice Management Committee and Co-Chair of Programming, 2013; Construction Law Committee - Construction Insurance Coverage Specialized Litigation Group Chair, 2008–2010; Insurance Company Relations Subcommittee Vice Chair, 2000–2004; Life, Health and Disability Insurance Committee Membership Chair, 2000–2002; Insurance Law Committee: Professional Liability Insurance Specialized Litigation Group)
- American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel (Fellow)
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- American Bar Foundation (Fellow)
- Professional Liability Underwriting Society
Awards
- Best Lawyers in America - Insurance Law (2014–2021)
- Business First‘s Legal Elite of Western New York - Legal Leader (2013–2020)
- Upstate New York Super Lawyers (2007–2020)
- Business First‘s Power 250 (2016–2019)
- Business First‘s C-Level Executive Award (2017)
- American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell - Top Rated Lawyer in Litigation (2014)
- American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell - Top Rated Lawyer in Insurance Law (2013)
- Super Lawyers - Corporate Counsel Edition
- Business First‘s Legal Elite of Western New York - Insurance
- Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent
Publications
- Getting to the Finish Line: Overcoming Rebranding Challenges Interviewed in Berbay Marketing and PR’s podcast, Law Firm Marketing Catalyst
- Why This Am Law Firm Kept Partners in the Dark on a Branding Overhaul Highlighted, New York Law Journal (June 20, 2019)
- Law Firm Leaders: Goldberg Segalla’s Richard Cohen Profiled, Law360 (March 27, 2019)
- What Drove Firms with the Most New Lateral Partners in 2018 Quoted, Law360 (February 22, 2019)
- Growing Right: Goldberg Segalla Expands When Opportunity Knocks Profiled, Buffalo Business First (February 19, 2019)
- Communicating Staffing Changes and Finding Talent in Law Firms: Comings and Goings Quoted, National Law Review (February 5, 2019)
- Goldberg Segalla’s Growth Quick Yet Methodical Featured, Buffalo Law Journal (December 27, 2016)
- Litigating and Protecting the Insurance Claim Co-Author, Preparing for and Trying the Civil Lawsuit, 2d Ed., 2016 Rev., New York State Bar Association
- Partnership Is the ‘Holy Grail’ for Law Firm Associates Quoted, Buffalo Law Journal (February 1, 2016)
- Legal Presence Goes Beyond WNY Borders Quoted, Buffalo Law Journal (March 16, 2015)
- The Site of Two Growth-Minded Law Firms Quoted, Buffalo Law Journal (June 3, 2014)
- A Paradigm Shift Quoted, Intelligent Insurer Monte Carlo Edition (September 2013)
- Asset Managers Do Not Owe Fiduciary Duty to Note Holders Co-Author, Chartis Legal Insights (Fall 2012)
- Calculating the Amount of Coverage New Appleman on Insurance 3rd Edition, Chapter 47, LexisNexis (Spring 2011)