Biography
Robert E. Richards, Jr.
Shareholder / 617 226-3421 / Email / PDF
Office: Boston
Experience
Bob directs the firm’s Corporate and Real Estate Practice Group. He advises businesses in a variety of industries, providing legal services in all aspects of the formation and daily operation of a business. Bob serves as general counsel to many of his clients providing practical solutions to businesses facing new opportunities and challenges. A primary focus of Bob’s practice is the completion of private company merger, acquisition and strategic transaction opportunities for our clients. Among these transactions Bob represents buyers and sellers of private companies; automobile dealers in the purchase, sale and financing of foreign and domestic dealerships and associated real estate; investors and companies completing debt and equity investment transactions; bankrupt debtors seeking to sell, and buyers seeking to acquire, assets as part of a bankruptcy reorganization; and banks and businesses completing commercial lending and mortgage banking transactions. Bob also advises banks and mortgage companies on regulatory, compliance, employment, corporate and transactional issues.
Representative Engagements
- Counsel to seller in the sale of 12 foreign and domestic automobile dealerships and associated bodyshops in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire to a well-known regional dealer and the sale of associated real estate.
- Counsel to Charles River Broadcasting in its merger with Greater Media, Inc. and the disposition of Boston classical radio station WCRB.
- Counsel to Boston-based software provider in three rounds of preferred stock investments.
- Counsel to Massachusetts mortgage lender in the sale of a $300 Million portfolio of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac residential mortgage servicing rights to national lender.
- Counsel to seller in the sale of assets of Metro West truck dealer and its three domestic truck franchises and the lease of associated real estate.
- Counsel to private lender to golf course developer in the sale of a Southeastern Massachusetts golf course and associated residential real estate development and the restructure of the debt relationship and associated development rights.
- Counsel to stockholder of privately-held Rhode Island automobile dealer in the transfer of the equity interest in foreign and domestic automobile dealer franchises.
- Counsel to Ground Round restaurants in the sale of restaurants and associated real estate in multiple transactions across the nation as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.
- Counsel to Boston-based online sports and entertainment ticket provider in the formation and operation of its business, which provides tickets to the public with a portion of ticket proceeds directed to local and national charities.
- General counsel to Massachusetts federal savings bank and its mortgage company subsidiary providing regulatory, employment, vendor contract, corporate and transactional advice.
- Counsel to Massachusetts-based international shellfish and seafood supplier in the acquisition of the assets of a Maine seafood processor and the associated plant and real estate as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.
- Counsel to Boston-based software provider in the formation and operation of its business, which provides financial research information management solutions to investment companies and hedge funds.
- Counsel to Massachusetts mortgage lender in a tri-party agreement for the sale of residential mortgage loans with Freddie Mac and a national banking institution.
- Counsel to purchaser in asset acquisition of printing supply division of national printing supplier and negotiation of national distribution agreement for the sale of printing supplies.
- Counsel to owner of a Metro West General Motors automobile franchise in the sale of dealership real estate and facilities to regional dealer and the wind down of the associated franchise business.
- Counsel to Massachusetts savings bank in the sale of $15 Million in residential mortgage loans to international institutional investor.
- Counsel to acquirer in the purchase of the assets of a central Massachusetts foreign automotive dealer franchise and the completion of associated acquisition financing and real estate lease transaction.
- Counsel to Massachusetts mortgage lender in the sale of a $250 Million portfolio of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac residential mortgage servicing rights.
- Counsel to Massachusetts national bank in the sale of merchant credit card portfolio to national merchant credit card transaction processor.
- Counsel to regional distributor of a national fire truck and equipment manufacturer in the negotiation of the termination of the distributorship and wind down of its business.
- Counsel to international electronic component manufacturer in sale of domestic and foreign divisions to multiple purchasers as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case.
Bar and Court Admissions
- Massachusetts
- District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
- United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts
- U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
Professional Involvement
- American Bar Association
- Boston Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Trustee, Framingham State College
Honors
- New England Law Review, Note: Mortgage Foreclosure and Bankruptcy In Massachusetts: Is a Lawful State Foreclosure a Fraudulent Federal Transfer?, 25 New England Law Review 325 (1990).
