Bio

Richard practices in central Illinois from a mid-state location at Bloomington, Illinois. He joined his firm, LivingstonBarger, in 1979 upon graduation from law school. He became a partner at his firm in 1985. Concentrating his practice in the area of civil litigation, Richard has maintained particular emphases in the area of medical and hospital liability-related matters as well as products liability (including pharmaceutical) cases. As his undergraduate double majors of economics and finance have always been of interest to him, he also maintains a significant involvement in the area of business-related matters and litigation.

Richard has successfully handled hundreds of cases for his clients over the years, at trial, upon appeal and in pretrial practice and resolution. Richard also practices as a mediator in and around central Illinois and is sought after as a neutral for a variety of civil litigation cases. His understanding of the litigation process substantially aids the resolution of civil litigation.

Richard is a member of the Illinois state bar (1979), the United States District Courts for the Central (1979) and Southern (2005) Districts of Illinois, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (1983) and the United States Supreme Court (1992).

Academically, Richard attended the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana for his undergraduate education where he was a James Scholar (1972) and elected to membership in Phi Kappa Phi (1976) and Phi Beta Kappa (1976). At the University of Illinois, he pursued double majors of economics and finance, graduating with a “Highest Departmental Distinction in Finance” designation. From his undergraduate work, Richard went on to Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana where he served as Administrative Editor for the Indiana Law Journal (1978) and graduated in 1979 magna cum laude, at which time he was elected to membership in the Order of the Coif (1979).

Richard maintains membership in organizations pertinent to his areas of practice including the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys (2008 -) and the Illinois Society for Healthcare Risk Management (2008 -). He was elected to membership in the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (1987 -), the Society of Trial Lawyers (1992 -), the International Association of Defense Counsel (1985 -) and Litigation Counsel of America (2008 -)(where he has become a Senior Fellow). He maintains membership in the Illinois Association of Defense Counsel (1991 -), the Defense Research Institute (1987 -) and state, county and local bar associations (1979 -) as well as the Central and Southern Illinois Federal District Courts (2002 -). He was chosen as a Leading Lawyer (Illinois)(2002 -)(Charter Member and sits on its Advisory Board) and Super Lawyer (2012-) In 2017, Richard celebrated 25 years being rated as AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell.

Richard authored various publications including the “Jury instructions and Special Interrogatories” chapter for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education from 1991 through 2003; IDC Quarterly. "Catastrophic Injury and Structured Verdicts - Confronting the Healing Art Malpractice Act" Volume: 2. Issue: 2. 1992. Pages: 1-10, and; Indiana Law Journal. "The Moment of Inadvertence Concept in Strict Products Liability; The Seed of Destruction for the Assumption of the Risk Defense?" Volume: 53. Issue: 3. 1978. Pages: 531 - 547.

Richard E. Stites

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