Overview
Richard H. Sinkfield is nationally recognized as a leading defense trial attorney for bet-the-company cases, and is frequently named among the very best trial attorneys in Georgia. A founding partner of Rogers & Hardin, Richard handles complex litigation matters of importance, often with sizeable monetary values, in Georgia courts as well as in other jurisdictions. He is recognized both for his trial and for appellate advocacy in complex business litigation, with extensive experience in securities, business torts, and director, officer and professional liability litigation.
Recently, when asked to name a litigator he feared going up against, a partner in a prominent global firm replied: “Richard Sinkfield of Rogers & Hardin in Atlanta. He’s a brilliant lawyer, a master of the art of advocacy, and has a towering courtroom presence. He could read the phone book and make it sound significant.”
Chambers USA recognizes Richard with a Band One - Leading Individual rating – their highest ranking. He is also recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© and Super Lawyers as a leading lawyer in multiple practice areas, including bet-the-company cases. The Best Lawyers® named Richard their "2014 Atlanta Lawyer of the Year" in Litigation - M&A, the second time they named him a Lawyer of the Year. Super Lawyers again included Richard in the Top 10 Georgia Lawyers list for 2018.
Richard is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel, and he has served on the American Bar Association’s Special Commission on Evaluation of Professional Standards. He was previously Adjunct Professor, Litigation and Trial Practice, at Emory University School of Law, and Lecturer in Law, Litigation under the Federal Securities Laws, at Vanderbilt University School of Law. He is also a trustee of Vanderbilt University and a past recipient of the Vanderbilt School of Law’s Distinguished Alumnus Award (1995).
Professional & Community Activities
In addition to his above mentioned memberships, Richard is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association, and the Gate City Bar Association. He has served in many leadership roles within bar associations, including these responsibilities:
- ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, 1983-1989
- ABA Special Commission on Evaluation of Professional Standards, which drafted the current ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, 1977-1983
- Counsel to the Board of Ethics for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, 1991-1997
- Special Liaison to ABA Standing Committee on Professional Discipline and Lawyers’ Responsibility for Client Protection, 1989-1992
- Member, Board of Governors, State Bar of Georgia, 1988-98
Richard has also served on the boards of several local civic foundations and associations, such as the Atlanta College of Art, Exodus, Inc., Families First, Research Atlanta, Zoo Atlanta, Georgia Health Decisions, Atlanta Urban League, Metropolitan Atlanta Community Foundation, and Leadership Atlanta.