Rich Newsome is the senior partner of the Newsome Melton law firm and represents individuals and families in complex civil litigation.

Rich attended Florida State University where he received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics, and then received his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida College of Law in 1989. After law school, Rich worked as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern and Middle Districts of Florida. Rich left the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1993 and went to work for a large product liability defense firm in Orlando, where he represented manufacturers.

After defending a manufacturer in a case brought by a family who lost a child, Rich felt compelled to leave the defense practice, and began representing only families and individuals. Since then, for more than 20 years, his practice has been focused on representing people who have suffered catastrophic or fatal injuries caused by defective products. He has won numerous large verdicts and settlements for his clients.

In 2001, Rich was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to the Fifth District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Commission and served as the JNC’s Chairman during his term. \In 2016, Rich was selected as the “Orlando Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers, a peer review publication. In 2015, Rich received the Steven C. Sharpe Public Service Award from the American Association for Justice, in recognition of his representation of Corey Burdick who was severely injured by a defective Takata airbag. The Steven C. Sharpe Award is awarded annually to one attorney and their client.In 2017, Rich was appointed to the Constitution Revision Commission by Richard Corcoran, the Speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives.

Rich and his wife Marcy live in Orlando and have three children. In his free time, Rich enjoys spending time with his family at sporting events, cheer-leading competitions, and on the water fishing. He and his family are members of the St. James Catholic Church.