Rich received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. He received his law degree from St. Louis University School of Law where he was selected to become a member of the St. Louis University School of Law Journal, serving as Articles Editor, and received an American Jurisprudence Award in Products Liability. His article "A Proposed New Tort Cause of Action for Breach of the Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing in Commercial Contracts in Missouri" was published in the Journal.
He joined a law firm in Missouri where he practiced for 10 years and then formed his own firm, Richmond A. Payne & Associates, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in 1996. Rich served as Outside Regional General Counsel for Union Planters Bank, N.A., one of the thirty largest banks in the United States at the time, and was the primary counsel for 25 banks in 10 cities with almost $1 billion in assets. Rich has also been a frequent lecturer at the Missouri Bar Annual Bankruptcy Institute.
In 2006 he co-founded Robinson Payne LLC in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, with Russ Robinson--a boutique law firm focusing on Business, Banking and Estate Planning. He remains General Counsel for Rust Communications, Inc. and its subsidiary and related companies--which owns 19 daily and 33 weekly newspapers, 17 radio stations and 10 commercial printing operations in 9 states. Rich is licensed to practice law in Illinois, Missouri and the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois. He is a member of the Missouri Bar and Illinois State Bar Association.
He has been actively involved in his community by serving in Director, Officer and other capacities in his church, United Way, Young Life, Chamber of Commerce and Lions Club. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Bright Hope International and a member of the Hoffman Estates Economic Development Commission.
Specialties:Rich concentrates his practice in business and corporate law, banks and banking (non-regulatory), media, mergers and acquisitions and secured lending.
NOTE: The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certificates of specialties in the practice of law, and so I do not hold myself out as a specialist. However, I concentrate my practice in the above areas.