Meet Richard

By: J. Richard Moore
BleekeDillonCrandall

This is my first blog entry for BleekeDillonCrandall, and I will use the opportunity to briefly introduce myself. I was born to schoolteacher parents in Ruston, Louisiana, home of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, which produced Terry Bradshaw on the gridiron and Karl Malone on the basketball court. I graduated in 1993 from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which produced, among other giants, Shaquille O'Neal, who was a freshman the same year I was. In 1996, I graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Law, which has produced a number of intelligent and/or indebted bachelors, doctors and lawyers. Obviously, given this background, I am an LSU Tiger fan (as is my wife, who grew up in Baton Rouge. Guess which one of us is most unreasonably enthusiastic as a Tiger fan).

After passing the bar, I worked for a number of years as an attorney here in Indianapolis. In 2003 I had an opportunity to join a law firm down in Mobile, Alabama, where I represented a number of medical and nursing home providers, architects and engineers, and other professionals in professional liability claims in lawsuits. I also assisted property and casualty insurers in analyzing insurance coverage questions and defending against claims brought by policyholders, including claims stemming from residential, commercial and condominium property damage during the active hurricane seasons in 2004, 2005 and 2006. During my years in Mobile I had the opportunity to serve clients in a number of jurisdictions, particularly in Alabama, Tennessee and Indiana, where I am licensed to practice law.

In 2007, in the course of my efforts towards professional development in representing professional liability carriers, I met and got to know Jim Bleeke and Jeb Crandall. Eventually I also met their partner Carol Dillon. Within a rather short time, we found that we shared a philosophy of client service and business development. Not insignificantly, we also shared a sense of humor and the idea that within the parameters of zealous advocacy on behalf of our clients, the practice of law can and should be enjoyable and rewarding.

Eventually our mutual admiration evolved into serious discussions about my joining Jim, Jeb and Carol's thriving legal practice. As this post demonstrates, those discussions led to an agreement, and effective March 1, 2011, I became a BleekeDillonCrandall attorney. I will continue to handle matters on behalf of clients in Alabama and Tennessee, and will also be helping the firm expand its existing business and develop additional opportunities here in Indiana.

When my family and I moved to south Alabama in 2003, we left behind a number of good friends and great memories. Fortunately most of the friends are still here, and with BleekeDillonCrandall, I am looking forward to making new friends and more memories. Getting back to Indianapolis has been like coming home.