Brian G. Rich
Partner
Brian Rich's practice includes representation of distressed companies, commercial debtors in bankruptcy, creditors’ committees, Trustees, Receivers, Court appointed fiduciaries and secured and unsecured creditors, including on institutional lenders. He has served as the firm’s lead bankruptcy counsel in numerous complex Chapter 11 cases, spanning various industries, including healthcare, real estate, retail, and hospitality. Brian has overseen the reorganization and, where appropriate, the wind-down of large cases with claims ranging from the millions to over $1.5 billion for clients throughout Florida and nationally. Additionally, he represents real estate developers in out-of-court restructurings, with a focus on developers of multi-family projects, student housing and hospitality projects. Mr. Rich also represents Bankruptcy Trustees, Assignees and Court appointed Receivers and fiduciaries in numerous complex cases seeking recovery for victims of financial frauds, including Ponzi schemes.
Having practiced through multiple cycles of economic up-turns and down-turns, including the Great Recession and then the global pandemic, Mr. Rich’s diverse experience has allowed him to become a trusted advisor to numerous clients that he and the firm have represented for many years. He received his J.D. from University of Miami and B.S. from Temple University. He has served on the Board and as the President of the Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Northern District of Florida. Additionally, he has served on the Board and as the Executive Vice-President for the Hang Tough Foundation, a not for profit organization that serves families in the Big Bend Region during their journey with childhood illness and special needs.
- Debtor Counsel to National Automobile Lenders, Inc.
- Debtor Counsel to Campbellton-Graceville Hospital Corporation
- Debtor Counsel to Bermo Enterprises
- Debtor Counsel to AT&T Latin America
- Debtor Counsel to Aloha Airlines in their two Chapter 11 cases (filed in Honolulu HI)
- Debtor Counsel to Pharmed Group Holdings and its subsidiaries
- Debtor Counsel to CDS Manufacturing, Inc.
- Debtor Counsel to American Home Builders
- Counsel to Home Bancshares Inc in its acquisition of Premier Bank Holding Company
- Counsel to Real Estate Developers in distress situations throughout the State
- Counsel to Bankruptcy Trustees
- Lender counsel in Renata Resort's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case
- Counsel to Bankruptcy Trustee in the Loraine Brooke, Inc. case in which the rights to the book "If I Did It" related to the O.J. Simpson murder trial were sold
- Chambers & Partners USA, America's Leading Business Lawyers, Bankruptcy Restructuring, 2007-2025
- The Best Lawyers in America®, 2014-2024
- Best Lawyers, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Lawyer of the Year (Tallahassee), 2020
- Lawdragon 500, named among the nation's 500 Leading Lawyers in Bankruptcy and Restructuring, 2023-2024
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2008-2024
- Florida Trend, Legal Elite, 2005-2013, 2015-2016
- Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (Middle Market) for HearUSA, M&A Advisor's 6th Annual Turnarounds Awards, 2012
- America's Leading Business Lawyers in 2007
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV® Preeminent™ rated
- Board Member for Hang Tough Foundation (2022-2024)
- Member, Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors
- Steering Committee for AIRA Newport 39th Annual Conference - Panel: Real Estate Workouts
- Tallahassee Bar Association Pro-Bono Program
- President of the Northern District of Florida Bankruptcy Bar Association (2012-2013)
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Southern District of Florida
- Bankruptcy Bar Association for the Northern District of Florida
Fifty-Six Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers In America
August 15, 2024
June 20, 2023
Berger Singerman Recognized by Chambers USA for Twentieth Consecutive Year
June 1, 2023
Forty-Three Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers In America
August 18, 2022
Twenty-three Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in 2022 Edition of Florida Super Lawyers
June 27, 2022
Thrity-nine Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2022 Edition of Best Lawyers In America
August 19, 2021
Nineteen Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in 2021 Edition of Florida Super Lawyers
June 24, 2021
March 29, 2021
Thirty-Five Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2021 Edition of Best Lawyers In America
August 19, 2020
Twenty-Seven Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in 2020 Edition of Florida Super Lawyers
June 8, 2020
Thirty Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2020 Edition of Best Lawyers In America
August 14, 2019
Twenty-Eight Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in 2019 Edition of Florida Super Lawyers
May 29, 2019
Berger Singerman Recognized by Chambers USA for Sixteenth Consecutive Year
April 24, 2019
Thirty Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2019 Edition of Best Lawyers In America
August 14, 2018
Washington County News quotes Brian Rich in, "CGH Trustee: ‘Our neighbor stepped up and helped us"
July 31, 2018
Tallahassee Democrat: Briefcase: July 8
July 8, 2018
Thirty-One Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in 2018 Edition of Florida Super Lawyers
June 17, 2018
June 3, 2018
Berger Singerman Recognized by Chambers USA for 15th Consecutive Year
May 2, 2018
Thirty Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2018 Edition of Best Lawyers In America
August 14, 2017
Thirty-Two Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2017 Super Lawyers Florida Edition
June 8, 2017
Berger Singerman Receives High Marks by Chambers USA for Fourteenth Consecutive Year
May 29, 2017
Twenty-Eight Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2017 Edition of Best Lawyers In America
August 14, 2016
Twelve Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2016 Edition of Florida Trend
June 21, 2016
Thirty-Six Berger Singerman Attorneys Recognized in the 2016 Super Lawyers Florida Edition
June 13, 2016
Berger Singerman Receives High Marks by Chambers USA for Thirteenth Consecutive Year
June 1, 2016
August 20, 2018
South Florida Legal Guide, "What to Watch Out For – Diagnosing a Distressed Hospital"
January 7, 2018
Becker's Hospital Review, "What to watch out for – Diagnosing a distressed hospital"
June 28, 2017
August 11, 2023
February 21, 2023
Brian Rich, Speaker, "Business Bankruptcy Panel," ABA Spring Meeting
April 11, 2018
Brian Rich, Speaker, "Bankruptcy Code Puzzlers, Anomalies, Riddles and Rhymes," ABA Spring Meeting
February 25, 2018
Collaboration is Key to Successful Opportunity Zone Development in Florida
March 18, 2019
Financial Institution Bankruptcy Act of 2017 – Big Changes for Big Banks
April 16, 2017
"Money for Nothing, but the Checks for Free" – Free Money for Fiduciaries
September 18, 2016
Approval of Bankruptcy Settlements – No Evidentiary Hearing Required
February 15, 2016