Attorney Jeff Rickard

With more than 35 years of civil litigation experience, Jeff Rickard delivers seasoned, results-driven representation for individuals facing serious injury cases across San Jose, Rocklin, and throughout California.

Bar Admissions

State Bar of California (Including the California Supreme Court)
Admitted to the United States Supreme Court
Admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Admitted to the Northern, Eastern, and Central Districts of California

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.), Santa Clara University, 1985

Awards, Accolades & Community Involvement

Trial Lawyer of the Year, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association (2008, 2011, 2014)
AV-Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell (since 2011)
Over 39 years of experience as a civil litigation attorney
Partner, Needham, Kepner, Fish & Rickard, LLP (former)
Former associate, Alexander & Bohn (later Alexander Law Group)
Former in-house defense counsel for a national insurance company
Extensive experience in personal injury litigation, including wrongful death, catastrophic injury, medical malpractice, product liability, premises liability, and motor vehicle cases
Achieved multiple seven-figure case results, including verdicts exceeding $10 million and settlements of $6 million and more
Experience collaborating on class actions and mass tort cases, resulting in tens of millions in recoveries
Served as an early neutral evaluator, arbitrator, and private mediator
Former Board Member, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association
Former member, Santa Clara County Bar Association
Litigated cases in State and Federal courts in approximately 15–20 other states

A Career Built on Civil Litigation Experience

Jeff has been practicing law as a civil litigation lawyer for more than 39 years. Jeff worked in the Bay Area for many years as an associate at Alexander & Bohn (later the Alexander Law Group), several years as in-house defense counsel for a national insurance company, and then Needham, Kepner, Fish & Rickard, LLP, where he was a partner. In March of 2016, Jeff joined Habbas & Associates and, with fellow trial attorney (and spouse) Lynne Coates, opened the firm’s office in the city of Rocklin, California.

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Broad Personal Injury Litigation Practice

Jeff has litigated all kinds of personal injury cases, including wrongful death, catastrophic injury, motor vehicle, medical malpractice, dog bite, premises liability, and product liability, and just about any kind of claim related to personal injury.

Jeff’s practice area includes all of California. He has also litigated cases in State and Federal courts in approximately 15-20 other states.

Notable Legal Accomplishments

Jeff’s legal accomplishments include being named Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association in 2008 for his part in securing a verdict in excess of $10 million, in 2011 for his exemplary work on a case that settled for $6 million, and again in 2014 for his part in a case involving a catastrophically injured bicyclist because of a dangerous road design; the case settled for a substantial confidential amount.

Professional Involvement and Recognition

Jeff’s professional activities have included serving as an early neutral evaluator, arbitrator, and private mediator.

While in the Bay Area, Jeff was also a longtime member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association and the Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association, where he served on the board before relocating to the Rocklin area.

Jeff has been rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell since 2011, a rating that is obtained by peer reviews.

Education and Bar Admissions

Jeff earned his J.D at Santa Clara University in 1985. He is licensed to practice in all of the courts of the State of California, including the California Supreme Court. He has also been admitted to practice in the Northern, Eastern, and Central Districts of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.

Life Outside the Practice

When Jeff is not working for his clients, he enjoys time with his wife, where they reside in the Sierra Foothills. His hobbies include bass and deep-sea fishing, and taking care of the property where he lives, a job all by itself.

Results-Driven Advocacy

There is no question that Jeff thoroughly enjoys and works hard at resolving his clients’ cases by way of litigation or successful negotiation. His track record of relentlessly pursuing maximum recoveries for each of his clients is very strong. He has settled many cases for one million dollars or more and has collaborated with other firms in litigating class actions or mass tort claims that resulted in tens of millions of dollars being awarded to his clients. Having worked as both plaintiffs’ counsel and defense counsel, Jeff has a keen sense for the value of a claim, and he knows how to get claims resolved.

Meet Our Attorneys Over 200 Years of Combined Experience

Attorney Omar Habbas

Top 1% nationally recognized personal injury attorney
$450M+ recovered through verdicts and settlements

View Omar Habbas Full Bio

Attorney Tarik Habbas

Super Lawyers Rising Star for three consecutive years
$18M+ recovered recently for injured clients

View Tarik Habbas Full Bio

Attorney Nicholas Habbas

Pepperdine Caruso Law graduate focused on client advocacy
Leading Southern California expansion for Habbas Law

View Nicholas Habbas Full Bio

Attorney Angela Storey

Former insurance defense attorney with strategic litigation insight
Past President, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association

View Angela Storey Full Bio

Attorney Jessie Nudelman

Former Senior Trial Attorney for Hartford Insurance
Res Ipsa Loquitur Award recipient for leadership excellence

View Jessie Nudelman Full Bio

Attorney Besan Farra

J.D. earned with distinction from San Joaquin College
Decade-plus personal injury experience handling complex claims

View Besan Farra Full Bio

Attorney Laura Ajlouny

Secured multimillion-dollar settlements in San Bruno explosion litigation
Decades of handling catastrophic injury cases across California

View Laura Ajlouny Full Bio

Attorney Lynne Coates

25+ years of litigation experience in complex injury matters
Licensed in state and federal courts throughout California

View Lynne Coates Full Bio