- OVERVIEW
- INSIGHTS
- NEWS & EVENTS
PRACTICES
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Education
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University of Southern California,
J.D., 1969
Staff Writer, University of Southern California LA
Chief Justice, Moot Court
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Princeton University,
A.B., 1966
All-Ivy League Football, First Team, 1965
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Admissions
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California
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California USDC, Southern District
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US Ct Appeals, 9th Circuit (AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, WA, Guam, M. Isles)
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Affiliations
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California Fashion Association
Founding Board Member, 1995-Present
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California State Bar
Business Law Section
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Chancery Club, 2020 to present
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Compliance Alliance, Founder of the nation's largest volunteer organization dedicated to FLSA compliance,
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Past Fellow, Culinary Institute of America
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Vistage Speaker, 2007 to present
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Recognitions
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Listed in Southern California Super Lawyers, 2012-2013 (by Thomson Reuters)
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Rated AV Preeminent for 30 Years, Martindale-Hubbell
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Community
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Maxwell H. Gluck Foundation
Independent Trustee and Secretary, 1984-Present
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California State Bar Trust Fund Commission
Appointed by Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye
Co-Vice Chair, 2013-2015
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University of California Riverside Foundation
Board of Trustees, 1998-2012
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California State Bar Foundation
Board of Trustees, 1993-1998
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Children's Museum of Los Angeles
Board Member and President, 1992-1997
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Trustee, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, 1992-1997
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Rich is a corporate strategist and litigator with first-hand in-house corporate experience and a unique business perspective.
Prior to joining Thompson Coburn as a partner, Rich founded, developed and ran a leading business law firm for 20 years. He left that firm to bring Krispy Kreme Doughnuts to Southern California, serving a newly formed company as CEO and General Counsel for six years. During that time, the company became the largest Krispy Kreme franchisee and the subject of articles in the national press.
Rich returned to private law practice in 2007, applying this important business experience to a diverse litigation practice. Today, he serves clients across the restaurant, apparel, education, franchise, real estate, retail, construction, wholesale, agriculture, veterinary, grocery, and other industries. His sophisticated litigation experience includes resolving disputes involving trade secrets, intellectual property, trust and other probate matters, insolvency and restructuring work, wage and hour class action defense, employment disputes, construction contracting, partnership and corporate dissolutions, and much more. His personal knowledge of the world of franchises supports an active franchise practice. He has served as lead counsel in six jury trials and three appellate matters.
In addition to a distinguished record as a lawyer, Rich has hands-on experience as a real estate developer, wine exporter, apparel manufacturer, and surf label licensor, as well as successful franchising work. This background enables him to resolve potential litigation through productive transactions. For example, to resolve an over-leveraged business problem, he assisted in the restructuring and sale of a music publishing business. Recently, he served as lead counsel in two trust disputes, franchising of surf parks, development of sales teams for an agriculture company and a veterinary services company, the sale of a pre-school, franchising of a quick-lube concept, restructuring of a bakery-restaurant business, and investigating a potential financial fraud at a non-profit organization.
Rich's combined business and legal experience informs a presentation he has made all over America, Canada and Australia on management under pressure. He delivered more than 150 such speeches to CEO groups, national conventions, professional organizations, boards of directors, and management teams. Rich also presents webinars on family businesses and speaks on industry panels and as a keynote speaker on franchising issues and turnaround management. Furthermore, Rich is known for public presentations on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor on compliance issues in the apparel industry, and at various business schools on a variety of topics, including a series of lectures on entrepreneurship.
For over forty years, Rich has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Max H. Gluck Foundation.
During the Pandemic, Rich launched and continues to host a Beverly Hills High School Class of '62 bi-weekly Zoom call that brings together classmates from around the globe.
Thompson Coburn Publications
U.K. now requires supply chain transparency on human trafficking risks
Doing business in California or the UK? You may be required to be a watchdog for human trafficking
Fashion industry awash in copyright lawsuits: What you can do
Publications
"Fashion industry awash in copyright lawsuits: What you can do";
June 2016
"An Exploration into the Practice of Fashion Law";
Navigating Fashion Law, 2012
"Regulation: Forced-Labor Law Binds Business?";
Los Angeles Business Journal, January 2012
"Suppliers Are Not Banks: What to Do When Companies Will Not Pay Their Bills";
Los Angeles Daily Journal, October 2011
"Recovering Attorney's Fees in Probate Actions";
Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, February 2011
"Secure Transactions";
Los Angeles Lawyer, September 2010
"How to Fix the Judge Salary Problem";
The Huffington Post, May 2010
"CFIUS and Foreign Investment in the US Wind Energy Industry: A Question of National Security";
Power and Energy Solutions, October 2009
Presentations
”Your Backs Against the Wall! What Then?”
Corona, California May 16, 2023
”Your Backs Against the Wall! What Then?”
Chicago, Illinois March 16, 2023
”Your Backs Against the Wall! What Then?”
Chicago, Illinois March 14, 2023
”Your Backs Against the Wall! What Then?”
Tustin, California November 17, 2022
”Your Backs Against the Wall! What Then?”
Dallas, Texas November 10, 2022
”Your Backs Against the Wall! What Then?'
Birmingham, Alabama March 24, 2022
"Leadership Lessons Learned Deep in a Doughnut Hole";
Garage to Goliath podcast, November 2, 2017
"Permission Granted: Richard Reinis ’66";
Princeton Alumni Weekly, March 16, 2017
"Your Back is Against the Wall, What Then?";
Vistage Family Business Network Webinar, Norwalk, August, 2016
"Turnaround of Franchise";
Business Forum International, Los Angeles, CA July, 2016
"Your Back is Against the Wall, What Then?";
Vistage Family Business Network Webinar, Tustin, CA July, 2016
"Turnaround of Franchise";
T&R Lumber, Newport Beach, CA June, 2016[A1]
"Fashion industry awash in copyright lawsuits: What you can do"
June 2016
"Your Back is Against the Wall, What Then?";
Vistage Family Business Webinar, Phoenix, AZ, May, 2016
"Turnaround of Franchise";
Turnaround Managers Association, Atlanta, GA, February, 2016
"The Krispy Kreme Follies: A True Story";
CLE presentation, Provisors Affinity, Los Angeles, CA January 2016
"Your Back is Against the Wall, What Then?";
Vistage Family Business Network Webinar, San Diego, CA January, 2016
"Your Back is against the Wall! What then?";
Vistage Family Business Network Webinar, November 4, 2015
"Your Back is Against the Wall, What Then?";
Vistage Family Business Network Webinar, San Bernardino, CA, October, 2015
"Your Back is Against the Wall, What Then?";
Vistage Family Business Network Webinar, Phoenix, AZ, July, 2015
"Your Back is Against the Wall, What Then?";
Chicago, IL and St. Louis, MO, June, 2015
"Your Back is Against the Wall, What Then?";
Anderson School of Business, Los Angeles April, 2015
"An Exploration into the Practice of Fashion Law"; Navigating Fashion Law
2012
Regulation: Forced-Labor Law Binds Business?"
Los Angeles Business Journal January 2012
"Suppliers Are Not Banks: What to Do When Companies Will Not Pay Their Bills"
Los Angeles Daily Journal October 2011
"Managing the Battle: The Reality Show";
National Systems Contractors Association Business & Leadership Conference, San Diego, February 19, 2011
"The Krispy Kreme Follies: A True Story";
National Systems Contractors Association Business & Leadership Conference, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, February 25, 2010
"Recovering Attorney's Fees in Probate Actions"
Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine February 2011
"Secure Transactions"
Los Angeles Lawyer September 2010
"How to Fix the Judge Salary Problem"
The Huffington Post May 2010
"CFIUS and Foreign Investment in the US Wind Energy Industry: A Question of National Security"; Power and Energy Solutions
October 2009[A2]
News
Rich Reinis, Jenny Ecklund Honored by ALM Awards
Rich Reinis Named Winner in California Legal Awards
Rich Reinis Discusses California Fast Food Council’s Kickoff
Rich Reinis Discusses Shaping California’s Fast-Food Industry
From Office Gallery to Ivy League: Rich Reinis' Print Collection Finds Home at Princeton
Rich Reinis Appointed to California Fast Food Council
Los Angeles litigator, business advisor Rich Reinis joins Thompson Coburn