Richard H. Deane

Rick Deane practices in the areas of corporate criminal investigations and general litigation, and his experience includes more than 14 years as an assistant United States attorney during which he litigated cases involving environmental crimes, civil rights violations, mail and wire fraud, public corruption, tax fraud, and numerous other violations of federal law. He also has extensive experience in conducting grand jury investigations. While serving as chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorneys' Office, he was responsible for coordinating all matters related to grand jury operations. He has lectured extensively on grand jury practice and procedures. Rick also gained extensive experience appearing before the Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeal.

Rick acquired a wide range of unique litigation experience while serving as a United States magistrate judge. During the four years he served in that position, Rick handled a variety of civil and criminal litigation. As a magistrate judge, Rick presided over civil jury trials, conducted pretrial case management in complex civil cases, and conducted hearings and other proceedings as necessary to recommend disposition of summary judgments and other case-dispositive motions. Additionally, Rick conducted preliminary proceedings in all criminal cases, including reviewing applications for search warrants and arrest warrants. He also presided over misdemeanor cases.

Rick was appointed by President Clinton as United States attorney for the Northern District of Georgia in 1998. Under his leadership, the office successfully prosecuted numerous cases involving environmental crime, fraud, public corruption, and tax matters as well as drug and violent crimes. Rick also directed the office's handling of civil matters involving false claims, health care fraud, and qui tam actions.

While serving as a U.S. attorney, Attorney General Janet Reno appointed Rick to serve on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee, consisting of a select group of U.S. attorneys who regularly met with the attorney general and other senior Department of Justice officials to offer advice on policy matters and substantive issues.

In March 2001, Rick was named by Time Magazine to the "Time 100 List of Innovators" for his creativity and determination in the application of the RICO Statute (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) to fight local crime involving child prostitution. Rick was also featured in the Georgia edition of Super Lawyer Magazine. Furthermore, he was chosen by Chamber's USA as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" in the area of white-collar crime and government investigations and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2006. Rick is also a long-time adjunct professor at Georgia State University College of Law where he has taught courses on white-collar crime and advanced evidence and trial practice. In addition, Rick is a board member of the High Museum of Art.