Richard Neff is the founder of Neff Law Firm, where he focuses on technology, ecommerce, media, data protection/privacy and copyright law, with a strong specialty in international transactions and intellectual property enforcement. In recent years he has handled numerous M&A transactions for clients.

He previously ran Neff Law Group, a prominent technology and ecommerce legal boutique with 12 employees renowned for its international expertise, from 1992 until mid-2004. At that time, he joined the prominent Los Angeles-based firm,  Greenberg Glusker, known for its entertainment and media practice, as Chair of that firm’s Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Group for over 5 years.

Neff was also the Greenberg Glusker delegate to The World Law Group, an impressive network of law firms based in approximately 45 countries which was  used as the cross-referral network of choice by its members (www.theworldlawgroup.com). In that capacity, Neff was able to deepen his broad network of international law firms and attorneys.

In 2009 he became a Board member of the Technology Council of Southern California (www.tcosc.org), the principal technology-based trade association in Southern California, where he served for 10 years.

His clients cite his strong business focus, practical problem-solving mind, negotiation skills and international acumen as part of his appeal. He is also known for a high degree of client service, and rapid turnaround time.

Prior to 1992, he was Ashton-Tate Corporation’s Deputy General Counsel, International Legal Affairs. Ashton-Tate was then the largest technology company in Southern California, until its acquisition by Borland in late 1991. In 1991, he was Chairman of the Business Software Alliance (BSA) and had been on its Board since 1989. Before that he was a lawyer in Washington, D.C., including at Covington & Burling and Arnold & Porter.

EDUCATION

• JD, Yale Law School
• Editor, Yale Law Journal
• BA, Cornell University
• Cornell Arts College Scholar, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi
• Fulbright Scholar, Lima Peru

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS/ACCOLADES

• Best Lawyers in America, Technology Law, 2010-2022 – 13th consecutive year
• Technology Lawyer of the Year – USA [Legal 100 – 2020 (Lawyer International)]
• IP Law Expert of the Year in California [Leaders in Law 2020 Global Awards]
• Board of Directors, Technology Council of Southern California (now part of SIIA)

LANGUAGES

• Spanish [fluent]
• Portuguese [reading fluency]
• French [reading fluency]