Our People
Richard W. Bethea
Shareholder
Richard Bethea heads the firm's Litigation Practice Group and focuses his practice in the trial of complex business cases, with particular emphasis on product liability defense, patent and trademark infringement, unfair competition and trade practices, commercial claims, and manufacturers' risk prevention. He has been the lead counsel on cases in 35 states and in Canada and has been involved in the handling of other cases in Canada, Great Britain, France, and Australia.
Mr. Bethea rejoined Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. in 2003 as a shareholder in the Litigation Practice. Prior to that he spent six years at Astec Industries, Inc. as Vice President and Corporate Counsel and later as Executive Vice President and Secretary. Before joining Astec, he was a shareholder in Stophel & Stophel, P.C. and headed the firm's litigation practice.
Mr. Bethea has attended the National College of Advocacy, the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy's Advanced Advocacy Program. In addition, he has been called upon on numerous occasions by clients and organizations such as the Defense Research Institute, the National Business Institute, the Product Liability Advisory Council, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers and the Chattanooga Manufacturers Association to speak at seminars on product liability prevention, manufacturers' risk prevention, civil procedure and trial advocacy.
Mr. Bethea is a founding co-chairman of the Litigation Section of Meritas, formerly known as Commercial Law Affiliates.
Practice Experience
- Lead counsel in cases in 35 states. Has tried dozens of cases to verdict in both federal and state courts throughout the United States. Most recently, such cases include:
- A defense verdict in favor of our client, a manufacturer accused of trade secret misappropriation by a competitor (Jury-Federal Court)
- A defense verdict in favor of our client, a manufacturer accused of patent infringement by a competitor (Jury-Federal Court)
- A defense verdict in favor of our client, a fast food multiple franchise, sued for specific performance regarding proposed sale of restaurants (Jury-Federal Court)
- A verdict in favor of our clients, a manufacturer and its owner, an individual, in dispute with former co-owner and a related business concerning millions of dollars in billings and related trade name issues (Bench-State Court)
Memberships
- American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Tort & Insurance Practice Section, Intellectual Property Section
- American Inns of Court
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Chattanooga Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute, Product Liability Committee, Manufacturer's Risk Prevention Litigation Group (Co-Chair), Agricultural, Construction, Mining and Industrial Equipment Litigation Group
- Federal Bar Association
- International Association of Defense Lawyers
- Lawyers for Civil Justice
- Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
- NITA Advocates Association
- Product Liability Advisory Council, Designated Corporate Representative and Board Member
- State Bar of Georgia
- Tennessee Bar Association
Honors
- American College of Trial Lawyers Medal for Excellence on Advocacy
- Listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, Personal Injury Defense, Intellectual Property Litigation
- Profiled in Forbes Magazine, Southeast Edition in 2008
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation & Product Liability Litigation)
