Our People
Richard W. Bethea
Shareholder
Richard Bethea focuses his practice on the trial of complex business cases, with particular emphasis on product liability defense, manufacturers' risk prevention, patent infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, commercial and consumer finance claims. He has served as lead counsel in cases in 35 states and has been involved in the handling of other cases in Canada, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, and Australia.
Mr. Bethea rejoined Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. in 2003 as a shareholder in the Litigation Practice Group. 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. Astec is a publicly traded manufacturer of products for building and rebuilding the world's infrastructure. 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 was named to the 2013 and 2011 BTI Client Service All-Star Team for his commitment to exceptional client service. Mr. Bethea was recognized by BTI for his work in intellectual property and complex litigation. All-Stars are nominated exclusively by corporate counsel with Fortune 1000 companies and other large corporations.
Representative Matters
- Mr. Bethea has tried dozens of cases to verdict in both federal and state courts throughout the United States. Recent representative 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 millions in damages and specific performance regarding proposed sale of fast food restaurants (Jury-Federal Court)
- Arbitration Award in favor of our client, a manufacturer sued by an independent dealer for more than $1.5 million for alleged breach of the dealer agreement.
Memberships
- American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Tort & Insurance Practice Section, Intellectual Property Section
- American Inns of Court, Brock-Cooper Chapter
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Chattanooga Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute, Product Liability Committee, Manufacturer's Risk Prevention Litigation Group, Agricultural, Construction, Mining and Industrial Equipment Specialized Litigation Group
- Diversity Law Institute, Member
- Federal Bar Association
- The Trial Law Institute, Member
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- NITA Advocates Association
- Product Liability Advisory Council, Designated Corporate Representative and former Board Member
- State Bar of Georgia
- Tennessee Bar Association
Honors
- BTI Client Service All-Stars in IP & Complex Litigation, The BTI Consulting Group, 2013, 2011
- Mid-South Super Lawyers, Business Litigation
- The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, Patent Litigation, and Product Liability Litigation
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
