Richard was born in Vancouver, raised in Toronto, and then attended university in Montreal and Victoria.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws Degree from UBC in 1983 and was called to the bar on May 30, 1984.  For much of his working life he has been located in White Rock/South Surrey.  In 1995 he and his late partner, Dale Doan, established Cleveland Doan LLP, which operates at 1321 Johnston Road, not far from the ‘Five Corners’ intersection which is the geographic center of the city.  Richard has raised his family (two girls) on the Semiahmoo Peninsula.  He has genuinely enjoyed being part of a vibrant and growing sea-side community.

Over the past 26 years, Richard has practiced law in a variety of subject areas.  This has included complex litigation before the BC Supreme Court and Court of Appeal in connection with corporate shareholder disputes, wrongful dismissal and employment law, enforcement and priority claims under the Personal Property Security Act, divorce and family law matters, and disputes arising under the Wills Variation Act.

Richard’s practice has increasingly focused on a number of specific areas:

• negotiation of separation, cohabitation and marriage agreements
• mediation of family law disputes
• divorces and contested family law disputes
• drafting Wills, Powers of Attorney, Representation Agreements, and estate planning generally
• disputes involving breach of fiduciary duty, challenges as to a testator’s capacity, and claims under the Wills Variation Act

The focus has been and continues to be the provision of quality advice and service at a reasonable cost, always keeping the client’s best interest in mind.  Richard’s hourly rate is $300.  For more detailed information regarding projected fees and disbursements, or to arrange an appointment, please contact Richard or his legal assistant, Tara Schmidt.