Richard J. DieffenbachEmail Rich Dieffenbach
Rich practices in the areas of business, contract, construction, and real estate, including both civil litigation and transactional law. He’s had the chance to represent a wide variety of clients, including state and local government, private business, commercial and residential property owners, design and constructional professional, and many more. Rich’s practice has also included fiduciary, trust, and probate cases, providing legal services to beneficiaries, executors, trustees, guardians, and other fiduciaries who may sometimes find themselves at odds. In each and every case, his goal is to avoid expensive litigation when possible, help maintain ongoing relationships, and find creative ways to fix problems. Rich and his wife, Heather, have two children and make their home in Versailles, Kentucky. |
P: 859.225.5240 | View Full Bio Practice Areas |
Civic & Professional Involvement• Barrister, Central Kentucky American Inn of Court
• Chair-Elect, Construction and Public Contract Law Section, Ky. Bar Association • Kentucky Bar Association • Fayette County Bar Association • Woodford County Bar Association |
Bar & Court Admissions• US Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
• US District Courts, Eastern Dist. of KY • US Bankruptcy Courts, Eastern Dist. of KY • Kentucky Supreme Court • Kentucky Court of Appeals • Kentucky State Court • Kentucky Circuit & District Courts |
Education• J.D., University of Kentucky College of Law • M.A., UK Patterson School of Diplomacy & International Commerce • B.A., Eastern Kentucky University |
Recent Engagements
• “Estate Administration Step-By-Step” Presenter (Ethics in Estate Administration), National Business Institute, Louisville, Ky., Feb. 2018
• “Probate: Everything You Need to Know” Presenter (Ethical Practice Consideration and Concerns in Probate), National Business Institute, Louisville, Ky., Feb. 2017
• “Probate: Everything You Need to Know” Presenter (Ethical Practice Consideration and Concerns in Probate), National Business Institute, Louisville, Ky., Feb. 2017
Notable Transactions
• Defended client in multiple lawsuits and legal proceedings involving breaches of fiduciary duties by an executor and a corporate manager and accountant malpractice, protecting the client’s interests as a beneficiary in an estate, several trusts, and a family limited partnership.
• Represented beneficiary of estate in multiple proceedings involving breach of fiduciary by estate administrators, tax accountant malpractice, and investment broker malfeasance, resulting in jury award for beneficiary.
• Aided estate beneficiary and small business owner in resolving will contest, which required re-opening a 20 year-old estate, settling another estate, and preparing instruments needed to clear and transfer title to multiple pieces of real estate.
• Won lawsuit on behalf of a public owner in a dispute over a construction bond, obtaining an award against the surety and contractor for the cost of fully remediating an equine research facility plus the client’s attorney fees.
• Represented owner in the purchase and lease back of a $9 mm hotel property, including negotiating the terms of the deal, preparing transactional documents, and handling the closing.
• Assisted owner and landlord in settling a dispute over the construction of a commercial office building, which involved multiple lawsuits in state and federal court, dozens of lienholders and creditors, and negotiating and preparing transactional documents and instruments necessary to close the matter and clear up title.
• Defended design firm in a personal injury and premises liability lawsuit over construction, architectural services, and contract administration for a building project decades earlier.
• Assisted non-profit corporation with successfully resolving a lawsuit over latent construction defects and damage to their state headquarters.
• Represented subcontractor in a dispute with a local government agency, successfully recovering payment for the value engineering (VE) provided for the project.
• Helped married couple successfully resolve a dispute with their general contractor over its defective construction of their custom-built, dream home.
• Represented supplier in a payment dispute and lawsuit with a general contractor and surety company in connection with a major state highway project.
• Represented beneficiary of estate in multiple proceedings involving breach of fiduciary by estate administrators, tax accountant malpractice, and investment broker malfeasance, resulting in jury award for beneficiary.
• Aided estate beneficiary and small business owner in resolving will contest, which required re-opening a 20 year-old estate, settling another estate, and preparing instruments needed to clear and transfer title to multiple pieces of real estate.
• Won lawsuit on behalf of a public owner in a dispute over a construction bond, obtaining an award against the surety and contractor for the cost of fully remediating an equine research facility plus the client’s attorney fees.
• Represented owner in the purchase and lease back of a $9 mm hotel property, including negotiating the terms of the deal, preparing transactional documents, and handling the closing.
• Assisted owner and landlord in settling a dispute over the construction of a commercial office building, which involved multiple lawsuits in state and federal court, dozens of lienholders and creditors, and negotiating and preparing transactional documents and instruments necessary to close the matter and clear up title.
• Defended design firm in a personal injury and premises liability lawsuit over construction, architectural services, and contract administration for a building project decades earlier.
• Assisted non-profit corporation with successfully resolving a lawsuit over latent construction defects and damage to their state headquarters.
• Represented subcontractor in a dispute with a local government agency, successfully recovering payment for the value engineering (VE) provided for the project.
• Helped married couple successfully resolve a dispute with their general contractor over its defective construction of their custom-built, dream home.
• Represented supplier in a payment dispute and lawsuit with a general contractor and surety company in connection with a major state highway project.
