Richard A. Tanner

Mr. Tanner commenced practice with the Newark, New Jersey firm of Stryker, Tams & Dill as an Associate assigned to the Litigation Section.

He was recruited from that position to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by U.S.D.J. Frederick B. Lacey, then U.S. Attorney.  He also served in that office under U.S. Attorney, Herbert J. Stern.  After 2-1/2 years and promotion to the Chief of the Criminal Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Tanner was in overall supervision of all federal prosecution activities in the District of New Jersey. As Chief of the Criminal Division, he supervised the operation of three office locations, the daily activities of sixteen Assistant U.S. Attorneys, as well as a staff of secretaries, paralegals and investigative personnel.

He personally conducted the successful prosecution of numerous federal criminal trials, particularly in the white-collar crime area, including the failure of the Eatontown National Bank, the conviction of the Chief Pharmacist at Lenox Hill Hospital for unlawful manufacture of methamphetamines and the convictions in a corporate executive’s son’s kidnapping case, which drew national press attention.

In Collins v. Promark Products, Inc., in the USDC for the Southern District of New York and in the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, he successfully argued the case which ultimately resulted in a revision of the New Jersey/New York bi-state compact addressing state jurisdiction over Ellis Island. This litigation led the U.S. Supreme Court to appoint a Standing Master to recommend a position to the Court in resolution of the interstate dispute.

As a civil trial attorney, he has handled all aspects of litigation, with emphasis in the defense of product liability, medical malpractice, negligence personal injury trials and white collar criminal defense.  Much of this trial practice was devoted to defense of product liability claims on behalf of manufacturers Ariens Company, Gravely Tractors, Ford Motor Co., American Motors Corp., Renault Corp., Volkswagen of America, Toyota, Inc., American Honda Co., Gravely International, Inc., R.A. Jones & Co., Worthington Corp., Davies Can Co., and many others.  There have also been product liability matters involving pharmaceuticals and chemicals for American Cyanamid, Chas. Pfizer, Ciba-Geigy Corp., Hoffman-LaRoche Corp., and many others. At the present time, he maintains a diverse litigation agenda encompassing virtually all areas of trial work.

He also presently handles a portion of the management duties in his firm.

Mr. Tanner has served as a Court appointed Arbitrator on civil liability cases and matters involving the New Jersey Uninsured Motorist Fund disputes, as well as on inter-insurance company coverage issues.

He has participated as a litigant’s representative in various arbitrations and mediations involving construction contract disputes, commercial and banking matters, insurance coverage issues, professional practices disputes and labor relations (representing both management and labor).

He has been retained on occasion, by judges of the New Jersey Superior Court as an expert on issues of attorney’s fees and in declaratory judgment actions between insurers and insureds.

He has been called upon to prepare and try selected Sec. l983 Civil Rights cases as “Special Trial Counsel” for the County of Essex, New Jersey, defending State and County police officers.

He represents medical and dental professionals before various professional boards and state agencies such as the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor and New Jersey Attorney General.

Mr. Tanner has conducted successful appellate presentations before the New Jersey Supreme Court, the Second and the Third Circuit Courts of Appeal as well as the New York and New Jersey Appellate Courts.

He has created case law in New Jersey, such as Serbin v. Walt Disney World Co., and Lee’s Hawaiian Islander, Inc. v. Safety First Fire Products, Inc., et al.

Mr. Tanner possesses a United States Guard Ocean Operator’s (100 ton) License and has testified as an expert witness on matters of seamanship and seaworthiness of recreational vessels.

Annually, he serves as the Moderator of CLE Programs run by The Florida Bar in New York City and as a trial practice lecturer at various New Jersey and Florida CLE presentations and Inns of Court educational programs.

He periodically writes articles for Florida Bar issued Newsletters which address law practice management and marketing techniques. He co-authored a law firm management textbook, Profitable Law Firm Management, which he uses for a lecture series which he conducts.

He is presently an Adjunct Professor at Florida State University College of Law teaching trial advocacy techniques and coaching their Mock Trial teams.

He is certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a Civil Circuit Mediator and conducts mediations throughout Florida.

Bar Admissions

• State of Florida 1988
• State of New Jersey  1969
• State of New York  1984
• District of Columbia 1983
• United States Court of Appeals,
  • Third Circuit
  • Second Circuit
  • Eleventh Circuit
• United States District Court
• Middle District of Florida
• Northern District of Florida
• District of New Jersey
• Southern District of New York
• Eastern District of New York
• Western District of New York
• United States Supreme Court

University of Illinois College of Law

University of Illinois

See Bio above

• United States Department of Justice Special Achievement Award
• Martindle Hubbell AV Pre-eminent Status
• Best’s Bar Register of Pre-eminent Attorneys
• Listed:  Florida Trend Magazine Legal Elite, Super Lawyer and others
• Kiwanis International
• Metro Builders Association
• Rotary Club International
• Shore Builders Association
• Big Brother, Inc. of Monmouth County
• Greater Pt. Pleasant Charter Boat Assoc.
• Superior Court of New Jersey
• National Association of Charter Operators
• The Florida Bar and subdivisions
• Tallahassee 100 Club
• Florida Supreme Court Certified Civil Circuit Mediator

The Florida Bar

American Bar Association

See Bio above