Richard Harper > Baker Botts L.L.P. > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile
Baker Botts L.L.P. Offices

30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10112-4498
NEW YORK
United States
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Richard Harper

Work Department
Litigation
Position
Partner
Partner-in-Charge – New York Office
Career
Rich Harper advises and litigates on behalf of some of the world’s most sophisticated technology, media, and entertainment companies. He leads litigation teams in business tort and breach of contract disputes, ranging from trade secret litigation to business defamation claims for clients such as PepsiCo and Formula 1 Racing. Within the business tort field, Rich has built a leading national practice in fiduciary duty and securities litigation, having represented the company and/or directors of Liberty Media, NASCAR, Starz, and Charter Communications.
With a proven track record of success managing complex risk issues, Rich is a trusted advisor to management teams and directors, aligning business and legal strategies to achieve success in high-stakes commercial litigation. As co-chair of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence practice group, he helps clients navigate emerging AI-related litigation and regulations. In 2024, he will be teaching a seminar on Artificial Intelligence and the Law at Florida State University Law School. He also advises clients on ESG, joint ventures, and other corporate structuring issues.
In addition to leading the AI group, Rich serves as the Partner-in-Charge of Baker Botts’ New York office. He previously served as the New York office’s Litigation Department Chair and Hiring Partner, as well as on the firm’s Executive Committee. For over a decade, Rich has also served as part of the faculty for the Intensive Trial Practice Workshop at the University of Chicago Law School.
Memberships
New York State Bar
New Jersey State Bar
United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third, Fourth and Federal Circuits
United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
United States Court of Federal Claims
Education
J.D., University of Chicago Law School 1993
Member, University of Chicago Law Review
B.A., University of Chicago 1990
Phi Beta Kappa
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
The ‘great commercial litigators’ at Baker Botts L.L.P. are active across a number of sectors, notably energy, defending corporate clients and their directors and officers facing merger-related suits in Delaware, Texas and the federal courts, in addition to offering assistance in related securities and derivative disputes. In Houston, managing partner Danny David and Amy Hefley lead on high-value disputes for clients and in 2024 defended Camber Energy, Inc. in a suit arising out of its 2023 merger with Viking Energy Group, with a former shareholder of the latter accusing Camber’s CEO of breach of fiduciary duties. Securities litigation and white collar matters form the core of head of the litigation team Bridget Moore‘s Washington DC-based practice. Richard Harper, who heads the firm’s New York office, is sought after by TMT sector clients facing M&A suits, including assisting Liberty Media in settling a shareholder derivative action related to the buyback of $2bn-worth of SiriusXM shares, of which Liberty is the controlling shareholder, alleging that Liberty directors had breached their fiduciary duties and effected a short term merger.
United States > Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
Boasting a strong background in trade secrets, breach of contract and product liability disputes, Baker Botts L.L.P.’s broad litigation practice spans the gamut of commercial disputes. Based in Houston, Danny David is a go to for high-stakes disputes, including class actions, political crises and investigations. Richard Harper in New York spearheads the team’s involvement in business tort and contractual disputes, regularly called upon by tech, media and entertainment clients. Houston-based Amy Hefley co-chairs the litigation department and leads the firm’s securities litigation team. Linda Martin joined the team in New York from Freshfields in April 2025.
Lawyer Rankings
- M&A litigation: defense United States > Dispute resolution
- General commercial disputes United States > Dispute resolution
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Energy > Energy litigation: electric power
- Energy > Energy litigation: oil and gas
- Energy > Energy transactions: electric power
- Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
Firm Rankings
- Energy > Energy regulation: electric power
- Energy > Energy regulation: oil and gas
- Environment > Environment: litigation
- Environment > Environment: regulatory
- Intellectual property > Patents: licensing
- Intellectual property > Patents: prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort
- Energy > Renewable/alternative power
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- Transport > Aviation and air travel: finance
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- Antitrust > Cartel
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Tax > International tax
- Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission)
- Finance > Project finance
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: non-contentious (including prosecution, portfolio management and licensing)
- Tax > US taxes: contentious
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Labor and employment > ERISA litigation
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
- Healthcare > Life sciences
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
- Real estate > Real estate
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- Finance > Structured finance: securitization
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies