I graduated from Whittier Law School with a concentration in Business Law. In July 2011, I took the California bar exam, and achieved a passing score on my first attempt.
In approximately May 2014, I entered solo practice in Santa Ana, again representing Applicants in Workers’ Compensation claims, from the filing of the Application for Adjudication, to resolution. My primary board is the Santa Ana WCAB, but I enjoy appearing before the Judges in Riverside, Pomona, Ontario, San Bernardino, Anaheim, Long Beach, and others in Southern California.
In summary, subsequent to law school graduation in 2011, I now spend approximately ninety-five percent (95%) of my practice time in the California Workers’ Compensation system with regular frequency. The other five percent (5%) is split between labor & employment law, wages & hours, personal injury tort law, and disability law.
I am a member of the Orange County Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section. I am a member of the State Bar of California Workers’ Compensation Section. I am a Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law by the State Bar of California, California Board of Legal Specialization. I am a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, membership in which is limited to Trial Lawyers who have demonstrated exceptional skill, experience and excellence in Advocacy by achieving a trial verdict, award or settlement in the amount of One Million Dollars or more.
Every case is different, and past results cannot be a guarantee of future performance.
But I guarantee every client that I will do my best.
- Workers' Compensation
- Employment Law
- Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, ERISA, Overtime & Unpaid Wages, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination
- Personal Injury
- Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
- Free Consultation
- California
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- English: Spoken, Written
- Attorney
- Law Office of Joseph Richards, P.C.
- Current
- Whittier Law School
- J.D.
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- Lake Forest College
- B.A.
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- Rising Star
- Super Lawyers
- Million Dollar Advocate
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Rising Star
- Super Lawyers
- Million Dollar Advocate
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Million Dollar Advocate
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- State Bar of California  # 279922
- Member
- - Current
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- Orange County Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- Household Employees -- Navigating Workers’ Compensation and Civil Remedies Kathleen Duggan; Joseph E. Richards, Esq.; The Hon. Vincenti Blas; Gregory L. Connor, Esq.; Gil Tabachnik, Esq. Whittier, Santa Ana, and Los Angeles, California
- Workers' Compensation Quarterly (California State Bar publication)
- Household Employees -- Navigating Workers’ Compensation and Civil Remedies Kathleen Duggan; Joseph E. Richards, Esq.; The Hon. Vincenti Blas; Gregory L. Connor, Esq.; Gil Tabachnik, Esq. Whittier, Santa Ana, and Los Angeles, California
- Workers' Compensation Quarterly (California State Bar publication)
- Workers' Compensation Jobs, Whittier Law School
- Law Office of Joseph E. Richards
- Certified Specialist Workers' Compensation Law
- State Bar of California, California Board of Legal Specialization
- Q. I had a injury at work and am seeing Dr. 's .. Do I go to these appointments on my time or on company time?
- A: In California, as of July 2015, employers are required to offer limited Paid Sick Leave (PSL) to most employees. PSL information may be accessed here: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/paid_sick_leave.htm For public policy reasons, injured employees are not typically paid disability benefits for the time it takes to visit treating doctors during a regularly scheduled working day. However, employers are able to offer Paid Time Off or Vacation Pay as an added incentive to employees. It is not a requirement for employers to offer Paid Time Off (PTO) or paid vacation, but many do offer it to employees. Check your wage statements to see if there is mention of PTO or Vacation Pay. With regard to PSL, PSL may be taken in as little as 2 hour increments in many cases. That might be all the time it takes to visit a doctor. It is best to check with your Human Resources department, union representative, or Employment Policy Manual / MOU / Union CBA for more information.