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Mr. Godfrey, a litigation partner in the Chicago office of Quinn Emanuel, has been described as an “an exceptional trial lawyer” and “stellar example of outside counsel,” having an “extraordinary, encyclopedic knowledge of the law,” “who relishes the challenge and can be counted on to deliver a first-rate product every time.” (Chambers 2017, 2006, 2008, 2011) “The classy stalwart … has excelled at representing corporations at the trial and appellate level in all types of complex cases,” (Lawdragon 500 Hall of Fame, 2017), including in some of the nation’s largest, most high-profile litigation matters. In addition, Mr. Godfrey routinely advises senior management and corporate Boards regarding litigation strategy, including crisis and risk management. His “undeniably wide-ranging practice” (Chambers 2006) includes defending against class actions and individual suits involving mass torts, antitrust and trade regulation, contracts, consumer fraud, fraud and false advertising, discrimination and employment discrimination, ERISA, environmental, franchise and distribution, insurance, products liability, trade secrets, tax and others. As was reported in Chambers’ 2020 and 2021 reviews: Mr. Godfrey “is highly strategic and has vast experience;” “he is second to none on high-level strategy” and “[t]here’s nothing he hasn’t seen–he’s an avid litigator.”

At Quinn Emanuel, Mr. Godfrey serves as Chair of the Complex Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) practice group. Prior to joining Quinn Emanuel, Mr. Godfrey served as a litigation member of Kirkland &Ellis LLP’s Global Management Executive Committee from 1999 through 2015, having reached his maximum term limit.


+1-312-705-7463

Richard Godfrey

Partner
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan
Chicago

Practice Area: Litigation

All-Star

WHAT CLIENTS SAY

"Richard is one of the brightest people I’ve ever worked with. He's strategic, a good communicator, and seasoned at the highest levels of legal thought."


MY CLIENT PHILOSOPHY

"Fundamentally, clients retain us to solve problems and protect their interests. The key to successfully doing so, I believe, is to work with the legal team and management of the client to clearly identify its strategic objective(s), and then develop the tactics necessary to mitigate the litigation and business risks so that the client has the best opportunity to achieve its objective(s) and protect its brand and reputation in the marketplace."

– Richard Godfrey

ALL-STAR BIOGRAPHY

Mr. Godfrey, a litigation partner in the Chicago office of Quinn Emanuel, has been described as an “an exceptional trial lawyer” and “stellar example of outside counsel,” having an “extraordinary, encyclopedic knowledge of the law,” “who relishes the challenge and can be counted on to deliver a first-rate product every time.” (Chambers 2017, 2006, 2008, 2011) “The classy stalwart … has excelled at representing corporations at the trial and appellate level in all types of complex cases,” (Lawdragon 500 Hall of Fame, 2017), including in some of the nation’s largest, most high-profile litigation matters. In addition, Mr. Godfrey routinely advises senior management and corporate Boards regarding litigation strategy, including crisis and risk management. His “undeniably wide-ranging practice” (Chambers 2006) includes defending against class actions and individual suits involving mass torts, antitrust and trade regulation, contracts, consumer fraud, fraud and false advertising, discrimination and employment discrimination, ERISA, environmental, franchise and distribution, insurance, products liability, trade secrets, tax and others. As was reported in Chambers’ 2020 and 2021 reviews: Mr. Godfrey “is highly strategic and has vast experience;” “he is second to none on high-level strategy” and “[t]here’s nothing he hasn’t seen–he’s an avid litigator.”

At Quinn Emanuel, Mr. Godfrey serves as Chair of the Complex Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) practice group. Prior to joining Quinn Emanuel, Mr. Godfrey served as a litigation member of Kirkland &Ellis LLP’s Global Management Executive Committee from 1999 through 2015, having reached his maximum term limit.

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+1-312-705-7463

Richard Godfrey

Partner
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan
Chicago

Practice Area: Litigation

M&A All-Star

ALL-STAR BIOGRAPHY

Mr. Godfrey, a litigation partner in the Chicago office of Quinn Emanuel, has been described as an “an exceptional trial lawyer” and “stellar example of outside counsel,” having an “extraordinary, encyclopedic knowledge of the law,” “who relishes the challenge and can be counted on to deliver a first-rate product every time.” (Chambers 2017, 2006, 2008, 2011) “The classy stalwart … has excelled at representing corporations at the trial and appellate level in all types of complex cases,” (Lawdragon 500 Hall of Fame, 2017), including in some of the nation’s largest, most high-profile litigation matters. In addition, Mr. Godfrey routinely advises senior management and corporate Boards regarding litigation strategy, including crisis and risk management. His “undeniably wide-ranging practice” (Chambers 2006) includes defending against class actions and individual suits involving mass torts, antitrust and trade regulation, contracts, consumer fraud, fraud and false advertising, discrimination and employment discrimination, ERISA, environmental, franchise and distribution, insurance, products liability, trade secrets, tax and others. As was reported in Chambers’ 2020 and 2021 reviews: Mr. Godfrey “is highly strategic and has vast experience;” “he is second to none on high-level strategy” and “[t]here’s nothing he hasn’t seen–he’s an avid litigator.”

At Quinn Emanuel, Mr. Godfrey serves as Chair of the Complex Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) practice group. Prior to joining Quinn Emanuel, Mr. Godfrey served as a litigation member of Kirkland &Ellis LLP’s Global Management Executive Committee from 1999 through 2015, having reached his maximum term limit.

Visit All-Star's Firm »