- Overview
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Overview
Ric Asfar is a member of the nationally-ranked Adams & Reese Construction Practice and a Partner in the Tampa office. Ric is an AV-rated civil litigator and appellate advocate representing individuals, government entities, interest groups, and businesses in both state and federal trial and appellate courts. He has close to two decades of experience in construction litigation, insurance coverage, employment litigation, appellate advocacy, and commercial disputes.
Ric’s construction law experience includes complex construction defect cases, construction delay, insurance disputes, catastrophic personal injury and property damage claims, bond claims, lien claims, contracting, employment matters, and a successful constitutional challenge to municipal ordinances adversely impacting the construction industry. An area in which Ric pays close attention is construction defect litigation, especially in Florida, where the area is concerning for many of Ric’s clients as “CD” litigation has intensified in recent years, making the future of this litigation unclear. As a result, it has become critical that construction industry businesses identify and maintain appropriate insurance and claims-monitoring practices.
Ric closely follows both litigation trends and legislative initiatives to proactively provide clients with guidance and foresight on managing risk and exposure. Ric’s primary objective: keeping clients out of harm’s way. If, however, a dispute arises, Ric is no stranger to trials and appeals and aggressively pursues his clients’ interests there.
Throughout his career, Ric has developed a reputation as “a lawyer’s lawyer,” derived from the many cases in which other experienced attorneys have sought him out to address the kinds of thorny legal issues that can derail a client’s case.
Ric’s construction law experience includes complex construction defect cases, construction delay, insurance disputes, catastrophic personal injury and property damage claims, bond claims, lien claims, contracting, employment matters, and a successful constitutional challenge to municipal ordinances adversely impacting the construction industry. An area in which Ric pays close attention is construction defect litigation, especially in Florida, where the area is concerning for many of Ric’s clients as “CD” litigation has intensified in recent years, making the future of this litigation unclear. As a result, it has become critical that construction industry businesses identify and maintain appropriate insurance and claims-monitoring practices.
Ric closely follows both litigation trends and legislative initiatives to proactively provide clients with guidance and foresight on managing risk and exposure. Ric’s primary objective: keeping clients out of harm’s way. If, however, a dispute arises, Ric is no stranger to trials and appeals and aggressively pursues his clients’ interests there.
Throughout his career, Ric has developed a reputation as “a lawyer’s lawyer,” derived from the many cases in which other experienced attorneys have sought him out to address the kinds of thorny legal issues that can derail a client’s case.
As a law student attending the University of the Pacific, Ric served as a full-time student extern to the Honorable Consuelo M. Callahan of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, assistant comment editor for the Pacific McGeorge Global Business & Development Law Journal, and President of the Student Bar Association. Upon graduation, Ric was inducted into the Roger J. Traynor Honor Society and awarded the “Outstanding Student Achievement Award” for his graduating class.
Originally from Queens, New York, Ric was an amateur featherweight boxer and likes to think he brings the “thrill of the fight” into litigation. His parents, Middle Eastern immigrants, taught Ric the value of hard work and going the extra mile. An admitted “law geek,” he is a voracious reader and collector of thousands of appellate court opinions.
Originally from Queens, New York, Ric was an amateur featherweight boxer and likes to think he brings the “thrill of the fight” into litigation. His parents, Middle Eastern immigrants, taught Ric the value of hard work and going the extra mile. An admitted “law geek,” he is a voracious reader and collector of thousands of appellate court opinions.
Community Involvement
- Glazer Children's Museum, Fundraiser Committee
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, Inc., former Big Brother
- The Tampa Connection, Class of 2013
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Education
- University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law, J.D. | 2006
- Baruch College, B.A. | 2002
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- California
Court Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Languages
- Turkish
Related Services
Recognitions
- Best Lawyers in America® – Litigation: Construction, 2024-2026
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2021-2026
- Martindale-Hubbell “AV Preeminent” Peer Review Rating, 2016-2025
- Tampa Magazine, “Top Lawyers,” – Commercial Litigation and Appellate, 2021-2025
- Florida Super Lawyers, “Rising Star”, 2012-2019
- Florida Trend, “Legal Elite”, 2019-2023
Education
- University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law, J.D. | 2006
- Baruch College, B.A. | 2002
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- California
Court Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Languages
- Turkish
Related Services
Affiliations
- Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section
- Hillsborough County Bar Association
- City of Tampa Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, 2014-2016
- Pacific McGeorge School of Law Alumni Board, 2006-2014
- American Inns of Court, current member of the J. Clifford Cheatwood Inn, past member of the Tampa Bay Inn, the Consuelo M. Callahan Inn, and the Anthony M. Kennedy Inn
Education
- University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law, J.D. | 2006
- Baruch College, B.A. | 2002
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- California
Court Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Languages
- Turkish
Related Services
Representation
Select Opinions
- Florida Gulf Coast Chapter Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc. v. City of St. Petersburg, 374 So. 3d 976 (Fla. 2d DCA 2023)
- Scott v. Acuity Real Estate Services, 359 So. 3d 881 (Fla. 2d DCA 2023)
- Kloppe v. Off Lease Only, Inc., 349 So. 3d 907 (Fla. 4th DCA 2022)
- Money v. Home Performance Alliance, LLC, 313 So. 3d 783 (Fla. 2d DCA 2021)
- Cavey v. Wells, 313 So. 3d 188 (Fla. 2d DCA 2021)
- Williams v. CVT, LLC, 295 So. 3d 883 (Fla. 2d DCA 2020)
- J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. McCabe, 245 So. 3d 684 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018) (table)
- J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Nally, 253 So. 3d 576 (Fla. 2d DCA 2018) (table)
- Citizens Property Ins. Co. v. Albrecht, 240 So. 3d 662 (Fla. 2d DCA 2017) (table)
- Olympus Ins. Co. v. Basagic, 241 So. 3d 803 (Fla. 2d DCA 2017) (table)
- Burford v. Matheny, 185 So. 3d 1240 (Fla. 2d DCA 2016) (table)
- Allen v. State Farm, 198 So. 3d 871 (Fla. 2d DCA 2016)
- Allen v. State Farm, 209 So. 3d 11 (Fla. 2d DCA 2016)
- Shindorf v. Bell, 207 So. 3d 371 (Fla. 2d DCA 2016)
- Charles v. Southern Baptist Hosp., 209 So. 3d 1199 (Fla. 2016) (appearing for amicus curiae AARP)
- Estes Express Lines Corp. v. Nieves, 184 So. 3d 527 (Fla. 2d DCA 2015) (table)
- Lima v. CitiMortgage, Inc., 61 So. 3d 1133 (Fla. 3d DCA 2011) (table)
- Waters v. Amtrust Bank, 64 So. 3d 1267 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011) (table)
- Professional Title LLC v. Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp., 2011 WL 855338 (N.D. Fla. Mar. 9, 2011)
- Eatman v. Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp., 2011 WL 2436290 (M.D. Fla. May 20, 2011), adopted by 2011 WL 2413469 (M.D. Fla. Jun. 14, 2011)
- Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors of Orion Bancorp v. Assignee Polsky (Fed. Deposit Ins. Corp.), 2011 WL 855338 (M.D. Fla. Sept. 17, 2010)
Education
- University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law, J.D. | 2006
- Baruch College, B.A. | 2002
Bar Admissions
- Florida
- California
Court Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Languages
- Turkish