Rick Vazquez

Richard "Rick" Vazquez represents clients in matters related to insurance and employment law with an emphasis on representing insurance carriers in coverage, subrogation, recovery, and bad faith litigation. Rick frequently advises insurers in the areas of written opinions on coverage, analysis of liability claims, and pre-and post-suit counsel on claims handling and litigation tactics in nearly all lines of insurance. He also frequently represents carriers’ interests in coverage disputes / reservations of rights in liability litigation. When Rick’s insurer clients are sued for breach of contract and / or bad faith, he collaborates at the outset with claim, team, and section management to identify a goal that furthers the carrier’s business and portfolio-specific objectives. He then formulates a defense or resolution plan to efficiently reach that goal. Rick’s approach has resulted in published dismissals of hotly contested contractual and extra-contractual claims, and pre-litigation resolution of troublesome claims which threatened to create unfavorable case law for the insurance industry. Rick has also successfully represented policyholders seeking coverage, procuring six-figure settlements in life, disability, and commercial liability policy claims. As part of his specialized policyholder practice, Rick has also successfully intervened on behalf of multiple corporate and individual policyholders in declaratory judgment actions, disputes over reservations of rights letters and refusals to bargain or settle during litigation. Rick has also served as a designated expert witness in the application of Utah insurance law. Rick’s employment practice involves representing employers in state and federal district court, as well as before the Utah Labor Commission and EEOC, in Title VII, ADA, ADEA, employment contract, whistleblower, and related claims. He has successfully obtained multiple district court and administrative dismissals of these claims and has negotiated favorable settlements of numerous troublesome claims. Rick also advises employers on best practices regarding personnel decisions, as well as in the drafting of policies, procedures, and handbooks. Rick is a native of the Bronx, but has called Salt Lake City, Utah his home for decades. In his free time, Rick enjoys stand-up comedy, Mets, Knicks, NY Giants, NY Rangers, and University of Utah sports, and spending time with his children and friends.