Richard Breen Personal Injury Lawyer in Louisville, Kentucky History
Richard M. Breen, a personal injury lawyer in Louisville, Kentucky, is a fifth-generation Louisvillian. He was 13 years old when he decided he wanted to become a lawyer.
Several years later, as a freshman at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Breen bought a Saint Xavier jersey with the number 79 because, as he said, “that was the year I would graduate from law school.”
Mr. Breen joined Louisville’s oldest plaintiff’s personal injury law firm. He explained, “I used to cut the partner’s grass when I was a kid. I had always admired him and looked up to him. He was my mentor.”
Later becoming a partner in the firm, Breen developed his skills in personal injury litigation. He has always focused on representing injured plaintiffs and preparing cases for trial.
“I always wanted to try damage cases in front of juries,” he said.
How Richard Breen Got His Start
In 1993, after 13 years with the firm, he decided to establish his own practice. He opened Richard Breen Law Offices P.S.C., a firm focused almost entirely on personal injury law.
He has described his practice as a small, closely connected office that focuses heavily on client service.
“The office is not too big, we all get along well with each other, and work really hard for our clients,” he said.
He estimates that 90 to 95 percent of cases settle before trial. According to Breen, “most of my clients are reasonable, good-hearted people who will usually take a fair offer. If a fair offer doesn’t come, then we represent them on their day in court.”
Trial Preparation Philosophy of a Louisville Personal Injury Lawyer
Breen often emphasizes the importance of preparing every case as if it will go to trial from the beginning.
He has said he never forgets advice from his mentor: “If you prepare a case for trial, a settlement can happen at any time along the way.”
He believes his strength as a litigator is thorough preparation, hard work, and a creative approach to building cases.
To better serve clients, he moved his office to a suburban location for convenience, noting that some clients prefer to avoid downtown travel.
Contact Us
If you need help with a personal injury matter in Louisville, Kentucky, you can contact Richard Breen Law Offices for assistance.
Certified civil trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
Kentucky Super Lawyers
Top Lawyers in Louisville by Louisville Magazine
AV-Rated (the highest rating) by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
Practice Areas
- Personal Injury
- Insurance Disputes
Education
- J.D. University of Louisville, Brandeis School of Law
- B.A. Vanderbilt University
Honors & Recognitions
- Mayor, City of Glenview, KY: 2007-2015
- Hand in Hand Ministries Board of Directors: 2004-2005
- Ursuline Campus Schools Board of Trustees: 2005-2007
- Saint Xavier High School
- Campaign Cabinet: 2004-2010
- Board of Directors: 2006-2015
- Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys
- President: 1989
- President-Elect: 1988
- Vice President: 1987
- Treasurer: 1986
- Board of Governors: 1983-present
- Chair:
- Amicus Curiae Committee: 1987-1988
- Kentucky Attorneys’ Political Action Trust: 1988-1990
- Political Insight Committee: 1989
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- State Delegate: 1992-1993
- Board of Governors: 1993-2000
- Chair/Co-Chair:
- State Relations Committee: 1990-1991
- Committees:
- ATLA/NATLE Relations Committee: 1989-1991
- Political Insight Committee: 1989-1990
- Public Relations Committee: 1989-1990
- State Relations Committee: 1989-1991
- All-state All-star Seminar Committee: 1989-1990
- ATLA PAC Task Force: 1989-1991
- Louisville Bar Association
- Chair/Co-Chair:
- Legal Medical Committee: 1984-1986
- Committees:
- Public Relations and Bar Media Committee: 1984-1985
- Rules Committee: 1980-1981
- Convention Bar Committee: 1982-1983
- Chair/Co-Chair:
Published Cases
- Dunlap v. University of Kentucky, 716 S.W.2d 219 (1986);
- Gould, M.D. v. O’Bannon, 770 S.W.2d 220 (1989);
- Kitchen v. State Auto, Ky. 853 S.W.2d 895 (1993);
- Mitchell v. Kentucky Farm Bureau, Ky. 927 S.W.2d 343 (1996);
- Graham v. Warrior Insurance Group, 60 F. Supp. 2d 632 (1999);
- Davidson v. American Freightways, 25 S.W. 3d 94 (2000);
- Savage v. Co-Part of Connecticut, Inc., 671 S.W.3d 48 (2023);
Publications
- Editor Kentucky Circuit Court Local Rules — 1991
- Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys Cause of Action Manual — Medical Negligence — 1990
- Handling a Bad Faith Case in Kentucky — 1990
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists and Bad Faith Update — 1990
- Automobile Insurance and Third-Party Coverages in Kentucky — 1989
- Big Truck Wrecks — Discover the Truck Driver’s Background — 1989
- Payment of No-Fault Benefits — 1989
- Sovereign Immunity Does Not Bar Claims Against Individuals For Their Torts — 1989
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Kentucky
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky
- United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
Memberships
- Kentucky Bar Association
- Louisville Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
- Kentucky Justice Association
Community & Leadership
- Kentucky Bar Association
- Continuing Legal Education Recognition Award
- Annually, 1981-present
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Citation of Excellence: 1989, 1995
- Certified Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial
- Advocacy: 1989-present
- Board of Directors: 1996-2001; Executive Committee: 2001
- Kentucky Supreme Court Appointments
- Special Justice — Lewis v. Commonwealth, 92-SC-000165-MR and Chandler v. Commonwealth, 95-SC-282-MR
- Civil Rules Committee — 1988-2020
- Time Standards Committee — 1985
- Kentucky Bar Association-Continuing Legal Education Commission — 1991-1993 (Chairman – 1993)
- Member, Outstanding Lawyers Of America
- Member, Million Dollar Advocates Forum
