Richard Coad focuses his practice on criminal defense, appeals, and defending professionals in actions against their professional licenses. He successfully represents clients in state court throughout Wisconsin, having appeared in more than twenty counties. He is also one of the most experienced federal defense attorneys in Wisconsin, regularly appearing in both the Eastern and Western District of Wisconsin courts. He has represented individuals in S.E.C. investigations, people who are targets or witnesses in federal grand jury investigations and Wisconsin John Doe proceedings. He also frequently represents university students in a variety of matters, including non-academic disciplinary proceedings.

In addition to his trial court work, Rick has expertise in appellate litigation. He has briefed and argued cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Notably, he argued Logan v. United States, his first case in the United States Supreme Court.

The quality and depth of Rick’s experience is exceptional. Prior to starting Coad Law Office in 2011, Rick started his career as an Associate Federal Defender in both the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, where he exclusively handled serious federal felony cases. He then worked at a highly regarded criminal and civil litigation firm in Madison for four years.

In recognition of the quality of his work, Rick has been named by other lawyers and judges as a Super Lawyers Rising Star seven times. That ranked him in the top 2.5% of lawyers under the age of 40 in Wisconsin, and recognized him as one of the best criminal defense lawyers in Wisconsin.