WILMINGTON — Paul Heath has been elected as the next president of complex corporate litigation firm Richards Layton & Finger (RLF), the biggest law firm in the state.
Headquartered in downtown Wilmington near Rodney Square, RLF is a sought-after firm that advises global companies, business partnerships, top financial institutions and local businesses alike across a wide range of practices, including corporate law, alternative entities, commercial law, bankruptcy, restructuring and litigation.
Heath had served as outgoing president Lisa Schmidt’s executive vice president, a role that signals the next step in RFL’s succession plan. Intellectual property attorney Jeffrey Moyer has since been appointed to that role and will eventually succeed Heath. Translation lawyer Matthew Criscimagna was named as Heath’s senior vice president, a top-ranking advisor role.
Heath, a Maryland native who graduated from University of Delaware and Widener University Delaware Law School, joined RLF 26 years ago and it has remained the only firm where he has practiced law.
“When I interviewed at RLF, I was convinced that the people there would invest in me and train me. Time proved that to be right,” Heath told the Delaware Business Times.
Over time, he established a strong bankruptcy practice and served as lead counsel for major chapter 11 cases before the Delaware Court of Chancery. The highest-profile cases on his docket as of late include the Weinstein Company, pharmaceutical company Insys Therapeutics, Utility and telecom contractor Consolidated Infrastructure Group Inc., and more.
Heath grew a passion for bankruptcy law after he found a love for working with those in the firm’s bankruptcy department.
At a time when Delaware’s legal community is searching for ways to cultivate new attorneys and legal professionals, Heath’s degrees from local institutions can perhaps show what can be here in the First State. RFL recruits from top law schools all over the country and Heath said that RLF has directors and associates from Delaware Law School to represent homegrown talent. RFL also has two directors that serve as advisors on Wilmington University School of Law’s board.
Heath said he believes that those who practice corporate law in Delaware are among the best and the brightest jurists in their field and it’s part of their duty to retain that reputation.
“Here at RLF, we recognize that our responsibility to the legal profession goes beyond client service – it extends to mentoring the next generation of Delaware lawyers. Our goal is to strengthen the pipeline of talent and ensure they are well-prepared legal professionals who will help carry forward Delaware’s’ leadership in corporate and business law,” he said.
