Richard W. Osman
Partner
University of California, Berkeley
University of San Francisco School of Law
Richard Osman, the firm’s managing partner, focuses his practice on the defense of public entities including cities, counties, police departments, and school districts in complex civil litigation matters involving civil rights, tort liability, and dangerous condition of public property. He has successfully defended cities and counties in numerous high-exposure, dangerous condition cases and regularly defends police departments and their officers in cases alleging false arrest and excessive force, including many officer-involved shooting cases. Mr. Osman also frequently represents public entities in appellate matters and has briefed and argued numerous appeals in the California Court of Appeal, the California State Supreme Court, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
In addition to Mr. Osman’s public entity practice, he also frequently represents commercial clients in litigation matters involving business disputes and advises insurance companies on complex coverage matters and litigates coverage disputes. Mr. Osman recently obtained a judgment that is estimated to be worth more than $50 million for his client in a partnership dispute matter.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Osman primarily practiced general civil litigation and acted as managing partner of Osman & Gohel, where he represented businesses ranging from sole proprietorships to publicly held companies.
Mr. Osman graduated with a BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1987, and obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1993 from the University of San Francisco School of Law. During law school, he clerked for the Honorable Peggy Hora of the Alameda County Superior Court. Additionally, from 1998 through 2002, Mr. Osman was a professor at New College of Law in San Francisco, teaching corporations.
Mr. Osman is admitted to practice in California; the Northern, Eastern, and Southern Districts of California; the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Presentations:
Alameda County Police Chiefs – January 2016: “Evolution of Uses of Force and the Role of Management”
California Joint Powers Risk Management Authority (CJPRMA) Annual Board Meeting – January 2015: “Issues Confronting Law Enforcement in the Wake of Ferguson, Baltimore, and New York Incidents”
California Association of Joint Powers Authorities (CAJPA) – April 2016 – September 2016: “The Big Picture – Policies and Pitfalls of Body Camera Usage”
California Association of Joint Powers Authorities (CAJPA) – September 2016: “Why We Use Force – Police Use of Force After Ferguson”
COPWEST – October 2016: “Why We Use Force – Police Use of Force After Ferguson”
Public Agency Risk Management Association (PARMA) – February 2015: “Things That Go Bump in the Night – Streets, Storm Drains, and Other Dark and Scary Places”
Public Agency Risk Management Association (PARMA) – February 2016: “Risk Management Strategies to Avoid Liability and Minimize Exposure for Dangerous Conditions of Public Property”
California State Association of Counties (CSAC) – February 2016 Webinar: “Risk Management Strategies to Avoid Liability and Minimize Exposure for Dangerous Conditions of Public Property”
California State Association of Counties (CSAC) – March 2016 Webinar: “Handling the Mentally Ill – Law Enforcement Interactions with Emotionally Disturbed Persons”
Alameda City Attorneys Association – January 2017: “Dealing with Danger – Strategies to Avoid Liability and Minimize Exposure for Dangerous Conditions of Public Property and Recent Court Experiences”
Public Agency Risk Management Association (PARMA) – February 2017: “Things That Go Bump in the Night – Streets, Storm Drains, and Other Dark and Scary Places”
California Association of Joint Powers Authorities (CAJPA) – September 2017: “Dealing with Danger – Strategies to Avoid Liability and Minimize Exposure for Dangerous Conditions of Public Property and Inverse Condemnation Cases”
Public Agency Risk Management Association (PARMA) – February 2018: “No More Deep Pockets! Defending Your Dangerous Condition of Public Property Claims”
California Association of Joint Powers Authorities (CAJPA) – September 2018: “Avoiding the Danger Zone: Minimizing Risk and Defending Claims for Dangerous Conditions of Public Property, Inverse Condemnation, and Violation of Mandatory Duties”
Public Agency Risk Sharing Authority of California (PARSAC) – November 2018: “No More Deep Pockets! Defending Dangerous Condition of Public Property and Inverse Condemnation Claims – Strategies to Avoid Liability and Minimize Exposure for Dangerous Conditions of Public Property and Inverse Condemnation Cases”
Public Agency Risk Management Association (PARMA) – February 2019: “Avoiding the Danger Zone: Minimizing Risk and Defending Claims for Dangerous Conditions of Public Property, Inverse Condemnation, and Violation of Mandatory Duties”
Public Agency Risk Management Association (PARMA) – February 2020: “Walking the Line of Dangerous Condition and Inverse Condemnation Claims”
Public Agency Risk Management Association (PARMA) – February 2021: “Rope Swings, Mountain Bikes, Hillsides, and Trees – What Possibly Could Go Wrong? Using Immunities and Other Risk Management Strategies to Minimize Exposure in Dangerous Condition and Inverse Condemnation Cases”