Richard V. Blystone

Practice Areas
Employment and Labor Law (Management)
Commercial Litigation
Workers’ Compensation Defense

Rick is an associate in Moran Kidd’s litigation department. His practice includes representing employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including litigation involving harassment and discrimination, wrongful termination, breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, restrictive covenants, unfair competition, retaliation, defamation and wage disputes.

Rick likewise represents and/or advises employers on the full array of employment-related issues, including terminations, hiring, discipline, reasonable accommodations, FMLA compliance, wage-and-hour compliance, proper classification of employees as exempt/non-exempt, internal investigations, commission disputes, disparate treatment and other issues arising in the workplace.

In addition, Rick has substantial experience representing employers, self-insured funds, carriers and third party administrators in relations to workers’ compensation matters. He has appeared before the Judges of Compensation Claims throughout Florida to defend his clients on issues including compensability of accidents, occupational disease and exposure, controversy and contribution among carriers, permanent total disability and temporary indemnity.

Prior to joining the firm, Rick gained significant experience at a large Florida law firm, where he practiced in the areas of general liability, professional malpractice and medical malpractice defense.

Education
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center, J.D., 2005
University of Central Florida, B.S., 1998

Bar Admissions
Florida, 2005
U.S. District Court, Middle District Florida, 2006

Professional Associations
The Florida Bar
Orange County Bar Association

Awards and Honors
Editor-in-Chief, ILSA Journal of International & Comparative Law
National Order of Barristers
Moot Court Honor Society
First Place, Feinrider Moot Court Competition
Federal Bar Association Thurgood Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition Team
Vanderbilt National First Amendment Moot Court Competition Team
Third Place, ATLA Intra-collegiate Client Counseling Competition
CALI Excellence for the Future Awards: Interviewing, Counseling & Negotiation, and International Human Rights
Dean’s List

Publications
School Speech v. School Safety—In the Aftermath of Violence on School Campuses Throughout this Nation, How Should School Officials Respond to Threatening Student Expression? 2007 B.Y.U. EDUC. & L.J. 199 (2007)

Not So Fast! A Closer Look at §440.105(4)(b)9 Reveals Unauthorized Workers Should Be Precluded from Workers' Compensation Benefits, Under These Circumstances, FLA. BAR J., Volume 81., No. 9 (Oct. 2007) (co-authored by James Kidd, Esq.)