David M. Richards, J.D., Attorney at Law

David M. Richards received his undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University in 1985, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. While at Texas Tech, he received the Allen Scholarship from Pi Sigma Alpha for excellence in political science. Dave received his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas at Austin in 1989. During law school, he was a member of the Legal Research Board (1987-88) and a Notes and Comments Editor on the Texas International Law Journal (1988-89). He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1989, and is admitted to practice in all of the federal district courts of Texas, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

Dave is a partner in the Austin law firm Richards Lindsay & Martin, L.L.P. The firm is devoted entirely to the defense of school districts and special education cooperatives. He focuses his school district practice on the areas of  §504 and special education. He has published numerous articles in the Texas School Law News and Apex Insurance’s The Report Card, was the editor and a contributing author to The Texas Principal’s Handbook, and co-author of School Risk Management and Public Officials Risk Management. His presentations and materials have also been referenced numerous times in LRP’s Section 504 Compliance Advisor, The Special Educator, and Your School & the Law. He is General Counsel for the Council of Educators for Students with Disabilities (CESD), and a frequent speaker on education law topics at school districts, education service centers and professional organizations in Texas and throughout the country. Evaluations routinely report that Dave is both very informative and far too funny to be a lawyer.

Selected Publications:

“2006 IDEA Final Part B Regulations; What You Need to Know,” (113-page pamphlet co-written with Jose Martin, published by LRP in 2006.

“The IDEA Amendments: What You Need to Know.” (62-page pamphlet co-written with Jose Martin, published by LRP in 2005).

“The Dos and Don’ts of Section 504: Step-by-Step Training to Ensure Compliance,” (27-minute videotape produced by LRP Publications in 2004).

“The Top Section 504 Errors: Expert Guidance to Avoid 25 Common Compliance Mistakes,”  (50-page pamphlet published by LRP in 2003).

“Settlement Agreements and Special Education: The Essentials for Successful Dispute Resolution,” (61-page pamphlet published by LRP in 2002).