Rick Vazquez’s practice focuses on insurance, employment law, and cyber law, with an emphasis in representing insurance carriers in coverage, subrogation/recovery, and bad faith litigation.
Rick frequently advises insurers in the areas of written opinions on coverage, analysis of liability claims, and pre-and post-suit counsel on claims handling and litigation tactics. He also frequently represents carriers’ interests in coverage disputes/reservations of rights in liability litigation.
He has successfully represented policyholders seeking coverage, procuring six-figure settlements in life, disability, and commercial liability policy claims. Rick has also successfully intervened on behalf of multiple corporate and individual policyholders in disputes over reservations of rights letters and refusals to bargain or settle during litigation.
Rick’s employment practice involves representing employers in state and federal district court, as well as before the Utah Labor Commission and EEOC, in Title VII, ADA, ADEA, employment contract, and whistleblower claims. He has successfully obtained multiple district court and administrative dismissals of these claims and has negotiated favorable settlements of numerous troublesome claims. He also counsels employers on best practices regarding personnel decisions, as well as in the drafting of policies, procedures, and handbooks.
In his product liability work, Rick represents device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. He has represented several pharmaceutical companies, as local counsel, in the ongoing Average Wholesale Price (AWP) litigation filed by the Utah Attorney General, and as local counsel in several MDL defective drug lawsuits.
Rick also carries a unique insurance emphasis in cyber law. He counsels policyholders in navigating insurance claims related to data breaches to ensure maximum insurance recovery and protection in the event of a breach and represents both policyholders and insurance carriers in disputes related to data breach/data loss first- and third-party insurance coverage.
Education
- J.D., New York University School of Law, 2001
- B.A., University of Utah, 1998
Bar & Court Admissions
- Utah State Bar
- U.S. District Court, District of Utah