Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+ 1 424 221 7402Share profile
Band 3
Provided by Richard Otera
Commercial Litigation & Business Torts
False Advertising & Unfair Trade Practices
Franchise & Distribution - Corporate
Franchise & Distribution - Litigation
General Counsel Services
Motor Vehicle Manufacturers & Distributors
Class Action & Multi-Claim Litigation
Rich practices primarily in franchise and distribution law and litigation. He has counseled clients for over 20 years in all aspects of the automotive industry in the U.S., including as in-house counsel for a major OEM and as general counsel for a Tier 1 automotive supplier.
From 2001 to 2015, Rich worked at the U.S. headquarters of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., as the primary in-house lawyer responsible for dealer franchise and other commercial legal issues for the Honda and Acura auto divisions nationwide. In that capacity, Rich focused on franchise law; antitrust law; negotiation and documentation of development agreements, supply agreements, strategic commercial agreements, joint ventures and other contracts; digital media transactions; management of complex commercial litigation, including nationwide class actions; and counseling executive management on day-to-day business operations.
In 2015, Rich was hired to establish the first-ever U.S.-based legal department for Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., a Fortune Global 500 manufacturer of electrical components and other related products in core areas including automotive. As General Counsel of the Americas, Rich established and led a full-service legal department providing comprehensive legal support to 46 SEI subsidiary companies throughout North and South America.
American Bar Association
Japanese American Bar Association
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Loyola Law School, JD, cum laude (1994)
Order of the Coif
St. Thomas More Law Honor Society
Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review
Staff (1992-1993)
Note and Comment Editor (1993-1994)
University of California, Los Angeles, BA, English (1990)
Provided by Chambers
Provided by Chambers
Richard Otera has extensive experience in the automotive and equipment manufacturer/dealer relationship space, which makes his insights invaluable.
Rich is patient with stupid questions and fluent in the needs of our business. I appreciate his skill, his ability to pivot, his thick skin and his willingness to educate.
Rich was in-house for a number of years; that's a valuable perspective.
He is the pinnacle of what a franchise attorney should be. Richard knows how it is to be on the inside of a company, and the business pressures, and provides thoughtful advice. He's just a fun guy to work with too.
Richard Otera has extensive experience in the automotive and equipment manufacturer/dealer relationship space, which makes his insights invaluable.
Rich is patient with stupid questions and fluent in the needs of our business. I appreciate his skill, his ability to pivot, his thick skin and his willingness to educate.
Rich was in-house for a number of years; that's a valuable perspective.
He is the pinnacle of what a franchise attorney should be. Richard knows how it is to be on the inside of a company, and the business pressures, and provides thoughtful advice. He's just a fun guy to work with too.