Richard A. Licht, a partner at Tillinghast Licht LLP in Providence, has been selected by his peers to be included in the 2007 edition of “The Best Lawyers in America” in the specialty of government relations law. Licht, Rhode Island’s lieutenant governor from 1986 to 1989, practices in the areas of real estate, corporate and government relations law.
PBN: What was the transition like, from political to private life?
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LICHT: I was a lawyer in private practice before I was elected as Rhode Island’s first full-time lieutenant governor in 1985. I had also served in the R.I. Senate. In 2000, I ran for the U.S. Senate against [incumbent] John Chafee. After a hard-fought election, I learned that the people of Rhode Island thought I would make a good lawyer.
[Upon my return to private life], there were some challenges and adjustments to be made. Fortunately, I had been involved in the negotiations that created the firm of Licht & Semonoff before I took office as lieutenant governor. When I returned to the firm, I had to retool my law skills, rebuild my law practice and learn some of the new tax laws.
PBN: What did you learn in government that you have brought to your practice?
LICHT: My years in the public sector have given me a keen understanding of how government works and how public policy issues affect the lives and businesses of Rhode Islanders.
PBN: What merits your inclusion in this list?
LICHT: I was completely unaware that I was even considered for this honor until I received a letter from The Best Lawyers in America. According to my understanding, lawyers are chosen for inclusion by their peers.
PBN: How has Rhode Island’s law climate changed during your career?
LICHT: I have been practicing law for years, and I am still excited and passionate about the profession. Changes, however, have been profound. Law has to be run as a business; that requires greater efficiency, time-management skills and a lot of paperwork. This has taken some of the intimacy out. When I first started, we used to sit around and share legal expertise and discuss exciting legal issues. Now, with computer technology, we do a lot of this sharing online – and this “instantaneous response,” I believe, inhibits a lot of quality thinking.
