Richard A. Horder

(FOR INFORMATION RELATIVE TO ADOPTION ADR, PLEASE SEE SUMMARY TAB)

 Rick has had extensive experience in environmental and toxic tort litigation, as well as environmental enforcement, permitting, compliance and counseling. Among his areas of focus are:

 -       The Clean Water Act, with particular emphasis on wetlands and jurisdictional waters

-        RCRA, CERCLA, EPCRA;

-        The Endangered Species Act;

-        The Coastal Zone Management Act

His litigation experience includes cases involving all of the above areas, as well as asbestos, formaldehyde, PCBs, dioxin, and other highly regulated substances. He has handled a large variety of toxic tort personal injury matters and represented clients in citizen suits and agency enforcement actions, particularly under the Clean Water Act, as well as suits seeking compensation for natural resources damages and property contamination. 

He has also been involved in numerous ADR matters, both as a client representative and as a mediator / arbitrator.  Rick believes that environmental matters are often technically and regulatorily complex and that a successful mediator of environmental disputes needs to be experienced in Environmental Law and familiar with both the regulatory and technical issues present in any environmental matter.  Utilizing a general mediator in an environmental dispute is not likely to be successful; rather, such cases require a set of knowledge and skills unique to the environmental area.

Rick Horder has engaged in the practice of environmental law and litigation for over forty years.

-        Assistant United States Attorney from 1974 to 1977 (represented the U.S. EPA in numerous water and NEPA cases)

-        Regional Counsel, and later Associate General Counsel for Georgia-Pacific Corporation from 1978 to 1989, (was responsible for all environmental and toxic tort compliance and litigation company-wide);

-        Head of the Environmental, Land Use, and Natural Resources Practice Team for Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, a large Atlanta law firm since joining the firm as a partner in 1989 to 2008:

-        He joined Kazmarek Mowrey Cloud Laseter LLP in 2009. 

Although Rick’s primary focus is related to environmental matters, he has a very personal interest in matters related to Adoption.  Rick has been involved, both as an attorney and as amediator/ arbitrator, in numerous adoption and surrogacy disputes and has been unqualifiedly successful in resolving such disputes.  He has three children, two of whom are adopted, and thus, adoption is near to his heart.  He has a clear and fundamental understanding of the adoption triad-biological parent, adoptive parent, and child -  and is very familiar with both the emotional and legal aspects of adoption.

Achievements in Adoption Law:

Rick Horder is recognized as an expert in adoption and assisted reproduction law and practice.  Accomplishments are:

-        Written and spoken extensively on adoption, assisted reproduction, and related subjects;

-        Co-author of the Georgia Adoption Code of 1990;

-        Fellow of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys;

-        Fellow of the American Academy of Assisted Reproduction Technology Attorneys;

-        Is a Charter Fellow of the Georgia Council of Adoption Lawyers

-        Recognized as an Angel in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute

-        Received numerous awards for his work in the adoption area, including;

• The William B. Spann, Jr. Award presented by the Access to Justice Committee of the ABA and the Pro Bono Project of the State Bar of Georgia;
• The National Center on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Award from Georgia State University;
• The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award from The Florida Bar.