New York
Rich and his Orrick team bring to each representation a combination of deep market knowledge, holistic litigation strategy and a problem-solving mentality. In an industry where many cases are settled, he has established a formidable record at trial and on appeal, while achieving regulatory settlements at a small fraction of the industry benchmarks.
Rich’s precedent-setting results in residential mortgage-backed securities cases have changed the course of this area of litigation for the entire industry and earned him American Lawyer Litigator of the Week honors for a win before the New York Court of Appeals. He serves as lead counsel for Credit Suisse’s entire RMBS docket in federal and state courts throughout the United States. Rich is lead counsel for Goldman Sachs in two RMBS cases in the Southern District of New York. For nearly a decade, he has been lead counsel for Ocwen Financial Services in all matters concerning its market-leading business servicing loans in residential mortgage-backed securitizations.
His financial sector work extends to a wide range of other commercial disputes. Rich is lead counsel for Nationstar Mortgage LLC d/b/a Mr. Cooper in a breach of contract action pending in the Delaware Court of Chancery. He has frequently litigated disputes involving the distressed debt trading market, including on behalf of Jefferies and Citibank, and has tried nine-figure disputes in the most important bankruptcy jurisdictions in the United States for clients such as UBS and Blackstone. For example, Rich earned American Lawyer Litigator of the Week honors for a win for UBS in a lengthy battle with renowned energy tycoon Charif Souki, convincing a Texas bankruptcy judge to wipe out Souki’s $100 million claim and order him to pay $100 million in damages.
Rich’s work on these cases has captured the finance sector’s attention, helping to tell his clients’ stories to the market. For example, Financial Times quoted extensively from Rich’s briefs on behalf of Raistone Capital in connection with the First Brands bankruptcy. His deposition of Aspiration Capital co-founder Joseph Sanberg was reenacted on the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast in his breaking coverage of the Aspiration bankruptcy.
Rich also has a strong record of winning high-stakes consumer class actions for innovators. For PayPal, he is defending a string of high-profile cases involving its Honey browser extensions in California federal court, recently securing a series of dismissals, with one of his wins recognized in American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Week column and reported by The Recorder. For Caesars Entertainment, he is defending claims relating to its mobile sports betting app.
He has litigated commercial, securities and product liability disputes for clients in many other industries in venues across the United States. Additional clients have included: Amazon, The Dow Chemical Company, Microsoft, DISH Network, Acer and Wyeth. Rich has argued numerous appeals at the state and federal levels and frequently represents clients before state and federal regulators. He has argued multiple times before seven of the eight current justices in the Commercial Division of the New York Supreme Court, New York County, and has arbitrated before the American Arbitration Association and London Court of International Arbitration.
Rich’s commitment to winning is matched only by his focus on client service.
Clients tell Chambers, “He makes my job easier by deploying a combination of impeccable legal skill, excellent judgment and a knowledge of the financial services industry.” (2022) One client reported: "For the stickiest matters where we know we need a fighter, he is the first call." (2025) “I would recommend Rich to anyone.” (2024) "He makes my job easier by deploying a combination of strengths - impeccable legal skills, excellent judgment, knowledge of the finance sector and a formidable reputation." (2022) Echoing that praise, clients say “I would recommend Richard Jacobsen in the highest terms,” (2021) and he is “an exceptional litigator” and “a master of navigating commercial disputes.” (2020) Chambers also reports that clients regard Rich as “a commercial disputes wizard,” noting that he is "very knowledgeable in all areas of commercial litigation." (2025)
Clients tell Legal 500 Rich’s commercial disputes team is “brilliant,” (2021) while the publication calls out his “business critical disputes” work for Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs. Clients further endorse Rich when speaking to Legal 500, noting he “is always available and willing to do what is necessary in any situation. His knowledge of the industry and more importantly where we fit in the industry has paid tremendous dividends from a legal representation perspective. I have not dealt with an attorney from any other firm that had the combination of knowledge, ability, reputation and judgment that Rich has.” (2020) Another client called out Rich’s “razor sharp intellect” which sets him apart from other disputes and trial lawyers.