Rich Newsome - Tampa, FL
Attorney at Swope, Rodante, Newsome & Steinberg
Products Liability Lawyers in Tampa, FL
1234 E 5th Ave Tampa, FL 33605
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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37
Years
Experience
Tampa Products Liability Lawyer
Updated: 09/11/2026
Areas of Practice
- Products Liability
- Personal Injury
- Insurance
- Wrongful Death
- Negligence
Attorney Information
Overview
Rich Newsome is a partner at Swope, Rodante, Newsome & Steinberg. For more than twenty-five years, Rich Newsome has dedicated his career to representing individuals and families whose lives have been forever changed by catastrophic injuries and defective products. Recognized as one of the countryโs leading product liability and catastrophic injury trial lawyers, Rich has built a reputation for taking on complex, high-stakes cases against some of the worldโs largest manufacturers while helping advance consumer safety and secure meaningful results for those he represents.
Rich began his legal career as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern and Middle Districts of Florida, where he prosecuted complex federal criminal cases involving white-collar fraud, narcotics conspiracies, and other significant federal offenses. He later entered private practice representing manufacturers in product liability litigation before making the decision to devote his career exclusively to representing injured individuals and their families. That commitment has defined his practice for more than twenty-five years and continues to shape his approach to every case he accepts.
Today, Rich focuses his practice on product liability, catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, trucking litigation, and other complex civil matters. Throughout his career, he has played a leading role in nationally significant automotive product liability litigation, including cases involving the Ford/Firestone tire failures and Takata airbag defects. His work has earned national recognition for advancing consumer safety and has been associated with litigation that helped bring dangerous products to public attention and contributed to broader industry safety reforms. Rich has obtained numerous landmark verdicts and recoveries on behalf of his clients, with several cases recognized among the largest verdicts in the nation, reflecting both his trial experience and his commitment to representing individuals in some of the most challenging and consequential cases in the country.
Beyond the courtroom, Rich has devoted much of his career to strengthening both the legal profession and the civil justice system. He is a Past President of the Florida Justice Association and has served on the Board of Governors of the American Association for Justice. He was appointed to Floridaโs Constitution Revision Commission and previously served as Chairman of the Fifth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission. Throughout his career, Rich has remained committed to mentoring the next generation of trial lawyers as a graduate and faculty member of the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College and as a founding faculty member of Trial School, where he continues to educate attorneys from across the United States in the art of trial advocacy.
Richโs accomplishments have earned him recognition among the nationโs most respected trial lawyers. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the International Society of Barristers, and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Throughout his distinguished career, he has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Florida Trendโs Legal Elite, Florida Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, and numerous other organizations for his professional excellence, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Order of the Barristers
- Gold Key
- Moot Court
- Recipient, First Place and "Best Oralist," National Prince Evidence Appellate Moot Court Competition, 1988
- Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award in Evidence
- Recipient, US Department of Justice Special Achievement Award, 1991
- Million Dollar Advocate, 2004 - Present
- Florida's Legal Elite by Florida Trends Magazine, 2004
- Chairman's Outstanding Electoral Achievement Award, 1999
- Recipient, Florida Lawyers Action Group, 1999
- Recipient, U.S. Department of Justice Special Achievement Award, 1991
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2003 - 2006
Other Sources of Feedback About Rich Newsome
Included on the 2026 Florida Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2012 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2009 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2008 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2007 Florida Super Lawyers list
- 2006 Florida Super Lawyers list
Education
Legal Education
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University of Florida College of Law,
Gainesville,
Florida, 1989
J.D.
Honors: Moot Court, 1987-1989
Honors: American Jurisprudence Book Award in Evidence
Honors: Member, Board of Masters
Honors: Chancellor, Student Honor Court
Honors: Winner, National Prince Evidence Appellate Moot Court Competition, 1988
Non Legal Education
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Florida State University, 1986
Bachelor of Science
Honors: cum laude
Major: Economics
Major: Political Science
Current Employment Position(s)
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Partner
Past Positions
- U.S. Department of Justice, Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1989 - 1992
- Northern District of Florida, Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1989 - 1991
- Middle District of Florida, Assistant U.S. Attorney, 1991 - 1993
Representative Cases
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U.S. v. Bailey
- Citation: 961 F.2d 180
- Court: 11th Cir.
- Year: 1992
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U.S. v. Hall
- Citation: 46 F.3d 62
- Court: 11thCir.
- Year: 1995
Published Works
Articles
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Vioxx - When Is It A Prescription For Litigation? Products Liability Update, AFTL Journal, 2004
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VIOXX -Next Big Mass Tort?, 2004
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Investigating and Preparing the Complex Products Case, Mass Tort Made Perfect Seminar, 2004
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Dealing with the 'Morris Inquiry', AFTL Journal, 2004
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May the Force be with You - An Update on Consumer Expectations, AFTL Journal, 2004
- Dealing with the 'Catch Me if You Can,1 Defense, AFTL Journal, 2004
- Pitfalls for the Unwary, AFTL Journal, 2004
- Federal Pre-Emption of State Tort Claims, AFTL Journal, 2004
- Applicability of Set-Off in Multi-Party Product Litigation, AFTL Journal, 2004
- The 'Other' Statute of Limitations: Florida's Statute of Response for Products Liability Actions, AFTL Journal, 2004
- The New Florida Government Rules Defense: Challenges, Arguments and Suggestions for the Plaintiff Lawyer, AFTL Journal
- Generation I Airbags: Defective by Design? Overview of the Risks, the Benefits and the Litigation, AFTL Journal, 2003
- Consumer Expectations Test Under Siege by Manufacturers, AFTL Journal, 2003
- Tire Litigation: An Old Problem, New Developments, AFTL Journal, 2003
- Sources of Defect Information for a Personal Injury, Product Liability Vehicle Case, AFTL Journal, 2003
- The Automobile Safety Recall Process, AFTL Journal, 2003
- Confessing Fault, AFTL Journal, 2003
- Head Injury and the Recreational Helmet, AFTL Journal, 2003
- Investigation of the Automobile Product Liability Case, AFTL Journal, 2003
- Recent Developments in Automobile Child Safety Systems, AFTL Journal, 2003
- Automobile Seats Can Cause Death or Serious Injury in Rear Impact Collisions, AFTL Journal, 2002
- Florida Trial Attorneys Continue Fight Against Big Tobacco, AFTL Journal, 2002
- Seatbelt Buckles Unlatch in Crashes, AFTL Journal, 2002
- Ford Sued For Crown Victoria Defect Claim, AFTL Journal
- Roof Crush: An Overview of Defect and Injury Mechanisms, AFTL Journal, 2002
- Fifteen Passenger Vans, AFTL Journal, 2002
- Mattress Flammability, AFTL Journal, 2002
- Sport Utility Vehicle Rollovers, AFTL Journal, 2002
- Defect Overview, AFTL Journal, 2002
- New Crashworthiness Decision Huge Win for Consumers, AFTL Journal, 2002
- Cross Examination of the Biomechanics Expert, AFTL Seminar, 1999
- Handling the 3d Party Products Liability Case, AFTL Seminar, 1999
Bar Admissions
- Florida, 1989
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1993
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 2000
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1996
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1990
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 1998
Other Affiliations
- Orange County, Federal Bar Association, 1995 (Vice President)
- American Bar Association (Member)
- The Florida Bar (Member)
- Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 1998 - Present (Member, Board of Directors)
- Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2005 - Present (Member, Executive Committee)
- The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2000 - 2004 (Member, Board of Governors)
- The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1999 - 2000 (Member, Committee on Scientific and Medical Integrity)
- The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Contributing Editor, Products Liability Section, 2001 - Present (Member)
- The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Toxic and Environmental Torts Section, 1998
- Central Florida Trial Lawyers Association, 2004 - Present (President)
- Student Honor Court, 1988 - 1989 (Chancellor)
- Fifth District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Commission Trustee, Florida Action Group, 2001 - 2002 (Chairman)
- Fifth District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Commission Trustee, Florida Action Group, 1999 - Present (Member)
- Orange County Republican Executive Committee's Leadership, 2000 (Member)
- New Majority Political Action Committee, 1997 - 1998 (Chairman)
Fraternities and Sororities
- Pi Kappa Alpha
Photo
Contact
1234 E 5th Ave
Tampa, FL 33605
Phone Number: 656-236-8896
Fax Number: 813-223-3678
Email: Send a message
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(Car Accident Lawyers)
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Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
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