Experience

Rick Goldfarb practices primarily in the commercial, banking, corporate, and securities law areas. He is experienced in complex commercial transactions, including foreign and domestic sales; secured transactions for banks, other financial institutions and borrowers; and in essentially all aspects of the Uniform Commercial Code. Rick also serves as a general corporate counselor.

Rick served as law clerk to Justice Reuben Goodman, Massachusetts Appeals Court (1980-1981).

Professional Honors & Activities

• Named 2009 Seattle Banking Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers
• Member, American Bar Association (Alaska Native Law Section)
• Member, Washington State Bar Association (UCC Committee; Business Law Section)
• Member, Alaska Bar Association (Alaska Native Law Section)
• Chairman emeritus, Lawyer Referral and Information Services Committee of the King County Bar Association
• Former member, Neighborhood Legal Information and Referral Clinic Committee, King County Bar Association
• Former member, Lawyer Referral Service of the Washington State Bar Association, King County Bar Association
• Former member, Volunteer Lawyers Services Committee, King County Bar Association
• Former member, Delivery of Legal Services Committee, King County Bar Association

Civic Activities

• Former Vice President--Legal, Boys and Girls Clubs of King County
• Member, Seattle Public Library City Librarian Search Committee
• President, Friends of the Seattle Public Library, 1994-1996
• Member, Harvard-Radcliffe Club of Western Washington
• Member, American Civil Liberties Union

Publications

• UCC Revised Article 9 Deskbook, (co-editor and co-author) Washington State Bar Association, 2003
• "Why We Love the UCC," (co-author) Washington State Bar Association, 1998
• "Article 2A-Leases," Montana Commercial Law Handbook, 1996
• "Article 2A-Leases," Washington Commercial Law Deskbook (Second Edition), 1995
• "The New UCC Articles," (co-author) Washington State Bar Association, 1995
• "Developments in Leveraged Buyouts," Northwest Securities Institute, 1990
• "Basic Commercial Forms," King County Bar Association, 1990
• "Acquisitions Out of Bankruptcy," Washington State Bar Association, 1985

Education

• Harvard Law School, J.D., 1980, cum laude
• Harvard College, A.B., 1977, magna cum laude
  Member, Harvard Legal Aid Bureau

Admissions

• Washington
• Alaska

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Law Practice

Rick Goldfarb has been deeply involved in banking and commercial law issues for his entire career.  He has worked with bank regulators in connection with the qualification of non-U.S. financial institutions into the United States, the qualification of out-of-state financial institutions into Washington and in advising banks, savings banks, credit unions and nonregulated financial institutions regarding their operations in Washington, on issues as divergent as the location of their branches and the rates they may charge on credit cards.

In the commercial law area, he has represented both lenders and borrowers in transactions involving unusual collateral, including collateral located in foreign countries, on the high seas and on Indian reservations.  As an active member of the Washington State Bar Association's Uniform Commercial Code Committee, he has been involved in revisions to Article 5 relating to letters of credit, Article 8 relating to investment property and Article 9 relating to personal property security.  He is a frequent speaker and author on topics relating to commercial law, including many recent speeches on the 2001 revisions to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code and three chapters of the forthcoming Washington Article 9 Deskbook. 

Professional Honors & Activities

• Named 2009 Seattle Banking Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers
• Member, American Bar Association (Alaska Native Law Section)
• Member, Washington State Bar Association (UCC Committee; Business Law Section)
• Member, Alaska Bar Association (Alaska Native Law Section)
• Chairman emeritus, Lawyer Referral and Information Services Committee of the King County Bar Association
• Former member, Neighborhood Legal Information and Referral Clinic Committee, King County Bar Association
• Former member, Lawyer Referral Service of the Washington State Bar Association, King County Bar Association
• Former member, Volunteer Lawyers Services Committee, King County Bar Association
• Former member, Delivery of Legal Services Committee, King County Bar Association

Articles

• UCC Revised Article 9 Deskbook, (co-editor and co-author) Washington State Bar Association, 2003
• "Why We Love the UCC," (co-author) Washington State Bar Association, 1998
• "Article 2A-Leases," Montana Commercial Law Handbook, 1996
• "Article 2A-Leases," Washington Commercial Law Deskbook (Second Edition), 1995
• "The New UCC Articles," (co-author) Washington State Bar Association, 1995
• "Developments in Leveraged Buyouts," Northwest Securities Institute, 1990
• "Basic Commercial Forms," King County Bar Association, 1990
• "Acquisitions Out of Bankruptcy," Washington State Bar Association, 1985

Civic Activities

• Former Vice President--Legal, Boys and Girls Clubs of King County
• Member, Seattle Public Library City Librarian Search Committee
• President, Friends of the Seattle Public Library, 1994-1996
• Member, Harvard-Radcliffe Club of Western Washington
• Member, American Civil Liberties Union

Jurisdictions

• Washington
• Alaska

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