Atty. Richard E. Rush

Atty. Richard E. Rush

Richard E. Rush is a trial lawyer with Thomson, Rhodes and Cowie, P.C., who has over 30 years experience in all areas of civil litigation.

Call (412) 619-0079

Profile Summary

About Richard E. Rush at a glance

Richard E. Rush is a Senior Attorney based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, practicing at Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie, P.C.. Their practice focuses on personal injury, business, and insurance. Educated at University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., 1966) and University of Pittsburgh (B.S., 1963). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Active member of Allegheny County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. Serves clients in Pittsburgh, PA and the surrounding metropolitan area.

Verified attorney profile · Updated June 2026

About

Richard E. Rush is a trial lawyer with Thomson, Rhodes and Cowie, P.C., who has over 30 years experience in all areas of civil litigation. Mr. Rush's practice involves the representation of defendants, insurers and manufacturers. Mr. Rush has managed litigation and trial cases throughout the country, as national counsel in the representation of asbestos defendants, as regional counsel defending trucking companies, and as both a lecturer and lead attorney on insurance bad faith claims. His busy practice also includes premises liability cases, products liability lawsuits, the defense of all types of claims against automobile insurers or their insureds, including uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist claims, and the representation of defendants in all types of general negligence claims.

During the past 30 years, Mr. Rush has represented a variety of defendants in asbestos litigation throughout Pennsylvania, and nationally through special assignments. In these cases, Mr. Rush was frequently "lead" counsel in the defense of claims, because of his experience, his abilities to develop and present effective defenses to claims, and his knowledge of the underlying issues. For these same reasons, Mr. Rush has frequently been requested on the eve of trail to serve as primary defense counsel in cases outside of Pennsylvania, involving demands or exposures at the seven-figure level.

Mr. Rush has developed particular expertise with respect to bad faith litigation. He has carefully tracked developments in Pennsylvania's bad faith laws and has engaged in both proactive activities — counseling clients on how to prevent such claims — and as defense counsel whenever lawsuits arise. As a result of his success in representing trucking companies in Western Pennsylvania, Mr. Rush has been assigned on major cases throughout Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and has consistently achieved outstanding results.

As a veteran defense lawyer, Mr. Rush is fully familiar with the best way — as well as the most efficient manner — to defend more routine cases, such as those involving automobile accidents, underinsured and uninsured claims, slips and falls, and general negligence claims. Mr. Rush prides himself on being able to get to the heart of the case quickly, so that early decisions can be made whether to attempt to achieve settlement or to prepare for a full scale defense. If the case is one to be defended, Mr. Rush is completely cognizant of what needs to be done to get the case ready for trial in a manner that does not involve excessive or unnecessary defense costs.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Mr. Rush was one of the founding members of Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie, P.C.

Richard E. Rush is a trial lawyer with Thomson, Rhodes and Cowie, P.C., who has over 30 years experience in all areas of civil litigation. Mr. Rush's practice involves the representation of defendants, insurers and manufacturers. Mr. Rush has managed litigation and trial cases throughout the country, as national counsel in the representation of asbestos defendants, as regional counsel defending trucking companies, and as both a lecturer and lead attorney on insurance bad faith claims. His busy practice also includes premises liability cases, products liability lawsuits, the defense of all types of claims against automobile insurers or their insureds, including uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist claims, and the representation of defendants in all types of general negligence claims.

During the past 30 years, Mr. Rush has represented a variety of defendants in asbestos litigation throughout Pennsylvania, and nationally through special assignments. In these cases, Mr. Rush was frequently "lead" counsel in the defense of claims, because of his experience, his abilities to develop and present effective defenses to claims, and his knowledge of the underlying issues. For these same reasons, Mr. Rush has frequently been requested on the eve of trail to serve as primary defense counsel in cases outside of Pennsylvania, involving demands or exposures at the seven-figure level.

Mr. Rush has developed particular expertise with respect to bad faith litigation. He has carefully tracked developments in Pennsylvania's bad faith laws and has engaged in both proactive activities — counseling clients on how to prevent such claims — and as defense counsel whenever lawsuits arise. As a result of his success in representing trucking companies in Western Pennsylvania, Mr. Rush has been assigned on major cases throughout Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and has consistently achieved outstanding results.

As a veteran defense lawyer, Mr. Rush is fully familiar with the best way — as well as the most efficient manner — to defend more routine cases, such as those involving automobile accidents, underinsured and uninsured claims, slips and falls, and general negligence claims. Mr. Rush prides himself on being able to get to the heart of the case quickly, so that early decisions can be made whether to attempt to achieve settlement or to prepare for a full scale defense. If the case is one to be defended, Mr. Rush is completely cognizant of what needs to be done to get the case ready for trial in a manner that does not involve excessive or unnecessary defense costs.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Mr. Rush was one of the founding members of Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie, P.C.

  • Has handled thousands of toxic tort cases throughout the U.S.
  • Regional managing counsel and national trial counsel for major manufacturing company for product liability and toxic tort cases
  • Member of Panel, American Arbitration Association, 1967
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Steel Industry Expedited Arbitration Panel, 1971
  • Allegheny County Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • PA Superlawyer and Top Lawyers
  • Martindale Hubbell AV rated

Practice Areas Explained

Richard E. Rush's Areas of Practice

Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Richard E. Rush handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.

Personal Injury

Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.

Richard E. Rush is one of 238,048 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in Pennsylvania →

Business & Corporate Law

Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.

Richard E. Rush is one of 452,854 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Pennsylvania →

Insurance Law

Insurance attorneys for coverage disputes, bad faith claims, denied claims, and policy disputes.

Richard E. Rush is one of 109,871 insurance attorneys indexed nationally. Browse insurance attorneys in Pennsylvania →

Jurisdictional Context

Why local counsel matters in Pennsylvania

Practicing law in Pennsylvania. Legal matters in Pennsylvania are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Pittsburgh are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Pennsylvania state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Pennsylvania brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Pennsylvania courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.

Looking for additional Pennsylvania attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Pittsburgh or all attorneys in Pennsylvania.

Frequently Asked

Common questions about Richard E. Rush

Where is Richard E. Rush's law office located?
Richard E. Rush's law practice is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The firm is Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie, P.C.. You can contact the office directly through this profile page.
What practice areas does Richard E. Rush handle?
Richard E. Rush focuses on personal injury, business, insurance. Each practice area listed reflects experience handling cases of that type in Pennsylvania.
Where did Richard E. Rush go to law school?
Richard E. Rush earned their education at (J.D., 1966); (B.S., 1963).
How can I contact Richard E. Rush for a consultation?
You can contact Richard E. Rush directly through this profile page. Click "Ask the Attorney" to submit a question, or "Schedule a Consultation" to book a meeting. Most claimed-profile attorneys respond within one business day.
What awards or recognition has Richard E. Rush received?
Richard E. Rush's notable recognition includes: AV Preeminent.

Education

J.D.
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
- 1966
B.S.
University of Pittsburgh
- 1963

Awards

AV Preeminent

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