Richard Breen was nine years old when he decided he wanted to be a lawyer when he grew up.

Several years later, as a freshman at Louisville's St. Xavier High School, Breen chose a St. X jersey with number 79, he says, "because that was the year that I would graduate from law school."

When Breen finished law school at the University of Louisville in 1979, of course he took a temporary job with the Jefferson Country sheriff's office, and continued his legal education.

"I was a deputy sheriff, a bailiff," he says. "I had no idea what a smart move it was. I just did it for the money. It doubled the income I had been making as a law clerk, and I was dirt poor at the time. But I got to meet all the judges, all the clerks, all the prosecutors. I learned my way around district court. Some of the judges really helped me out later, by pointing me to criminal misdemeanor cases."

Not long after he was admitted to the bar, Breen joined a firm headed by a longtime friend, neighbor and role model, Harry Hargadon.

"I used to cut Harry's grass when I was a kid," says Breen, now 46. "I had always admired him and looked up to him. He was my mentor."

As a partner in the firm of Hargadon, Lenihan, Harbolt, Breen, Breen had a broad practice that evolved into personal injury law. "I always wanted to try damage cases in front of juries," he says.

In 1993 after 13 years with Hargadon, he decided to set up his own practice. He opened Richard M. Breen Law Offices, which now consists of Breen and two associates. The firm is engaged almost exclusively in representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases. "The office is not too big and we all get along well with each other and work really hard for our clients," reports Breen.

He says 90 to 95 percent of his cases are settled before trial, "because most of my clients are reasonable, good-hearted people who will usually take a fair offer. If a fair offer doesn't come, then we represent them on their day in court."

Still, Breen says he never forgets some advice he got from Hargadon long ago: If you prepare a case for trial, a settlement can happen any time along the way.

"So I've always tried to get a case ready for trial from the get-go," Breen says. Breen, who normally has 20 or 30 cases in the pipeline, believes his strongest suit as a litigator is case preparation. He's not afraid of hard work and tries to be creative.

Breen is active in the Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

He moved to a suburban office building for the convenience of his clients, some of hom "don't like the hassles of going downtown."

Every client's case is personally handled or supervises by Richard Breen, a certified personal injury specialist. This extra skill costs you no more.

The firm is av-rated (the highest rating) by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

Richard Breen Law Offices is committed to protecting the rights of injured accident victims. The firm never represents insurance companies or product manufacturers. We only help people!

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an accident, or through someone else's carelessness, or intentional wrongdoing, Richard Breen Law Offices will work hard to get you everything you rightfully deserve for your losses.

For free answers to your questions about accidents and injuries, just email us at richard@breen.org