PRACTICE AREA: Litigation
One of the three founding members of Wickens Herzer Panza, Mr. Panza has been practicing law since 1973. Focusing his practice on business litigation, Rich brings years of talent, experience, sophistication, and power to the table.
After serving for many years on the Firm's Executive Committee, as Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Treasurer and CFO, and Chairperson of the Litigation Department, Mr. Panza stepped down from his management responsibilities in 2022 and is now Of Counsel with the Firm.
Since his admission to the Ohio Bar in 1973, Mr. Panza has appeared for argument before the Ohio Supreme Court on nine separate occasions, and before the United States Supreme Court to argue the seminal libel case on constitutionally protected opinion, Milkovich v. The Lorain Journal Co.
Mr. Panza holds an AV Preeminent peer review rating through Martindale-Hubbell, as well as an excellent AVVO Rating. He is recognized in the 2014 through 2025 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America© (Commercial Litigation), Top Rated Lawyers, and Cleveland’s Top Rated Lawyers. He was selected to the 2009 through 2024 Ohio Super Lawyers© List and in 2018 selected to the Super Lawyers Top 100 Ohio List.
He has been a frequent speaker, presenter, and teacher at legal seminars, addressing topics related to emerging commercial business issues; he also conducts libel seminars for reporters and newspapers. Mr. Panza is a member of various legal organizations, including the Cleveland Legal Aid Society (President Emeritus).
Contact:
p: 440.695.8055
f: 440.695.8098
RPanza@WickensLaw.com
