Using Legal Tools to Defend the Underdog and Demand Justice from Corporations
John-Paul Richard is an Attorney at NRS Injury Law, focusing on workers’ compensation law. John-Paul has always known he wanted to help working Americans who have been wronged, a commitment that set him on a path to a legal career and his current position as a plaintiff’s attorney.
A Background Rooted in Hard Work and Helping Others
From caring for children at a daycare center to operating massive hydraulic presses in a tool and die shop, John-Paul has had firsthand experience across numerous fields. He has delivered mail, coached sports, spot-welded, made locomotive parts, worked as an RA in college dorms, and operated Political Action Committees. Throughout it all, he developed an understanding of what it meant to operate in essential career roles and engage in the hands-on nature of real work. Each experience informed his decision to pursue a legal career in which he could represent the working-class residents of Ohio who had been his coworkers since his first high school job.
“I met a lawyer from the National Lawyer’s Guild during a community protest in 2020,” John-Paul said, describing how he decided to go to law school. “The attorney was a legal observer. He really stood out to me. I liked that he was keeping an eye on things and ensuring that we, the protestors, had our first amendment rights respected, but that we were also protesting peacefully. I decided I wanted to go into law where I could leverage our existing legal institutions to help others.”
Helping Workers Get the Justice They Deserve, One Case at a Time
During law school, John-Paul clerked for a law firm where his primary function was to pursue litigation against property owners in Cleveland who owned delinquent properties or failed to maintain their buildings to the point that they became a public safety hazard. From there, he continued to pursue legal studies and clerking positions where he could advocate for the public and hold powerful corporations to account.
“You have to approach workers’ compensation law one case at a time,” John-Paul said when reflecting on his role as a workers’ compensation attorney. “We have more than 100 cases on our docket in any given week, but when you’re with a client, you need to be 100% present with that client and that client alone. Their case may be one amongst hundreds of even thousands, but their injury has been life-changing and traumatic for them. You must give them your undivided attention and work with them as a team to build a case that wins.”
Work/Life Balance
When he’s not representing injured workers or volunteering, John-Paul spends his free time reading. “I’m about halfway through at least five different books,” he said, repressing a chuckle. John-Paul also practices woodworking, plays Dungeons & Dragons with friends, and is a loyal fan of the Blue Jackets hockey team.
Don’t Wait to Seek Legal Help from John-Paul Richard
“NRS Injury Law works because they are wholly dedicated to helping injured workers,” John-Paul said in closing. “This law firm is entirely on the worker’s side, which has empowered the founding partners to zero in on the firm’s mission and vision and build an array of processes and systems from there. The end result? It’s the largest firm of its kind in the state because it’s the best at zealously advocating for working people.”
John-Paul speaks fluent English as his first language. He maintains limited-to-elementary working proficiency in Mandarin, Russian, and Spanish, enabling him to assist the firm’s clients who do not have English as their first language. John-Paul’s desire to go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest and most powerful companies in Ohio and his allegiance to injured workers aligns perfectly with NRS Injury Law’s mission to: “Provide empathetic and patient service to every person who calls the firm, and to relentlessly pursue the best possible outcome on behalf of every client by putting collective experience, knowledge, and passion to work every day.” To retain an effective legal team with a proven track record and to speak with John-Paul and the firm about your case, call 855.468.4878 or fill out a convenient online contact form.
Community Impact
John-Paul cofounded Northeast Ohio Left PAC, a political action committee focused on educating local stakeholders on key PAC issues, recruiting volunteers, and meeting with local, county, and state-level politicians to discuss political priorities. John-Paul’s PAC is primarily focused on civil engagement, raising awareness of candidates and issues during electoral seasons, and increasing voter engagement and turnout. John-Paul also volunteers during every election cycle to support candidates and ballot measures he’s passionate about.
In addition to his political organizing, John-Paul has previously volunteered at Grace Church in a campaign focused on poverty alleviation, in coordination with a sister church in West Virginia. John-Paul volunteered with Building Hope in the City where he assisted refugees from the Middle East. He taught violin to students at Saint Ignatius High School, and he volunteered as a daycare assistant at Saint Ignatius. John-Paul has also volunteered with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Women in Games, and PB CLE.
Practice Areas
- Workers’ Compensation Law
Education
- Cleveland State University College of Law, Cleveland, Ohio
- J.D. – 2025
- Honors:
National Lawyers Guild, Recruitment Officer (2023-24), Communications Officer (2024-25) - Law Review,
Global Business Law Review,
Associate (2023-24), Editor (2024-25)
- The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH
- B.A. – 2020
- Honors:
Participated in two independent study projects - Major:
English Language and Russian Studies (Dual Major)
- Saint Ignatius High School, Cleveland, OH
- High School Diploma – 2016
- Honors:
Carroll Award for Musical Excellence - Honors:
Cat-o-Tonic’s A Cappella Ensemble - Honors:
History Club - Honors:
Men’s Chorus - Honors:
Model United Nations
Bar Admissions
- Ohio, 2025
Professional Associations
- Ohio Association of Justice
Current and Past Positions
- NRS Injury Law, November 2025-present: (Attorney representing injured Ohio workers from the firm’s Cleveland office)
- Greystar, Cleveland State University, July 2022-July 2025: (Assistant Community Director managing a team of 14 Resident Assistants)
- The United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio, January 2024-May 2024: (Legal Extern charged with collaborating with the Assistant United States Attorney on legal topics including license plate readers, gun rights, and medical apologies)
- Douglass & Associates, May 2023-August 2023: (Law Clerk tasked with presenting creative solutions to property law cases and preparing trials)
- Ohio Northern University, January 2021-January 2022: (Assistant Coach of Esports representing Ohio Northern University at events and conferences, overseeing student workers, and assisting in recruiting efforts)
- The College of Wooster, Resident Assistant, August 2017-April 2020: (Resident Assistant tasked with assisting freshmen during integration into the college community)
- Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, June 2016-August 2016: (Administrative Services Intern in charge of mail room, office supply, and emergency equipment)
