Richard K. Matta came to Groom because, as he recalls, “I knew many of the firm’s attorneys by reputation and knew that Groom was the ‘benchmark’ against which other firms compared themselves.”  Now a Principal at the firm, Rick has focused his practice on ERISA Title I and related tax, corporate and securities laws in connection with the structuring and marketing of investment products and financial services to employee benefit plans.

“The work I do is interesting, challenging, and stimulating,” Rick says.  “We are the benefits attorneys other lawyers (and other law firms) turn to with their most difficult issues.”  Rick has extensive experience helping financial institutions—including banks, registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, pension consultants and insurance companies–with their most difficult issues, particularly with respect to regulated investment products such as mutual funds, common and collective trust funds (including the formation of trust companies), derivatives, and insurance products including COLI/BOLI. He also advises vendors and plan fiduciaries on the delivery of financial services including vendor alliances , investment advice, ERISA section 404(c) compliance, securities brokerage/trading issues, and Internet delivery. In addition, Rick advises clients on institutional investment matters involving real estate (including REITs), venture capital, hedge funds, credit facilities, asset-backed securities, and similar private transactions of pension plans and other tax-exempt investors. He has represented clients with respect to more than 50 prohibited transaction exemptions and advisory opinions before the Department of Labor.

Rick is a frequent speaker before such organizations as the Financial Research Associates (registered hedge funds); Institutional Investor Forum Corporate Funds Roundtable (hedge funds); the Practicing Law Institute (Pension Plan Investments Conference); the American Bankers Association (mutual fund fees); the Fiduciary and Investment Risk Management Association (error correction); the National Society of Compliance Professionals, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts; and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers. He is the author and co-author of numerous articles, including “Re-Thinking the Investment Consulting Model,” Foundation and Endowment Money Manager (Dec. 2004); “ERISA for Securities Professionals,” The Journal of Investment Compliance (Summer 2004), and various contributions to the ABA Trusts & Investments Magazine; The Investment Lawyer; Tax Management Compensation and Planning Journal; and the Journal of International Banking Law. He is one of the principal authors of the Bank Investment Products Deskbook.

He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.