Richard H. Deane Joins Finch McCranie
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026
Finch McCranie LLP is pleased to announce that Richard H. Deane Jr. has joined the firm as Of Counsel.
Deane brings decades of experience in complex litigation, white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations, and government enforcement matters. He joins the firm following a distinguished career at Jones Day, where he held senior leadership positions, including Partner-in-Charge of the Atlanta office and co-chair of the firm’s Investigations and White-Collar Defense Practice.
Before entering private practice, Deane served as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, as an Assistant United States Attorney, and as a United States Magistrate Judge.
“Rick Deane is one of the most highly regarded lawyers in Georgia, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Finch McCranie,” said David Bouchard, a partner at Finch McCranie. “Very few lawyers can match the breadth of his experience—as a federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney, federal judge, defense lawyer, and trial advocate. Even more important, Rick has earned an extraordinary reputation for judgment, integrity, and professionalism throughout his career.”
Deane’s arrival adds further depth to Finch McCranie’s nationally recognized practice in white-collar criminal defense, government and regulatory investigations, internal investigations, and complex litigation. The firm’s lawyers include a former Deputy Attorney General of the United States, the former Director of the SEC’s Atlanta Regional Office, numerous former federal prosecutors, and a former federal public defender.
“What drew me to Finch McCranie is the quality of the lawyers and the quality of the work,” Deane said. “This is a firm with an exceptional litigation tradition, deep experience in serious and complex matters, and a culture built around professional excellence and service to clients. I have known and respected many of the firm’s lawyers for years, and I am excited to join them.”
Deane has held leadership roles at the highest levels of the trial bar. He recently served as president of the American College of Trial Lawyers, becoming the first African American to lead the organization. He also has served as president of the National Association of Former United States Attorneys and has received the Chief Justice Thomas O. Marshall Professionalism Award from the State Bar of Georgia.
“Finch McCranie has been a trial practice firm for more than sixty years, and Rick represents the very best of that tradition,” said Finch McCranie partner Carl Lietz. “He is an exceptional trial lawyer whose career has been defined by integrity, judgment, and service to others. We are honored that Rick has chosen Finch McCranie for the next chapter of his career.”
Deane is a graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law and earned an LL.M. from the University of Michigan Law School. Over the course of his career, he has received extensive professional recognition for his work as a trial lawyer and white-collar practitioner.
