Miami Office

121 Alhambra Plaza, PHI Floor, Suite 1604, Coral Gables, Florida 33134

Biography

R. Jordan Richardson is a shareholder in the Miami office of Lawson Huck Gonzalez, where his practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and appeals. He helps clients navigate high-stakes disputes and appeals, drawing on a career that spans private practice, federal judicial clerkships at both the trial and appellate levels, public policy leadership, and senior federal government service in Washington, D.C.

Government service

Jordan previously served as a Special Assistant to the President on the White House Domestic Policy Council and as an advisor in the White House Office of American Innovation.  In those roles, he oversaw the review of applications for presidential pardons and commutations in coordination with the Office of White House Counsel and the Department of Justice.

He co-led implementation of the FIRST STEP Act through the Federal Interagency Reentry Council.  Jordan also drafted and directed interagency review of executive orders addressing federal contracting, regulatory reform, judicial safety and protection, and police use-of-force standards—each ultimately signed by the President.

Earlier, Jordan served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Labor, where he advised the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training on workforce policy.  He managed the distribution of more than $110 million in federal grants supporting displaced workers, individuals returning to the workforce after incarceration, and rural communities affected by the opioid epidemic.

Trial and appellate advocacy

Before joining Lawson Huck Gonzalez, Jordan litigated high-stakes commercial and constitutional disputes in federal and state courts in Miami, Florida.  His matters ranged from eight-figure business disputes to litigation involving questions of state constitutional law.

Jordan served on a jury trial team that secured a complete defense verdict in a trade secret case in which the plaintiff sought more than $20 million in damages.  For a real estate investment client, he helped obtain a final judgment of nearly $8.9 million following a damages trial arising from a Miami residential development.

In another matter, Jordan defended a client against legal malpractice claims and secured dismissal of the action in its entirety at summary judgment.  He also represented multiple city attorneys in disputes over municipal charters raising constitutional issues under Florida law.

Public policy

Before entering federal service, Jordan held legal and policy roles at leading national nonprofit organizations focused on law and public policy.

At the Heritage Foundation, he served as a Legal Fellow in the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, where his work focused on constitutional and legal issues.  At the Charles Koch Institute, he evaluated and directed funding for research on criminal procedure and justice policy.  And at Americans for Prosperity, he oversaw legislative development in 35 states on criminal law, sentencing, and occupational licensing.

Judicial and civic service

Jordan has served at both the trial and appellate levels of the federal judiciary.  He clerked for Judge Barbara Lagoa of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and Judge Aileen M. Cannon of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

His public service continues outside the firm.  In 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Jordan to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida.  He currently serves as Chair, evaluating candidates for judicial office and helping select the nominees the Commission recommends to the Governor for appointment to Miami-Dade County’s circuit and county courts.