Richard Luchs is a founding shareholder of GDL and a highly regarded real estate and litigation attorney with nearly five decades of experience advising property owners, developers, and managers throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. His practice focuses on complex real estate matters, administrative law, and high-stakes litigation, with a particular emphasis on representing landlords within the District of Columbia’s evolving regulatory landscape.
Widely recognized for his depth of experience with the District of Columbia’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) and the Rental Housing Act, Richard has advised on many of the region’s most significant and complex transactions and disputes. He represents clients in matters involving rent control, fair housing and human rights claims, property management disputes, and the acquisition and disposition of multifamily properties – guiding them through an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
A seasoned trial and appellate attorney, Richard has appeared extensively before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and other courts, handling complex disputes at both the trial and appellate levels. His long-standing presence in the appellate courts reflects the breadth of his litigation experience and his role in shaping real estate and housing law in the District.
Richard is consistently recognized by his peers in D.C. Super Lawyers® for Real Estate and Business Litigation and holds a 5.0 rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
A Legacy of Industry Leadership
Richard is certified by the District of Columbia Real Estate Commission to instruct on fair housing laws and has taught extensively on the subject, including as co-presenter of the nationally distributed program “Fair Housing Do’s and Don’ts for the New Millennium.” He has also served as an instructor with the Graduate REALTOR® Institute.
He has been deeply involved in legislative and regulatory matters affecting the real estate industry, working closely with organizations such as the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington (AOBA) and the D.C. Building Industry Association to help shape and reform housing and development laws in the region.
Richard has held key leadership roles within the Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA), including serving as Chair of its Maryland Legislative Committee and as a member of its Tax Policy Committee. He also chaired the task force that reviewed Chapter 53A of the Montgomery County Code governing rights of first refusal in residential housing.
His longstanding involvement with the D.C. Bar includes service on the Standing Committee on Rental Housing, the Landlord/Tenant Task Force, and the Council for Court Excellence.
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Noteworthy
As a founding shareholder of Greenstein DeLorme & Luchs, Richard has played a central role in the firm’s growth and continued success since its founding in 1989. He remains actively involved in cultivating client relationships and driving new business, while also mentoring younger attorneys and drawing on his experience to help colleagues guide matters to efficient and effective resolution.
