About Richard
Richard Self combined business and law studies before launching a career that crosses state lines. He earned his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2014 and completed a Master of Science in Real Estate Development at the University of Denver in 2018. Those credentials shape the practical side of his work. They give him technical knowledge of property development alongside the legal training to handle related transactions and regulatory questions.
His earliest legal roles were a mix of hands-on and supportive work. While still in law school he served as a law clerk at Gagnier Margossian LLP in 2013. He also spent time in the corporate world as a business development intern at OpenGate Capital in 2012. Those positions exposed him to due diligence, deal structures and the pace of transactional practice. They provided a bridge between classroom theory and client-driven work.
After admission to practice, he joined private firms as an associate and moved through a series of positions that broadened his exposure. In 2015 he worked at Imai, Tadlock, Keeney & Cordery, LLP, then in 2017 at Keegin Harrison LLP. He served as an associate at Goodspeed & Merrill in 2019. In each setting he took on responsibilities typical of junior lawyers: client counseling, drafting agreements, and assisting on closings and filings. He maintained professional ties in both California and Colorado, where he is licensed to practice.
In 2021 he became an associate at Pless Law Office, LLC. That role marked a shift toward a practice shaped by his graduate studies and prior transactional experience. He now splits his time between offices listed for Pless Law Office — a Denver location and an Austin branch under Pless Law Office, PLLC. The dual-office arrangement reflects the cross-jurisdictional nature of many real estate and business matters today.
He is a member of professional groups and participates in bar activities appropriate to his licenses. His work speaks to an interest in the intersection of development and law. He maintains a practice at Pless Law Office’s Denver and Austin offices, where his practice centers on real estate and related business matters.
