In his first 18 months as a trial lawyer for the largest California workers' comp insurance company, Richard (Dick) Elder learned that his job was NOT to seek justice or to be fair. His job was to save money for the insurance company and the employer at the expense of the injured worker. His sympathies were with the injured, especially the injured cops and firefighters, but he was obligated to fight for his client. So, he changed clients. Dick switched to representing safety officers and, for more than 50 years, he has counselled and represented thousands of injured firefighters and police officers and their families in workers' compensation and disability retirement claims. He takes on cases good and bad, and almost always wins, even cases that other (non-CSFA recommended) lawyers decline.

Dick attended his first CSFA Conference in 1973. He has analyzed hundreds of workers' comp and retirement bills, he appeared at the request of CSFA at the Capitol to assist and testify in passage of important laws such as "the Cancer Presumption". He taught at CSFA "FIRE" seminars and other educational events and he has written scores of articles for CSFA. He has taken many cases on appeal and has made some good case law. His prime focus is to lead clients through the complex, adversarial and sometimes frightening legal systems, to obtain the greatest financial resolution possible. Clients are best served with a good but timely settlement, or a winning trial, He is committed to protecting our protectors.