Rich Melnyk brings over fifteen years of experience to the firm in the areas of acquisition, sale, leasing and financing of real property throughout the United States. Rich began his career in the Bay Area of California at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC where he represented a variety of corporate clients in leasing transactions, and led real estate due diligence on large-scale mergers and acquisitions deals and initial public offerings.  Additionally, Rich was involved at the outset of the firm's cleantech practice, assisting in the representation of various cleantech entrepreneurs and developers of solar, wind and geothermal projects.

He later moved to Washington, DC and joined Holland & Knight LLP as an associate, and then Grossberg, Yochelson, Fox & Beyda LLP where he eventually became a partner. During his time working in Washington, DC, while continuing his practice in California, he gained extensive additional experience representing a variety of tenants and landlords in leasing transactions, as well as acquisitions and dispositions of office, retail and agricultural properties, including related special investment projects.

Today, Rich continues his national real estate practice at Custer Melnyk LLP, with clients running the gamut from local investors and family businesses to family offices and public companies. For each of his clients, Rich brings the same straight forward, practical and business-minded approach to each project he works on. And when Rich isn't tied to his computer or the phone, you may find him running the roads of North Asheville (sometimes trying desperately to keep up with Jo, his wife and business partner), sampling the latest of Asheville's restaurant and music scene, getting out in nature and exploring our mountains, and engaging in all manner of un-lawyerly silliness in an attempt to stay grounded and entertain his three young kids.