Riko joined our firm in August 1993 following her judicial clerkship with Chief Judge Richard D. Sievers of the Nebraska Court of Appeals.

She graduated with distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Law in May 1992. Riko's primary areas of practice include Family Law, School Law, Employment Law, Workers' Compensation, and General Civil Litigation.

While in law school, Riko won the honor of competing on the National Moot Court Team. Moot Court Competitions argue cases on appeal in mock courtroom settings. Riko won the top oral advocate award at a regional competition, and her team also received a brief-writing award from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy at the national level. Riko was also a member of The Order of Barristers, Inns of Court, and the Multi-Cultural Legal Society.

Since joining the firm, Riko has litigated numerous cases in state and federal courts, and has served on a number of committees and commissions, both within and outside the legal profession. She has served as the president of the Lincoln Bar Association, the Nebraska Council of School Attorneys, and The Nebraska Club, as well as chaired the Annual Meeting Committee for the Nebraska State Bar Association and the Law Day Committee for the Lincoln Bar Association. Riko is a Nebraska State Bar Association Foundation Fellow, has served on the Executive Board of the University of Nebraska College of Law Alumni Council, and is also currently a member of the Supreme Court Committee on Practice and Procedure, the Minority Justice Committee, the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, the Nebraska Judicial Resources Commission, the National and Nebraska Council of School Attorneys, the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys, and the American Bar Association Litigation Section and Labor and Employment Law Section.

Riko was born in Nagoya, Japan, where her father was stationed in the U.S. Air Force. While her father served overseas and stateside, her family lived in Florida, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. They moved to Nebraska in 1970.

She graduated from Bellevue High School in 1974 and Kearney State College in 1977. Riko then taught school in Elkhorn and Bellevue. In 1985, Riko moved to Wisconsin where she joined the advertising industry, experiencing both copywriting and business management until her enrollment in law school. Her husband is in the advertising/marketing business; her oldest son is a Navy pilot; and her youngest son continues to enjoy his student journey in the Lincoln Public Schools.

ADMISSIONS:
• Supreme Court of the State of Nebraska, 1992
• United States District Court of Nebraska, 1992
• United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 1998

EDUCATION:
• Kearney State College, B.A., 1977
• University of Nebraska College of Law, J.D., with distinction, 1992

MEMBERSHIPS:
• American Bar Association
Litigation Section
Labor and Employment Law Section
• Nebraska State Bar Association
Family Law Section
Women and the Law Section
Workers’ Compensation Section
Labor Relations and Employment Law Section
• Lincoln Bar Association
• Nebraska State Bar Foundation Fellow
• Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys
• National Council of School Attorneys
• Nebraska Council of School Attorneys

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS:
• Nebraska State Bar Association
Annual Meeting Committee, 2006-2009
Planning Chair, 2006-2007
• Lincoln Bar Association
Board of Trustees, 2000-2008
President, 2006-2007
Law Day Committee Chair, 1999-2007
• Nebraska Council of School Attorneys
President, 2003-2004
• Supreme Court Committee on Practice and Procedure, 1998-present
• Supreme Court/Nebraska State Bar Association
Minority and Justice Committee,
Co-Chair, Access to Justice Subcommittee, 1999-present
• Nebraska Judicial Resources Commission, 2004 to present
• Nebraska Affirmative Action Committee
Appointed by Governor, 1997
Chairperson, 2001-2008
• Nebraska’s Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
Appointed by Governor, 2007-present
• The Nebraska Club, Board of Directors, 2006-present
President, 2009-2011
• University of Nebraska College of Law, Alumni Council, 2004-2009
Executive Board, 2007-2009
• Order of the Barristers, 1992
• Member, National Moot Court Team, 1992
National Brief Writing Award
Regional, Best Oral Advocate
Regional, Best Brief Award

PRIOR RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT:
• University of Nebraska College of Law, Legal Skills Class Instructor, 1998-1999
• Law Clerk to the Honorable Richard D. Sievers, Chief Judge, Nebraska Court of Appeals, 1992-1993
• Mission Junior High School, Bellevue, Nebraska, Teacher, 1981-1983
Gifted Program, Creative Writing Coordinator and Instructor, 1983-1985
• Elkhorn Junior High School, Elkhorn, Nebraska, Teacher, 1978-1980