He graduated from his home town in law in 1870.
During his early career, he served as a secretary to Mr Jean-Baptiste Pioda, a plenipotentiary minister of the Swiss Confederation to the Italian Court and Mr. Leblanc, a senator in Paris.
[1] In his later years, Richard finished his PhD in Etudes de nationalités (Studies of Nationalities).
[1] A business law professor in 1886, Richard also worked as a member of the Court of cassation from 1917 to 1924.
His further careers stats included, a member of parliament in the Genevan Grand Council (1874–1910), Councillor of State (member of Cantonal government)(1889–1900), a Swiss National Councillor (member of lower house parliament)(1890–1893), a Genevan parliamentarian to the Council of the States (Upper house of parliament)(1893–1914) and finally the President of the Swiss Council of States.