Private Companies Financing Divorce Litigation

The idea in the attached New York Times article sounds really great for many reasons including the prevention of conflict of interest between clients and lawyers. However, as with so many things, the devil is in the details. If you read closely, you will see they are only talking about financing for mega divorces. My feeling is that if you have less than $10 million you need not apply. In those mega divorces, the non dominant parties (often the wife, but not always) can apply to the court for interim or pendente lite fees, attorney fees, and suit expenses. Good judges grant these, it solves the problem and it is available for both the mega divorces and the middle class divorces.

Larry Rice
Attorney at Law

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/business/05divorce.html?_r=1&src=busln

NICK RICE Honored as a "Rising Star" for Innovative Work

Lawyers recognized as “rising stars” have generally been practicing for 10 years or less, but Nick Rice’s experience goes back further than that.

Photo: Lance Murphey

Rice is the third generation in his family to practice law, and he started his training at the age of 12, learning to research under his father’s tutelage.

“It started off with me getting to come in to work with my dad on the weekends,” Rice said. “He started teaching me how to do research, how to look up cases and how to look up statutes in the law library that they had in the firm at the time. When I got good enough, they started paying me. I’d get to do the research as the fun part, but my main task was all of the gofer work.”

***TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE, VISIT THE LINK BELOW***

http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=54477

Author: Susan Agee, The Daily News

Larry Rice SUPER LAWYER and Associates Nick Rice and Jennifer Bellot RISING STARS

Larry Rice, Senior Partner at Rice, Amundsen & Caperton, PLLC, is the only Mid-South Super Lawyer certified as a Family Law Specialist. Mr. Rice’s book, The Complete Guide to Divorce Practice, published by the ABA is the standard reference for lawyers across the nation. He founded the Divorce and Family Law Section of the MBA and co-founded the Family Law Section of the TBA.Nick Rice is a Rising Star. Nick graduated from The University of Tennessee in Psychology and received his J.D. from the University of Memphis. He has presented several CLE lectures. In 2001, Nick co-founded a charity that distributes grants to local charities. He holds an annual fundraiser for International Children’s Heart Foundation. Nick is recognized by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as one of Memphis’ Finest Young Professionals.

Jennifer Bellott is a Rising Star. Jennifer is a 2005 graduate from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and the University of Memphis School of Law. Jennifer was the National Best Advocate in the 2008 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition. She also served as the Associate Justice for the 2007 Advanced Moot Court Competition and as an Associate Editor for the University of Memphis Law Review.

Rice Team Member Andrea Schultz becomes a Certified Paralegal

Rice, Amundsen and Caperton Law Firm is proud to announce that Andrea Schultz, paralegal to Nick Rice, has successfully completed the two-day Certified Paralegal examination. Andrea is among only forty (40) Certified Paralegals in the Memphis area.

The CLA/CP program involves successful completion of a comprehensive examination covering the topics of communications; legal research; ethics; human relations and interviewing techniques; legal terminology; judgment and analytical ability and substantive law.

Andrea graduated Summa Cum Laude with an Associates degree in Paralegal Studies. She is a member of the Memphis Bar Association, the National Association of Legal Assistants, the Greater Memphis Paralegal Alliance and the LEX Honor Society. In the past, Andrea has served on the board of Memphis Paralegal Association and as a Committee Chair for the Greater Memphis Paralegal Alliance. She was also profiled in National Paralegal Reporter, a monthly periodical of NFPA (National Federation of Paralegal Associations).

FOR ALL ATTORNEYS READING THIS BLOG: Suggestions or Improvements?

Our system is based on not only my experience and my father's experience, it is also based on all of the lawyers who have made suggestions. This includes both national and international attorneys.

I am re-doing my Interrogatories and Request for Production of Documents.

I am requesting suggestions, improvements, better forms or even inappropriate comments. Unfortunately, the formatting of this blog will not allow me to attach .pdf or Word documents. So for a copy of my most current form of my Interrogatories and Request for Production of Documents, contact Kristin Campbell at kcampbell@ricelaw.com.

My goal is that this form be the best that it can be.

Once we have that, I will be glad to share my final form with anyone who contributes as well as with anyone who asks for a copy.

It will also appear in the upcoming 25th anniversary edition of The Complete Guide to Divorce Practice.
Look for its release in the summer of 2012 at a theater near you!

Thank you for your help.

Larry Rice Speaks to Mediation Class at Memphis Law School

I believe that mediation is a valuable tool in resolving divorce, custody and family law issues. Not only do I recommend it for my clients in appropriate cases, I have served as a mediator and I have lectured on mediation around the country.
On Wednesday, September 15, I was downtown at the new University of Memphis Law School speaking to a class on mediation with my associate Jennifer Bellot and two other lawyers. For the class, we were able to use a case that Jennifer and I had mediated with two other lawyers. The mediator on the actual case, Hayden Lait, invited me to speak at his mediation class. In order to present the information to the class, we went through the case documents and changed the names and information. We spoke for and hour and thirty minutes.
One of the strong points I made is that preparation is the key to success in mediation. The other key is proper technological tools which include a portable computer, printer and scanner. Our team uses these techniques in mediation so if the mediation is successful, everyone can leave the mediation with signed documents. With these approaches, our “fall apart” rate (those cases that are settled at mediation and then fall apart that night or the next day) can be reduced to virtually zero. Mediation, like all lawyers' tools, is useful, but it is most useful if it is done right. We believe that we have developed techniques and approaches that increase our clients’ success at mediation.

-Larry Rice

Nick Rice Appointed to TBA's Executive Committee

I am very proud that my son, Nick Rice, has been appointed to the Tennessee Bar Association, Divorce and Family Law Section, Executive Committee. Nick has been an excellent lawyer. I have been so proud of him, both as his father and as a senior partner working with him. This marks the first occasion where two generations have served on the Executive Committee.