Cheryl Gabes Rice

Ms. Rice gradated from Providence College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics, Magna Cum Laude.  She received her Juris Doctor degree from Hofstra University School of Law.

While attending law school, Ms. Rice served as the Director of the Hofstra University School of Law Moot Court Board.  More recently, she completed the Mediation Certification Program at Quinnipiac University School of Law.

Ms. Rice has a diverse practice that focuses on four areas of law:  Business Law (including business and lender representation), Commercial Litigation, Estate Planning/Fiduciary Services and Probate/Estate Administration.

Ms. Rice advises business clients and their owners on formation issues and growth strategies, business financings, business succession planning, negotiating and drafting a variety of business contracts/agreements and in connection with the purchase and sale of businesses.

She frequently serves in a general counsel role for many of her small and family-owned business clients, counseling on various issues ranging from day-to-day business operations, strategic planning and litigation avoidance strategies to working through managerial and other internal struggles that tend to arise in closely-held business operations.

In addition, Ms. Rice represents lender clients in negotiating and documenting commercial and asset-based loans and working through troubled credit facilities, including drafting loan restructuring and workout agreements, as well as collateral liquidations.

She also represents lenders in contested foreclosure, replevin, complex loan-related, and other creditor’s rights litigation matters, including defense of lender liability claims.

Ms. Rice represents individual and business clients in a variety of business-related litigation matters, including, but not limited to, breach of contract, business torts, fraud, real estate disputes and financial transaction-related claims.  She also represents lender clients in contested foreclosure, replevin, complex loan-related, and other creditor’s rights litigation matters.

Ms. Rice counsels and advises clients on identifying the appropriate estate planning documents to achieve their personal and financial wishes and goals, including wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney and health care directives. She also advises small and family-owned business owners on issues pertaining to business succession planning.

In addition, Ms. Rice is regularly appointed by the Connecticut Probate Courts to serve in a variety of fiduciary capacities, including appointments as the Administrator of Decedent’s Estates and Conservator of Person and/or Estate for elderly persons and persons with disabilities.

Ms. Rice is frequently retained to represent Executors and Administrators to ensure that estates are properly probated and that estate assets are appropriately dispersed.  She is also retained to represent the interests of executors, administrators, heirs and beneficiaries in connection with a variety of estate-related issues.