Description

RICE LAW PLLC

Family Law  |  Wilmington, NC

Associate Attorney — Future Managing Partner

Management Succession Track  |  Equity Opportunity  |  Wilmington, NC

Your practice. Your future. Your firm.

 
You passed the bar. You put in the hours. And somewhere along the way, you realized that billing for a firm that runs loose — no systems, no structure, no path to ownership — is not a career. It is a ceiling.

Rice Law PLLC is not that firm.

We are a structured family law practice in Wilmington, NC, representing the full spectrum of clients — individuals and families navigating divorce, custody, and support, and high-asset professionals facing complex financial and custody transitions. The standard of precision is identical regardless of the size of the matter.

We are not hiring to fill a seat. We are hiring the attorney who will eventually run this firm.

 
Why This Role Exists
Rice Law was built to outlast its founders. We carry an institutional name — not a rotating roster of partners on a shingle — because the brand is the compounding asset. Our senior managing attorney is transitioning out of active management within three to five years. That succession void is the explicit purpose of this hire.

The right candidate is not hired to bill hours and wait. They are being trained to assume management and operational control of this firm. You do not need to have run a firm before. You need to want to learn how — and demonstrate, consistently, that you are building toward it.

 
What Your First Year Looks Like
Under direct supervision, you will manage your own caseload — starting with less complex matters where the firm’s procedural standards are learned, increasing in complexity as competence and trust develop. You will appear in district court, conduct client strategy sessions, draft pleadings and discovery, and prepare trial materials to firm standard. The learning curve is real and expected. You will not navigate it alone.

 
How We Work
Precision is not a goal here. It is policy. Discovery goes out within ten days. Clients receive every document within one business day. Paralegals maintain direct client contact every two weeks. Trial notebooks are delivered two weeks before any court date. Attorneys conduct in-person trial preparation sessions so no client walks into a courtroom unprepared.

Our case management system tracks every deadline, communication, and operational step. Nothing falls through the cracks. If a procedure does not exist yet, we build one — and the attorney who succeeds to management will help build the next generation.

 
What This Role Offers
Compensation is a draw against collections — 30% of what you produce. The firm’s policy of requiring funds in trust before work begins produces a genuine 90% collection rate, which means you never carry the risk of billing hours that go unpaid. Year-one hours on supervised matters carry a structured flat rate detailed in your employment agreement. Benefits include a 401(k) with profit sharing, professional liability coverage, paid bar dues and CLE, and health insurance.

During the succession period, compensation is attorney collections only — typically $65,000 or more in year one, growing as your practice develops. Upon assuming the management role, a performance-tied management stipend is added on top of collections. The timeline is three to five years.

Beyond compensation: a defined path to equity and operational control. Not a nameplate. Not a title. A firm.

 
What This Role Requires
North Carolina bar admission, or pending licensure. Family law experience preferred but not required. On the legal side: operate inside a structured system without exception, manage a complex caseload without missing deadlines, and give clients the honest answer — not the one they want.

This is not solely a legal role. It is the role of a business operator accountable for revenue, expenses, trust accounting, HR, technology, marketing, and strategic planning — measured against defined financial and operational metrics. You do not need to have done all of this before. You need the aptitude, financial literacy, and discipline to learn it, own it, and execute it. As management responsibility increases, so does the time demand. That is the honest picture of what this role becomes.

Three management competencies are non-negotiable. Technology: the analytical ability to evaluate platforms, direct purchasing decisions, oversee implementation, and mentor staff who struggle — not work around them. Financial oversight: sufficient accounting literacy to review trust account reconciliations, recognize discrepancies, and supervise bookkeeping staff. You do not need to be a CPA — you need to be the person who ensures one is never needed to clean up a problem you missed. Marketing: the discipline to learn and drive a structured brand framework that governs client communication from the website to intake to every client letter.

Leadership here is situational. You will manage a small team across different roles and development levels — directing where needed, coaching where growth is happening, delegating where trust is earned. A single gear will not work.

This firm measures output, not effort described. The right candidate holds themselves to a higher standard than they are asked to meet and works without being managed into it. There is a difference between an attorney who talks about being driven and one who demonstrates it every day without an audience. This firm will know the difference quickly.

The managing attorney role carries financial stewardship responsibilities that may involve personal accountability for certain firm obligations. This is standard for ownership at a firm of this structure. It is noted here because it should not be a surprise.

 
This Is Not the Right Role If
You want a loose environment, a solo practice, or autonomy without accountability. You are more comfortable describing your work ethic than demonstrating it. If any of those descriptions fit, we would rather you know now than find out later.

 
The Realistic Picture
Year one is a learning curve. The draw is modest — it reflects the trajectory, not the ceiling. The succession timeline is three to five years. It will be earned, not given. Associates who execute without exception, communicate proactively, and demonstrate the seriousness to manage a firm — not just a caseload — advance.

At successful transition, the managing attorney oversees firm revenue, expenses, and financial stability; manages staff performance, hiring, and retention; supervises trust accounting and Bar compliance; drives marketing and client acquisition; and maintains the operational systems that protect the practice. That is what is being offered — not a job title, but a firm to run and ultimately to own. Rice Law was built to outlast any single attorney. The right candidate earns ownership of that institution.

 
To Apply
Submit a tailored cover letter and resume by email to mwilliams@ricefamilylaw.com or by mail to Rice Law PLLC, 105 N. 6th Street, Wilmington, NC 28401. No calls, please. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Rice Law PLLC  |  Family Law  |  105 N. 6th Street, Wilmington, NC 28401

Requirements

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