Leadership & Support

Rice Law attorneys are leaders in family and education law and are supported by experienced professional legal staff.

Rice Law attorneys: Rice and Williams

Attorneys

Mark Spencer Williams, Esq., Managing Member

Williams is the owner and managing member at Rice Law, a North Carolina family and real property attorney, and a nationwide* education attorney. He is a North Carolina certified parent coordinator for high conflict child custody cases. Williams has five years trial experience and fourteen years experience helping colleges and universities administer billions in federal student aid throughout the nation. Read more »

Charles E. Rice, III, Esq., Of Counsel

Rice has 40 years of legal experience representing clients in family law cases. Rice is the former Chief District Court Judge for the Fifth Judicial District which included New Hanover County with its courthouse in Wilmington, North Carolina and Pender County with its courthouse in Burgaw, North Carolina. Rice has extensive experience with all aspects of family law. He is of counsel to the firm. Read more »

Richard Forrest Kern, Esq., Associate

Kern is a graduate of Albany Law School and returned to Wilmington where he has lived for twenty years. He has a special interest in estate planning, trusts, and other family law issues. He has handled family law cases at the trial level and appellate levels for the past two years. Read more »

Legal Support Staff

Eva L. Lorberfeld | Client Services Assistant

Ms. Lorberfeld is dedicated to serving our clients and has been for over three years. She ensures that client's get answers to their questions quickly and that their concerns are properly addressed. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from UNCW in Elementary Education and has her North Carolina teaching certificate. In addition to her legal industry experience, she has experience in the education and construction space.

Abigail M. Gray | Paralegal

Ms. Gray has extensive experience as a paralegal for the Firm helping clients with financial standing affidavits, initial listings, discovery, and trial preparation under the direction of the Firm's attorneys. She is currently pursuing a paralegal degree.

Glenda M. Hudgens | Legal Assistant

Ms. Hudgens serves our Pender County Office and has over five years experience as a family law paralegal in Pender County. She has also worked in the New Hanover County Civil Clerk's Office.

Jordan R. Spencer | Receptionist

The voice of Rice Law, Ms. Spencer is often the first person to greet our clients and callers.

Ms. Barbara McChesney, Emerita | Legal Secretary

Ms. McChesney has extensive experience as a Court Reporter and legal secretary. Prior to joining the firm, she served as the Court Reporter for Charles E. Rice, III when he was the Chief District Court Judge for the Fifth Judicial District of North Carolina serving Pender and New Hanover counties. During her career as a court reporter, she recorded the testimony of several well-known cases. Ms. McChesney has faithfully served the firm since its inception in 1993. Ms. McChesney retired in 2009.

Mr. David H. Bland, CMA, CFM | Accountant

Bland is the Office accountant and provides internal expertise on financial issues related to our cases including calculation of damages and asset valuation in equitable distribution cases. He is a Certified Management Accountant and a Certified Financial Manager and holds a Master's Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Mr. Bland is a member of the faculty at Cape Fear Community College where he teaches accounting.

* With local bar approval.