Richard A. "Ric" Roane
- Partner
My admin
- Tonya Mashue
practices
- Represents executives, health care professionals, homemakers, family business owners, professional athletes, teachers and others in contested domestic relations matters.
- Experienced in handling complex asset division, including the valuation of closely held businesses, investment portfolios and real estate valuation and distribution.
- Successfully resolved international divorce, custody and child abduction/return matters.
- Skilled in alternative dispute resolution, including collaborative law, arbitration or mediation of complex property valuation and division issues and matters of custody and support.
- Counsels clients on the pitfalls of social media use and advises on electronic discovery.
- Represents executives, health care professionals, homemakers, family business owners, professional athletes, teachers and others in contested domestic relations matters.
- Experienced in handling complex asset division, including the valuation of closely held businesses, investment portfolios and real estate valuation and distribution.
- Successfully resolved international divorce, custody and child abduction/return matters.
- Skilled in alternative dispute resolution, including collaborative law, arbitration or mediation of complex property valuation and division issues and matters of custody and support.
- Counsels clients on the pitfalls of social media use and advises on electronic discovery.
- Approaching Prenuptial Agreements Positively, Family Office Exchange Webinar, September 18, 2019
- Prenup Workshop, Family Business Alliance, Grand Rapids, Michigan, February 14, 2019
- “Who is a Parent and who is a Child in a Same Sex Family – Legislation and Judicial Issues for LGBT Families Post-Separation from European and US Perspectives,” International Academy of Family Lawyers European Chapter Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal, March 24, 2017
- One Year After Obergefell – Impact on Michigan Families, State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section Annual Legal Summit, June 4, 2016
- The Changing Face of Today’s
- Approaching Prenuptial Agreements Positively, Family Office Exchange Webinar, September 18, 2019
- Prenup Workshop, Family Business Alliance, Grand Rapids, Michigan, February 14, 2019
- “Who is a Parent and who is a Child in a Same Sex Family – Legislation and Judicial Issues for LGBT Families Post-Separation from European and US Perspectives,” International Academy of Family Lawyers European Chapter Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal, March 24, 2017
- One Year After Obergefell – Impact on Michigan Families, State Bar of Michigan Young Lawyers Section Annual Legal Summit, June 4, 2016
- The Changing Face of Today’s Family and its Impact on Family Law, ICLE Family Law Institute, Novi, Michigan, November 12, 2015
- AAML Webinar: After Obergefell, November 2015
- “No More Same Sex Marriage – Marriage is Marriage. Period!,” “A Marriage Equality Update after Obergefell,” Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 2015; Kansas City, Missouri, September 2015; Portland, Oregon, October 2015; Novi, Michigan, November 2015; Atlanta, Georgia, December 2015
- “Marriage Equality Legal Update” and “Family Court Motion Practice: Dos and Don’ts From Seasoned Practitioners,” 13th Annual ICLE Family Law Institute, Novi, Michigan, November 13-14, 2014
- “Marriage Equality Legal Update,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, November 5, 2014
- ICLE Advanced Day-Long Property Settlement Drafting Seminar, St. John’s, Michigan, October 23, 2014
- “Marriage Equality Legal Update,” Michigan Judicial Institute Annual Referee’s Conference, Lansing, Michigan, October 16, 2014
- “Marriage Equality Legal Update,” Davenport University paralegal students, September 22, 2014
- “The Marriage Equality Movement after US v Windsor: Considerations for Michigan,” Family Court Forum, June 6, 2014
- “Hague Convention International Child Custody Disputes: The Meaning of Continuing Exclusive Jurisdiction,” AAML, May 1, 2014
- “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: New Rights, New Solutions in a Post-DOMA World,” AICPA/AAML Conference on Divorce, April 23 and 25, 2014, Las Vegas, Nevada
- “The Marriage Equality Movement after US v Windsor: Considerations for Michigan,” Bloomfield Hills MIPA Roundtable, April 3, 2014
- “The Marriage Equality Movement Update after US v Windsor and Subsequent State and Federal Rulings and Actions,” Michigan State Bar Family Law Section Winter Conference, February 3, 2014, Peter Island, British Virgin Islands
- “Preparing a Client for Negotiation or Mediation in a Family Law Matter,” ICLE Family Law Institute, November 15, 2013
- “Marriage Equality Considerations After Repeal of DOMA,” ICLE Family Law Institute, November 14, 2013
- “The Marriage Equality Movement after US v Windsor: Marriage Equality vs Prohibition States,” AAML National Meeting, November 9, 2013, Chicago, Illinois
- “The Marriage Equality Movement after US v Windsor: Considerations for Michigan,” Oakland County Family Court, October 24, 2013
- “Marriage Equality after 2013 US v Windsor: Supreme Court Decision,” AAML Webinar, September 11, 2013
- “Prenuptial Agreements: The Elephant in the Room,” Attorneys for Family-Held Enterprises 2013 Annual Conference, April 26, 2013, Chicago, Illinois
- “My Impressions and Experience Attending the Oral Arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court,” a gathering of LGBT professionals and allied community members, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 23, 2013
- 11th Annual Family Law Institute, ICLE, Plymouth, Michigan, November 15-16, 2012
- “Negotiating and Drafting Property Settlement Agreements,” ICLE, October 23, 2012
- “Update on Michigan Family Law Cases, Court Rules and Administrative Orders,” Michigan Judges Association, August 21, 2012
Frequently lectures for:
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers – State and National Seminars
- International Academy of Family Lawyers– International Seminars
- Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Family Law Institute (organizing committee)
- Michigan Family Court Forum (organizing committee)
- Warner Partner Ric Roane Interviewed by CNN: How Covid is making divorce cases more complicated
- 51 Warner Attorneys Rated 2021 Top Lawyers by Grand Rapids Magazine
- Michigan State Bar Recognizes Warner for Pro Bono Contributions
- 105 Warner Attorneys Rated Best Lawyers in America©
- 44 Warner Attorneys Recognized by Michigan Super Lawyers Magazine
- “Getting engaged this Valentine’s Day? Don’t forget the prenup,” Grand Rapids Business Journal, 2/8/2019
- No More “Same-Sex Marriage” Marriage Is Marriage, Period The legal and practical implications of same-sex relationships, Family Advocate (American Bar Association), Spring 2016
- U.S. Supreme Court Same Sex Marriage Argument, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Summer 2015
- Contributing author, Michigan Family Law Benchbook 2014 Supplement
- “Getting engaged this Valentine’s Day? Don’t forget the prenup,” Grand Rapids Business Journal, 2/8/2019
- No More “Same-Sex Marriage” Marriage Is Marriage, Period The legal and practical implications of same-sex relationships, Family Advocate (American Bar Association), Spring 2016
- U.S. Supreme Court Same Sex Marriage Argument, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Summer 2015
- Contributing author, Michigan Family Law Benchbook 2014 Supplement (ICLE), 2014
- Co-author, “The Marriage Equality Movement after United States v. Windsor: Resulting Litigation and Changes Across the Nation,” SSR Journal, Spring 2014
- Co-author, “The Marriage Equality Movement after US v. Windsor: Considerations for Michigan,” Michigan Family Law Journal, January 2014
- “Preparing an Emotional Client for Trial or ADR for a Family Law Matter,” Michigan Bar Journal, December 2013
- “Don’t try this at home: Adultery in the marital bed,” quoted in The New York Times, 1/12/2011
- “Season of divorce,” quoted in The Grand Rapids Press, January 7, 2011
- Co-author, “Traveling Domestically and Abroad with Children Post 9/11,” Michigan Family Law Journal, August/September 2010
- Co-author, “Cohabitation After Smith v Smith,” Michigan Family Law Journal, June 2008
- Chapter author and Coeditor, Michigan Family Law, 7th Edition, Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 2002-Present (2016 and Updates)
My Best Work
- Perhaps my most rewarding custody case resulted in the reunion of a young father and his then six year old son who had been removed from father’s care at age 4 and taken out of state and kept from father for two years in violation of court orders. The mother told the young boy that his father was dead. On the day that custody was obtained, I stood near the father as the young boy ran and literally jumped into his father’s open arms.
- The most satisfying property and support case involved delivering to a wife in a long term marriage a substantial property settlement and spousal support award based upon a business valuation and establishment of husband’s income. In this long-term marriage with an imbalance of power, the husband threatened the wife that she would end up “a bag lady on the streets” if she divorced him. We were able to secure the wife’s future and also help restore her self-confidence and sense of self-worth.
