Biography Photo for Leonce A Richard

Leonce A. Richard

Member
Mr. Richard has been a Certified Specialist in Family Law since 2002 and has previously served as a pro tem judge and mediator in Family Law for the Maricopa County Superior Court. His practice focuses almost exclusively on family law/domestic relations matters of all types, including divorce, legal separation, annulments, paternity, child custody and visitation, grandparents’ rights, and various post-divorce matters such as modification and enforcement of child custody/visitation, modification and enforcement of child support and spousal maintenance, enforcement of judgments and decrees, and relocation of children. Mr. Richard also has over 20 years experience in handling appellate cases involving Family Law matters and also does extensive work negotiating and drafting Premarital/Prenuptial Agreements between future spouses. Mr. Richard is also a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Education & Credentials

Education

University of Arizona

B.A., 1982
  • high distinction
  • member, University wide honors program
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Phi Kappa Phi

University of Arizona College of Law

J.D., 1985
  • with distinction
  • Associate Editor, Arizona Law Review
  • American Jurisprudence Award

Bar Admission

  • Arizona

Acknowledgements

  • The Best Lawyers in America®
    • "Lawyer of the Year," Family Law, 2019
    • Family Law, 2023-2025
  • Southwest Super Lawyers®
    • Family Law, 2010-2024
  • Continental Who's Who
    • 2007-2021
  • American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
    • Elected Fellow 

Prominent Assignments

Mr. Richard routinely handles complex Family Law cases involving such matters and issues such as the following:

  • Business valuations for all types and sizes of businesses and professional practices, including issues regarding business or professional “goodwill”;
  • “Tracing” the history of monies and assets for the purpose of determining value and/or their character as separate or community property;
  • Differing legal and equitable interests in real property and all forms of business enterprises;
  • Vested and unvested stock grants, stock options, restricted stock, incentive stock and other forms of deferred or alternative compensation;
  • Retirement, pension, and profit sharing plans, both qualified and non-qualified, and spouses’ respective interests therein (e.g., beneficial survivorship rights);  
  • Trusts and estate planning matters as they pertain to divorce;
  • Claims for spousal maintenance and child support, including claims under UIFSA and the collection of past-due child support;
  • Enforcement of judgments and decrees, including the domestication and enforcement in Arizona of judgments and decrees entered by other states or jurisdictions;
  • Establishing and/or enforcing legal custody and visitation rights, including claims arising under the UCCJEA;
  • Appeals and special actions regarding Family Law matters in the Arizona Court of Appeals and the Arizona Supreme Court;
  • Negotiating, drafting and reviewing premarital/prenuptial agreements and exploring the purposes and goals for such agreements and how they can be best tailored to suit the client’s particular needs.

Publications/Presentations

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