Mr. Rick A. La Trace

Rick La Trace is an experienced lawyer who for over 20 years has represented lenders, banks, and financial institutions with special asset matters, foreclosures, replevins, commercial loans, SBA loans, workouts, and collection matters in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi, where he is licensed to practice law. Mr. La Trace regularly practices before the state and federal courts in these three states.

For example, in lengthy multi-year litigation spanning two states, and successful appeals in both states, Mr. La Trace presented oral argument before the Mississippi Supreme Court on the enforceability of a judgment from another state and a commercial guaranty agreement, which resulted in the successful reversal of the trial court and a 6-million-dollar judgment against the guarantor. See Biel REO, LLC v. Lee Freyer Kennedy Crestview, LLC, 242 So. 2d 833 (Miss. 2018). Thereafter, Mr. La Trace successfully helped the client enforce and collect on the judgment. Mr. La Trace is recognized by Best Lawyers® in the area of Mortgage Foreclosure Banking Law.

Mr. La Trace also successfully argued on appeal an important case involving the interpretation of express warranties and disclaimer of warranties under Alabama’s Uniform Commercial Code as applied to public auctions that has been cited by other courts and secondary sources numerous times. See La Trace v. Webster, 17 So. 3d 1210 (Ala. Civ. App. 2008), cert. denied.

In addition to representing banks and other financial institutions, Mr. La Trace currently represents clients with real estate matters, including homeowner associations, condominium associations, property management companies, real estate purchases, sales, and property disputes—including litigation, tax sales, tax sale redemptions, tax deeds, quiet title actions, sale for partition actions.

Mr. La Trace also advises business clients on entity formation, corporate governance, contract issues, and the sale/purchase of businesses via asset and stock sales.

Immigration is also an active part of Mr. La Trace’s practice for the last 15 years. Mr. La Trace represents individuals and businesses with family and employment-based immigration. Some examples include, marriage to a US citizen or lawful permanent resident, fiancée visas, visas for children and other family members of US citizens and lawful permanent residents outside the US; and on the employment side H-1B, EB-2, EB-3, and TN visas. Additionally, Mr. La Trace provides guidance to employers on the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, including best practices for completion and retention of the Form I-9, issues regarding foreign workers, and government audits. Mr. La Trace is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Admissions

2002, Alabama

2003, Mississippi

2003, Florida

Court admissions

U.S. District Court (including bankruptcy courts) for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Alabama, 2002

U.S. District Court (including bankruptcy courts) for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi, 2003

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, 2003 – U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 2003

U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 2003