Elaine M. Rice

Elaine Rice is a partner at Johnson, Newlon & DeCort, P.A. She began her legal career in the complex litigation group of Gardere & Wynne in Dallas, Texas where she practiced in the areas of commercial litigation, class action litigation, antitrust litigation, and securities litigation as well as NASD (now FINRA) arbitration for national wire house clients. In 2001, Elaine moved to Florida and joined Fowler White Boggs Banker’s nationally recognized financial services and white-collar crime practice. In 2009, members of that practice formed Wiand Guerra King, where they continued to grow their practice. At Johnson, Newlon & DeCort, she continues her commercial and securities litigation and arbitration practice with a focus on financial services industry clients.

Elaine has decades of experience representing FINRA member firms, investment advisors, financial institutions, registered representatives, officers, and directors in federal and state courts as well as FINRA arbitrations. She has handled hundreds of matters involving claims such as violation of state and federal securities laws, common law fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, failure to supervise, failure to conduct due diligence, churning, unauthorized trading, selling away, interpleader, expungement, promissory note collection, raiding, U-5 defamation, wrongful termination, and broker transition disputes. She also represents her clients in regulatory matters, including investigations and enforcement proceedings before state and federal regulatory agencies and self-regulatory organizations.

Admitted in both Florida and Texas, Elaine is AV Peer Rated by Martindale Hubbell and has been recognized by the Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers of Florida and Florida Trend’s Legal Elite.

She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic and previously served on the Board of Trustees for The Punta Gorda Symphony and Charlotte Preparatory School. She is also a sustaining member of the Junior League of Sarasota.

Elaine is a proud Wolverine. She graduated with High Distinction from The University of Michigan with a B.A. in Economics and also earned her J.D. from The University of Michigan Law School. She and family reside in Charlotte County, Florida.

Education

• The University of Michigan Law School
  J.D.
• The University of Michigan
  B.A., With High Distinction, Economics

Admissions

• The Florida Bar
• The State Bar of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida
• U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, Fifth Circuit, Eleventh Circuit

Experience

• Gardere & Wynne, Dallas, Texas(1994-2000)
• Fowler White Boggs Banker(2000-2009)
• Wiand Guerra King P.A.(2009-2020)

Involvement

• Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Clinic Board Member (2025-present)
• Punta Gorda Symphony Board of Trustees Member (2022-2024)
• Charlotte Preparatory School President Board of Trustees (2020-2021); Board Member and Other Offices (2014-2020)
• Junior League of Sarasota Sustainer
• American Bar Association Member of Securities Litigation Section
• Hillsborough County Bar Association Member
• Federal Bar Association Member
• Southeastern Women in Financial Services Member