Donna Ambler Rice Esq. - Chapel Hill, NC
Attorney at Donna Ambler Davis, PC
Family Law Lawyers in Chapel Hill, NC
127 Kingston Drive Suite 105B Chapel Hill, NC 27514
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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38
Years
Experience
Chapel Hill Family Law Lawyer
Updated: 03/02/2026
Areas of Practice
- Family Law
- Custody and Visitation
- Child Support
- Equitable Distribution
- Alimony/Post-Separation Support Matters involving Domestic Violence
- Property Division and Separation Agreements
- Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
- Adoptions
- Last Will and Testament
- Durable Power of Attorney
- Healthcare
- Declaration of a Desire for a Natural Death
- Divorce
- Mediation & Collaborative Law
- Fathers Rights
Attorney Information
Overview
Donna Ambler Rice received her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Montclair State College in May 1985 and her Juris Doctor degree from Washington & Lee University School of Law in May 1988. She is the past Chairperson of the Children's Issue Committee of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association, the past Chairperson of the Orange County Family Lawyer's Association, the past Secretary/Treasurer and the past President of the Judicial District 18 Bar Association and the former Chairperson of the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyer's Family Law Section. She is currently a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the North Carolina Bar Association and its Family Law Section, the Judicial District 18 Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, the North Carolina Advocates of Justice, the Academy of Family Mediators, and the Triangle Collaborative Family Law Association.
Donna Ambler Rice has also successfully advocated for her clients before the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of North Carolina in the following cases:
- In the Matter of the Adoption of P.E.P., 407 S.E.2d 505, 329 N.C. 692 (N.C., 1991) - The Supreme Court held that violations by adoptive parents and their attorney of statute prohibiting any fee or compensation for placing or arranging adoption of child, together with numerous other irregularities in adoption case, invalidated adoption proceeding; and
- Petersen v. Rogers, 445 S.E.2d 901, 337 N.C. 397 (N.C., 1994) - The Supreme Court held that (1) natural parents' constitutionally protected paramount right to custody, care and control of their child outweighed interests of a married couple seeking to adopt the child, and (2) a married couple seeking to adopt the child had no right to visitation or to file action requesting visitation period.
Donna Ambler Rice has a true passion for being a family law attorney and describes her career as follows:
"For me, being a family law attorney is not just a job; it is who I am. I think about cases in the middle of the night. I am often jumping out of the shower to jot down a note about a client's case. The reward for me is seeing people become their best selves. It's a long road, but I enjoy helping people rebuild their lives; helping them find a place of stability and health. Whether it's mediation, litigation, or some combination, we are as creative as possible - working for our clients' best interest and to guide them a place of wholeness."
Awards and Honors
Honors
- BV Distinguished Attorney, 4.4, Martindale Hubble
- North Carolina Super Lawyers, 2009
- North Carolina Super Lawyers selected 2009, 2025, and 2026
Other Sources of Feedback About Donna Ambler Rice Esq.
Included on the 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
- 2009 North Carolina Super Lawyers list
Education
-
Legal Education
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Washington and Lee University School of Law,
Lexington,
Virginia, May, 1988
Juris Doctorate
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Washington and Lee University School of Law,
Lexington,
Virginia, May, 1988
-
Non Legal Education
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Montclair State College,
Montclair,
New Jersey, May, 1985
B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
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Montclair State College,
Montclair,
New Jersey, May, 1985
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Attorney
References
-
C.C.B.
-
Atlantic Office Supplies
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Matthew Bender
-
Southern Bell
Representative Cases
-
Matter of Adoption of P.E.P.
- Citation: 407 S.E.2d 505
- Court: N.C.
- Year: 1991
- Serial Number: 1991150647
-
Petersen v. Rogers
- Citation: 445 S.E.2d 901, 337 N.C. 397
- Court: N.C.
- Year: 1994
-
Dollar v. Tapp
- Citation: 404 S.E.2d 482
- Court: N.C.App.
- Year: 1991
- Serial Number: 1991101950
-
Ramirez-Barker v. Barker
- Citation: 418 S.E.2d 675, 107 N.C. App. 71
- Court: N.C. Ct. App.
- Year: 1992
-
MacLagan v. Klein
- Citation: 473 S.E.2d 778, 123 N.C. App. 557
- Court: N.C. Ct. App.
- Year: 1996
-
Lauterbach v. Weiner
- Citation: 620 S.E.2d 317, 174 N.C. App. 201
- Court: N.C. Ct. App.
- Year: 2005
Bar Admissions
- North Carolina, 1988
Specialties and Certifications
- Family Law, Board Certified Specialist, 1993
- Family Financial Mediator, North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission, 2004
- Certified Collaborative Lawyer
Other Affiliations
- Orange County Bar Association, 1991 - Present (President)
- Orange County Bar Association, 1990 - 1991 (Secretary/Treasurer)
- American Immigration Lawyers Association, 1988 - Present (Member)
- North Carolina Bar Association, Family Law Section, Children Issues Committee (Past Chairperson)
- Orange County Family Lawyers' Association (Past Chairperson)
- Judicial District 18 Bar Association (Past Secretary/Treasurer)
- North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyer’s, Family Law Section (Former Chairperson)
- North Carolina State Bar (Member)
- North Carolina Bar Association, Family Law Section (Member)
- Judicial District 18 Bar Association (Member)
- Orange County Bar Association (Member)
- North Carolina Advocates for Justice (Member)
- Academy of Family Mediators (Member)
- Triangle Collaborative Family Law Association (Member)
Fraternities and Sororities
- Phi Delta Phi
Photo
Contact
127 Kingston Drive
Suite 105B
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Phone: 919-933-0950
Fax: 919-294-6915
Email: Send a message
Website: https://www.makingyouwholeagain.com
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