Howard Kaplan and Michelle Rice Bring National Litigation Practice to EGS
NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP (EGS), a leading multi-disciplinary law firm with nationally recognized practices in corporate and securities law, real estate, employment, and litigation announced today that the trial law firm Kaplan Rice LLP joined EGS effective January 1, 2026. Founders Howard J. Kaplan and Michelle A. Rice, both pre-eminent trial lawyers, each with more than three decades of experience, will lead the firm’s Trial and Litigation Practice Group from EGS’s New York City office.
Kaplan and Rice are widely respected for their representation of corporations, investment funds, boards, executives, and professionals in high-stakes disputes involving securities and financial litigation, corporate governance, internal investigations, white collar criminal and regulatory defense and sports-related arbitrations and litigation.
“Michelle and I are thrilled to join forces with EGS,” said Kaplan. “The prospect of expanding EGS’s sophisticated, nationally recognized litigation practice is very compelling and an exciting next chapter for us. EGS’s unique and commanding presence in areas such as securities, corporate governance, and capital markets substantially broadens our ability to meet our clients’ complex legal needs.”
The combination of Kaplan Rice with EGS’s litigation group significantly augments EGS’s practice in the areas of securities and corporate governance litigation, regulatory and white-collar criminal defense, board and special committee investigations, complex civil litigation, and pre-litigation counseling. This transaction aligns with EGS’s strategic growth initiative and positions the firm’s litigation practice on equal footing with EGS’s nationally recognized corporate and employment law groups.
“We see the combination of Kaplan Rice and EGS as transformative,” said Douglas S. Ellenoff, co-founder of EGS. “Howard and Michelle are formidable, highly experienced lawyers and counselors whose practice fits perfectly with EGS’s capabilities. They represent clients in high profile cases across the country. The combined practices will significantly expand our Trial and Litigation Practice Group and serve as a powerful platform for continued strategic growth.”
To accommodate the firm’s growth, including the addition of the eight-lawyer Kaplan Rice team, EGS has significantly expanded its New York City headquarters at 1345 Sixth Avenue. The firm now occupies a total of 60,000 square feet of office space after adding an internal staircase to another 20,000 square feet on the floor below with more than 100 lawyers working from the New York office and more than 150 lawyers firmwide in three offices, coast to coast.
EGS has long been recognized for its corporate and securities capabilities, including a leading SPAC and capital markets practice. With the addition of Kaplan Rice’s highly regarded litigation team, the firm further enhances a platform built to support sophisticated clients on complex, high-stakes commercial matters. Across practices, EGS is known for delivering experienced judgment, technical excellence, and consistent results for clients navigating important transactions and disputes.
As the legal market continues to evolve, EGS remains one of the few firms that has preserved a strong middle-market platform while maintaining depth across key practice areas. This scale allows the firm to serve as trusted counsel to clients who value senior-level engagement and practical problem-solving in a client-centered environment, with more client sensitive fee structures.
EGS is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Los Angeles and Orange County, California.
About Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP is a150+ lawyer strong national mid-market law firm offering its clients legal services in a broad range of business-related matters. Founded in 1992, the Firm specializes in many areas of commercial law: Corporate, Securities, Real Estate, Broker-Dealer Regulation, Private Investment Funds, Intellectual Property, Business Litigation, White Collar Defense, Labor, Employment, ERISA, Executive Compensation, Tax and Estate Planning and Bankruptcy.
The philosophy of the Firm is to provide the highest quality legal advice and counsel, dedicating consistent, personalized attention to each client. Due to our firm’s significant experience in the areas of practice in which we specialize, we provide greater efficiency of service and, consequently, reduce actual and time expense to our clients.
Learn more about Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP at www.egsllp.com.
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SOURCE Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
