Susan C. Rhode

Navigating the emotional and legal complexities of family transitions, particularly divorce and related parenting matters, requires not only exceptional legal acumen but also a profound understanding of the human element involved. For individuals and families across Minnesota, finding a legal professional who can manage the "tough stuff" with skill and sensitivity is paramount. Susan C. Rhode, a prominent family law practitioner at Moss & Barnett in Minneapolis, embodies this unique combination, offering leading legal guidance and comprehensive alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services.

Susan C. Rhode is renowned for her ability to smooth and resolve the transitional challenges that many of her clients experience during divorce and parenting cases. Her legal leadership is built on a foundation of extensive experience, having represented clients in several of Minnesota's most significant cases concerning nonmarital property, spousal maintenance, and premarital agreements. This deep involvement in landmark cases highlights her profound understanding of the intricacies of Minnesota family law, enabling her to provide nuanced and effective strategies for even the most complex situations.

Beyond traditional courtroom representation, Susan C. Rhode is also a highly sought-after neutral professional. She works extensively as a mediator, consensual special magistrate, arbitrator, neutral evaluator, and parenting coordinator. This multifaceted expertise in ADR forums reflects her commitment to finding constructive and often less adversarial paths to resolution, prioritizing the well-being of families. Her prior experience as an educator further underscores her dedication to children's issues, ensuring that the impact of divorce on children is always a central consideration in her guidance. For Minnesota residents seeking a compassionate yet formidable advocate in family law, Susan C. Rhode offers unparalleled expertise and a client-centered approach that navigates the legal landscape with both precision and care.

Susan C. Rhode practices at Moss & Barnett, P.A., a well-established law firm conveniently located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. Her office is situated within the Fifth Street Towers, specifically at 150 S 5th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402, USA. While the specific suite number is not provided, her firm, Moss & Barnett, is noted to be in Suite 1200 within this building.

This prime downtown Minneapolis location offers significant advantages for clients throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area and across Minnesota. Being located in a prominent office complex ensures excellent connectivity and ease of access. The Fifth Street Towers are highly accessible via various public transportation options, including multiple bus routes and light rail stations that are typically within a short walking distance. This makes it a convenient choice for clients who rely on public transit for their commute. For those traveling by car, there are generally several parking garages and metered street parking options available in the immediate vicinity of the building, facilitating smooth and stress-free visits to the office. This ease of accessibility is particularly important when dealing with sensitive and often emotionally charged family law matters, as it reduces logistical burdens for clients.

Furthermore, a downtown Minneapolis presence places Susan C. Rhode in close proximity to key legal institutions, such as federal and state courthouses, and other administrative offices relevant to family law cases. This strategic positioning can aid in more efficient case management, including filings, hearings, and interactions with other legal professionals. For Minnesota residents, knowing their highly experienced legal counsel is situated in such a convenient and strategically important area within the state's legal framework can provide additional peace of mind during what is often a very trying period in their lives.

Susan C. Rhode is a distinguished family law practitioner, offering comprehensive legal and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services tailored to the unique needs of individuals and families navigating complex transitions in Minnesota. Her practice areas include:

• Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage: Providing expert counsel and representation for all aspects of divorce, including high-net-worth divorce cases, guiding clients from initial filing through final decree.
• Complex Financial Issues in Divorce: Specializing in the division of complex assets such as businesses, executive compensation, intellectual property, retirement benefits, and other unusual assets.
• Nonmarital Property Issues: Handling cases involving the identification, valuation, and division of nonmarital property, which is distinct from marital property under Minnesota law.
• Spousal Maintenance (Alimony): Assisting clients with issues related to cash flow, child support, and spousal maintenance (alimony), including establishing and modifying agreements.
• Child Support: Providing legal guidance on the calculation, establishment, and enforcement of child support orders.
• Parenting Matters & Child Well-being: Focusing on the well-being of children in divorce, including child custody, parenting time arrangements, and post-divorce parenting disputes. Her background as an educator informs her child-focused approach.
• Premarital Agreements (Prenuptial Agreements): Drafting and reviewing premarital agreements to protect individual assets and define financial arrangements before marriage.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Services:
  • Mediation: Serving as a neutral third-party mediator to help divorcing couples or parties in family disputes reach mutually agreeable settlements outside of court.
  • Consensual Special Magistrate: Acting as an appointed judicial officer to resolve specific issues within a family law case.
  • Arbitration: Conducting arbitration hearings to provide binding decisions for disputes when parties agree to forgo traditional litigation.
  • Neutral Evaluation: Providing impartial assessments of a case's strengths and weaknesses to help parties evaluate settlement options.
  • Parenting Coordinator: Assisting high-conflict co-parents in implementing their parenting plan and resolving disputes about children without court intervention.
• Agreement Enforcements: Assisting with the enforcement of existing family law agreements and orders.
• Innovative Settlement Programs: Participating in and facilitating programs designed for families in transition to achieve innovative and lasting settlements.

Susan C. Rhode is distinguished by a remarkable set of features and highlights that affirm her standing as a top-tier family law professional in Minnesota:

• Highly Acclaimed "Lawyer of the Year" Honors: She has been named "Lawyer of the Year" in Family Law in Minneapolis by The Best Lawyers in America® multiple times (2012, 2010), and "Family Law Mediation Lawyer of the Year" multiple times (2021, 2018, 2016, 2013). This significant accolade is awarded to only a single lawyer in each practice area and metropolitan area, reflecting profound peer respect for her abilities, professionalism, and integrity.
• Extensive Experience with "Tough Stuff": Susan is known for managing the "tough stuff" in divorce and related parenting cases, demonstrating her capability in handling complex and challenging situations.
• Involvement in Leading Minnesota Cases: She has represented clients in several of Minnesota's leading cases concerning nonmarital property, spousal maintenance, and premarital agreements, showcasing her expertise and influence in state family law.
• Dual Role as Litigator & Neutral Professional: Susan not only represents clients in family law litigation but also works extensively as a mediator, consensual special magistrate, arbitrator, neutral evaluator, and parenting coordinator. This versatility allows her to offer comprehensive solutions, whether through adversarial or alternative dispute resolution paths.
• Focus on Complex Financial Issues: Her practice particularly focuses on the complex financial issues that arise in divorce, including the division of businesses, executive compensation, intellectual property, retirement benefits, and other unusual assets.
• Child-Centered Approach: A reflection of her prior experience as an educator, Susan maintains a particular care and concern for the well-being of children in divorce, shaping her counsel in parenting matters.
• Leadership in the Legal Community: Susan is the co-chair of Moss & Barnett's family law practice area and has held various leadership roles, including being elected to the Mitchell | Hamline School of Law Board of Trustees and serving on the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board. She is also a past chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Ethics Board.
• Frequent Author and Lecturer: She is a frequent author and lecturer on various family law, ethics, and alternative dispute resolution topics, demonstrating her thought leadership and commitment to sharing knowledge within the legal community.
• Consistent "Super Lawyers" Recognition: She has been consistently selected to Minnesota Super Lawyers for many years, further attesting to her high level of legal competence and ethical conduct.

In the realm of highly specialized legal services like family law and mediation, "promotions" often translate into accessibility to expert guidance and a commitment to efficient, resolution-focused processes. While specific traditional "discounts" are not common, Susan C. Rhode offers significant value through her established practice and approach:

• Initial Consultation: While the details regarding the cost of an initial consultation are not explicitly stated as "free," it is common practice for prominent attorneys in this field to offer structured consultations. This initial meeting allows potential clients to discuss their specific family law needs, understand the complexities of their situation, and explore potential legal strategies with a highly experienced professional. Clients are encouraged to contact Moss & Barnett to inquire about scheduling a consultation with Susan C. Rhode.
• Emphasis on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): Susan C. Rhode's extensive work as a mediator, arbitrator, and neutral evaluator is a substantial "offer" in itself. For many families in Minnesota, resolving disputes outside of contentious litigation can lead to more amicable, cost-effective, and lasting solutions. Her expertise in various ADR forums provides clients with pathways to resolution that prioritize cooperation and a smoother transition, which can be invaluable.
• Proactive and Preventative Guidance: While part of her standard service, Susan's focus on managing the "tough stuff" and providing guidance to "smooth and resolve the transitional challenges" for her clients is a proactive benefit. Her ability to foresee issues and offer "innovative settlement programs" helps clients avoid prolonged and expensive disputes, effectively serving as a long-term cost-saving measure and a "special offer" of strategic foresight.

These aspects highlight Susan C. Rhode's commitment to providing comprehensive, client-centered, and strategically intelligent legal services that aim to alleviate stress and achieve positive outcomes for families navigating complex situations in Minnesota.

For Minnesota residents seeking expert legal counsel or alternative dispute resolution services in family law, you can contact Susan C. Rhode through her firm, Moss & Barnett, P.A., using the following details:

Address: Fifth Street Towers, 150 S 5th St, Minneapolis, MN 55402, USA (Her firm, Moss & Barnett, is in Suite 1200).

Phone: (612) 877-5000

Mobile Phone: +1 612-877-5000

You can also typically find more information and direct contact options for Susan C. Rhode on the Moss & Barnett official website.

For individuals and families across Minnesota facing the profound challenges of family law matters, particularly complex divorce and parenting issues, Susan C. Rhode at Moss & Barnett, P.A. stands as an exceptionally suitable and highly advantageous legal professional. Her suitability for locals is profoundly rooted in her unparalleled expertise, multifaceted approach to resolution, and deep integration within the Minnesota legal and community landscape.

Firstly, Susan C. Rhode's highly specialized and recognized expertise in family law is a critical advantage for Minnesota residents. Her repeated recognition as "Lawyer of the Year" in both Family Law and Family Law Mediation by The Best Lawyers in America® signifies a level of peer respect and proven capability that is virtually unmatched in the state. Her involvement in leading Minnesota cases concerning complex financial issues, nonmarital property, and spousal maintenance means she brings a sophisticated understanding of state-specific laws and judicial precedents directly to her clients' cases. For locals, this ensures legal counsel that is not only knowledgeable but also deeply experienced in the nuances of Minnesota family law.

Secondly, her dual role as both a litigator and a highly skilled neutral professional (mediator, arbitrator, parenting coordinator) provides Minnesota clients with invaluable flexibility and choice in how their disputes are resolved. Many families in the state prefer to avoid lengthy and adversarial court battles. Susan's extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution offers a more amicable and often more cost-effective pathway to resolution, helping families achieve closure with less emotional strain. This breadth of service caters directly to the diverse needs and preferences of local individuals navigating sensitive personal matters.

Furthermore, her office location within the Fifth Street Towers in downtown Minneapolis (150 S 5th St) offers exceptional accessibility for clients throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area and beyond. This central and well-connected location minimizes logistical burdens, allowing clients to focus on their legal matters without added stress from travel. Her background as an educator and her particular concern for children's well-being resonate deeply with Minnesota families, providing reassurance that their children's best interests will remain a top priority.

In conclusion, Susan C. Rhode offers Minnesota locals a compelling blend of top-tier legal expertise, compassionate guidance, strategic flexibility through various dispute resolution methods, and a proven commitment to achieving positive and lasting outcomes in family law matters. Her reputation, coupled with her accessible location and child-focused approach, makes her an ideal choice for anyone in the state seeking highly effective and empathetic legal support during life's challenging family transitions.