Kelly Chang Rickert

Kelly Chang Rickert (born February 12, 1976) is a distinguished attorney-mediator in the field of family law. She is best recognized in the media for her appearance as a contestant on the 2005 NBC reality program The Law Firm as well as her expert commentary on the Britney Spears custody case.
Biography
Kelly Chang Rickert was born Kelly Yi-Yi Chang in Taiwan to H.H. Chang and Linda Chang. In 1982, at the age of six, she moved to the United States. She later graduated from Montville Township High School in New Jersey in 1994. From 1994 to 1997, Kelly Chang Rickert attended the University of California Los Angeles where she graduated with honors and earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She continued her education at the University of San Diego earning her Juris Doctor in 1999.
Kelly Chang Rickert began her legal career as an associate with Dryden, Margoles, Schimaneck & Wertz in San Francisco. She later worked for Haight, Brown & Bonesteel (2000-2002), and Cooper, White & Cooper (2002-2004). In 2004, Chang Rickert moved to Los Angeles to begin taping on the reality program The Law Firm. She was one of twelve contestants on the show developed by Emmy-winning producer David E. Kelley. The show premiered in December 2005. The first two episodes of the programs aired on NBC Universal. The show finished its run on Bravo. Kelly was the first contestant to be “fired”. In 2006, Kelly Chang launched her own law firm in Los Angeles, CA. The firms practice areas include family law and evictions. Several media outlets have tapped Kelly, including MTV, for her expert opinion on high profile family law cases, including the ongoing Britney Spears custody battle.
. She was recently selected as the family law expert for the legal website gottrouble.com Chang Rickert is admitted to practice law in California, and before the Supreme Court of the United States.
Chang Rickert also serves as professional mediator for family law disputes. She began mediating in 2000 in association with the San Diego Mediation Center. She later served as a pioneer mediator at Squaretrade, where she facilitated mediations for over 200 online disputes arising out of eBay transactions. She has received trained in advanced mediation from mediation experts Forrest Mosten, the "father" of unbundled legal services, and Diana Mercer. In her current practice, she mediates divorces and other family law disputes.
Kelly is a Certified Family Law Specialist, certified by the Board of Legal Specialization for the California State Bar. She has also been recognized as an outstanding lawyer in 2008, 2009, and 2010 by the magazine Super Lawyers.
Kelly was married to Scott G. Rickert, on September 8, 2007, at the Little White Wedding Chapel, in Las Vegas, NV. Scott is the founder of Lakeside Learning educational centers. Kelly is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese, and French.
Media appearances
*Contestant/Showcase Showdown Winner, “The Price is Right” (1994)
*Contestant, NBC, The Law Firm ( 2005)
*Legal Expert, MTV, “Britney Spears' Bad Driving Is A 'Huge Problem' For Custody Case, Experts Say” (2007)
*Legal Expert, MTV, “Britney Spears, Legally Speaking: Top Lawyers Say She Can Get Kids Back, If She Follows Advice” (2007)
*Legal Expert, KNBC News, featurette “The Legal Grind”
*Legal Expert, VideoJug
*Legal Expert, TV Guide Network, Hollywood 411
*Legal Expert, American Marriage Movie
Footnotes

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