Frances Ricci Land Welch

Attorney Ricci Land Welch believes that practicing law in a small, close-knit community like Manning requires a personal touch.

“We treat our clients like family,” she says. “We’re a small-town practice and we run into our clients when we go to Wal-Mart or the grocery store. So we try to be accessible. Most of us don’t screen our calls in the office and we call people back as soon as we can.”

Like the other lawyers in the firm, Ricci maintains a diverse practice to meet clients’ various legal needs. She assists clients with personal-injury cases, and clients seeking Workers Compensation and Social Security disability relief as well as real estate, corporate and probate matters. Ricci is the daughter of firm founder John C. Land III, joining the firm in 1996 after clerking for The Honorable Thomas W. Cooper, Jr. Ricci received her juris doctorate degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Just after joining the firm, she became involved in a high-profile hate-crime case, Macedonia v. Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, in which the defendant organization and several individuals were found guilty of burning the Macedonia Baptist Church in Manning. Ricci was co-counsel in that case to noted anti-discrimination lawyer Morris Dees, handling several direct examinations and cross examinations before a jury returned a verdict of $37.8 million.

But it’s the daily routine of conducting a small-town law practice that brings Ricci the most satisfaction.

“I really like helping people and I truly enjoy my work,” she says. “I enjoy getting to know my clients and their families. The more I know about the client and their situation, the better an advocate I can be for them. She’s quick to point out, however, that sometimes it’s difficult not to feel the pain that has prompted some people to seek her help. Especially clients who have been injured on the job or waiting to have a determination on their Social Security Disability cases.