McIntyre Tate LLP

Providence tenure and defined scope

McIntyre Tate LLP says it has been established in Providence for more than 30 years. Its stated practice has two main branches: family law and civil litigation. Business and commercial litigation sit within the civil side.

That division gives prospective clients a clear account of the matters the attorneys handle. The listed services range across domestic disputes, business claims, insurance cases and injury litigation. In my opinion, the defined split makes the firm's work easy to understand without relying on broad claims.

Family law services and court process

Parenting, support and visitation

The family law list includes child custody, child support and visitation. These matters can require close attention to parenting schedules, financial records and the needs of the children involved. Parents may also need to address decision-making authority, transportation, school arrangements and communication methods.

Custody and visitation cases often begin with pleadings that explain each parent's requested arrangement. Courts may review testimony, existing care patterns and documents tied to a child's daily life. Temporary orders can govern the family while the case remains pending.

Child support proceedings usually require income information and records of certain child-related costs. The parties may address health insurance, childcare and changes in employment or earnings. Later changes in family or financial circumstances can also lead to a request to modify an existing order.

Divorce and family agreements

Divorce is another stated area of work. A divorce case may involve financial disclosure, property division, debt allocation, support and parenting issues. Settlement discussions can resolve some or all of those questions, while a judge decides any issues that remain contested.

The firm also lists premarital agreements. Laura Ruzzo Reale's stated work includes both premarital and post-marital agreements, as well as property settlements. These documents often require a clear account of assets, debts, income and the rights each party intends to define.

Adoption is part of the firm's family law menu as well. Adoption proceedings generally involve court filings, required consents and judicial review. The exact steps depend on the family relationship and the legal status of the people involved.

Civil litigation across several types of dispute

Business, contract and construction cases

Business and commercial litigation appears prominently within the firm's civil work. The site also identifies contract disputes and construction defect litigation. Each category can turn on a detailed written record and the conduct of the parties after an agreement was made.

Contract litigation commonly requires review of the agreement, amendments, correspondence, payment records and evidence of performance. A court may need to decide what the contract required, whether a party failed to meet that requirement and what loss followed. Early attention to the governing terms can shape both motions and settlement talks.

Construction defect cases can involve building plans, contracts, change orders, inspection records and repair estimates. The parties may dispute the cause of a condition, responsibility for the work and the cost of correction. Technical evidence can become central when several contractors, designers or property owners took part in the project.

Class actions and insurance disputes

Class actions are specifically listed, and Stephen M. Prignano's stated areas include class action and mass tort matters. In a proposed class action, the court must decide whether the claims meet the rules for class treatment. Questions about common issues, the proposed representatives and the definition of the group often receive close review.

Class litigation also depends on records that can show whether the same conduct affected a defined group. The certification stage can shape the course of the case before the court reaches the merits. Notice and claims procedures may follow if the court certifies a class or approves a settlement.

Insurance and disability insurance litigation also appear on the civil list. These cases often require close reading of policy language, exclusions, definitions and claim records. Disability disputes may add medical material, occupation evidence and proof concerning the claimant's ability to work.

Injury, product and probate matters

The firm identifies personal injury and product liability among its services. Richard A. Boren also lists personal injury within his practice. Such cases commonly involve evidence about causation, the nature of an injury and the amount of claimed loss.

Product liability disputes may concern design, manufacture, instructions or warnings. Records about the product, its use and the event can carry much of the factual weight. Medical files, photographs and witness accounts may also affect how an injury claim develops.

Probate administration and guardianship litigation complete the firm's published civil list. Probate work can require attention to wills, asset records, accountings and the conduct of a fiduciary. Guardianship disputes may involve capacity, personal welfare and the proposed guardian's ability to carry out court-ordered duties.

Attorney roles and stated backgrounds

A roster led by five partners

The attorneys page names five partners and one associate. Jerry L. McIntyre, Deborah Miller Tate, Stephen M. Prignano, Laura Ruzzo Reale and Richard A. Boren are partners. Nicholas Hunt is listed as an associate.

Jerry McIntyre focuses on family law. Stephen Prignano's listed work spans family law, civil litigation, class action and mass torts, general litigation and insurance coverage. His stated areas connect the firm's two main practice branches.

Richard Boren practices in family law, divorce, business law, personal injury, litigation and appeals. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Rhode Island. Appellate work generally centers on the trial court record, preserved legal issues and written briefs presented to a reviewing court.

Family law depth within the partnership

Laura Ruzzo Reale practices family law and represents clients in divorce, child custody, spousal support, child support and adoption matters. Her stated work also covers parental relocation, property settlements, and premarital and post-marital agreements. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Manhattan College.

Deborah Miller Tate has held several identified professional roles and distinctions. She served as President of the Rhode Island Bar Association during 1999 and 2000. She became a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in 1991 and received designation as a Diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers in 2004.

Tate was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and raised in Blackstone, Massachusetts. She attended Classical High School in Providence. Those details add local context to a roster based in the city.

Experience stated in measurable terms

The firm reports more than 150 years of combined attorney experience. It also states that five attorneys each have over 25 years of family law experience. Those figures describe the length of the team's work and place a clear emphasis on family matters.

The partner and associate titles also make the public team structure plain. Named practice areas connect McIntyre and Reale closely with family law, while Prignano and Boren list work that reaches into civil disputes. Tate's bar leadership and matrimonial law affiliations add dated, verifiable points to the attorney record supplied by the firm.

County court activity in Rhode Island

The firm's stated court activity reaches several parts of Rhode Island. It regularly appears in county courts, which gives its attorneys repeated contact with local filing practices and courtroom procedures. Family and civil cases still turn on their own facts, records and governing law.

Prospective clients can use the published practice list to frame an initial discussion. Useful materials may include court orders, contracts, insurance policies, financial statements, medical records or correspondence, depending on the dispute. A clear timeline can also help counsel identify deadlines, disputed events and missing documents.

McIntyre Tate LLP identifies regular appearances in Providence, Kent, Washington and Newport County courts.