Rick was born in Anna, Illinois and is the eighth generation of his family to live in downstate Illinois. After attending the Eastern Illinois University Laboratory School and Charleston, Illinois High School, he graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College with a B.A. degree in Government in 1976 and from Vanderbilt University with a J.D degree in 1979.
Rick began practicing law in Indianapolis, Indiana and was an associate in the litigation department of Barnes & Thornburg before becoming the first Corporate Counsel for Resort Condominiums International. For the next 22 years he served as an in-house attorney for public and private companies involved in the hospitality, resort and community development, travel, golf and franchising industries. During this time he had the opportunity to live and work in Indiana, Florida and Arkansas, as well as in Australia and Singapore. This multi-state and international practice experience gave Rick a great national and global perspective for structuring commercial and real estate transactions and business relationships, as well as the skills and ability to establish relationships and work with a wide range of clients and their business partners in multiple jurisdictions.
Rick returned with his family from Australia to his hometown, Charleston, Illinois, in 2004 and established his own law practice, Murray R. Choate II, Attorney At Law, at the beginning of 2005.
For the past 10 years he has advised U.S. and international clients in a broad range of business and real estate transactions and matters, and has prepared, negotiated, documented and finalized commercial relationships and agreements on behalf of these clients. In addition to representing U.S. clients, Rick regularly travels to China, Vietnam, and Australia on behalf of clients and works with international companies and individuals from those countries who wish to invest in the U.S., including through the EB-5 investor visa program.
