Chris Nickelson

About Chris Nickelson

High-net-worth individuals, business owners, executives, and their spouses turn to Chris Nickelson when divorce involves substantial assets, complex property interests, or significant legal issues that may require appellate review. A partner at Goranson Bain Ausley, Chris is Board Certified in both Family Law and Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by few attorneys in Texas.

A former Chair of the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section and a nationally recognized family law attorney, Chris brings extensive experience to financially complex family law matters. He is also frequently called upon by other family lawyers to provide appellate counsel and strategic guidance in cases involving substantial estates and difficult legal questions.

Chris’s practice encompasses the characterization and division of separate and community property, closely held business interests, complex valuation disputes, reimbursement claims, and the enforcement of premarital and marital agreements. His representative appellate work includes successfully defending judgments that confirmed more than $1 billion in assets as a client’s separate property.

What distinguishes Chris is his ability to approach complex family law litigation with an appellate lawyer’s perspective. He anticipates legal issues, develops strategies that account for both trial and potential appellate review, and works to protect his clients’ interests at every stage. Whether representing the spouse who built a business or the spouse seeking a fair division of a substantial marital estate, he brings the same careful analysis and strategic judgment to the case.

Chris believes clients make better decisions when they understand the law, their options, and the realistic range of outcomes. He takes time to understand each client’s priorities and develops an approach tailored to their circumstances. He works toward an efficient resolution when possible and is prepared to litigate when necessary.

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What Sets Him Apart

• Double Board Certified in Family Law and Civil Appellate Law. Chris is one of the few attorneys in Texas Board Certified in both fields. His dual certification brings a valuable perspective to complex family law matters, allowing him to consider how decisions made during litigation may affect the outcome at trial and the options available if a judgment is appealed.
• Experience With Substantial Estates. Chris represents clients in sophisticated property disputes involving business interests, separate property, valuation, and marital agreements. His appellate experience includes successfully defending judgments confirming more than $1 billion in assets as a client’s separate property.
• Trusted by Other Family Lawyers. Attorneys across Texas turn to Chris for appellate representation and strategic guidance in complex family law matters. He frequently works alongside trial counsel, identifying consequential legal issues and helping preserve the record when appellate review may be necessary.
• Statewide Leadership and Recognition. A former Chair of the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, Chris has helped advance the profession through leadership, legal writing, and continuing education.

Practice Focus

Chris focuses on family law matters that benefit from sophisticated financial analysis, strategic litigation, and an appellate perspective.

• Family Law and Divorce Appeals. Chris represents clients in appeals involving property divisions, protective orders, and other family law rulings. He identifies potential legal errors, develops appellate arguments, and represents clients before appellate courts. He also works with trial counsel to address appellate issues before a final judgment is entered.
• High Net Worth Divorce. Chris represents individuals and spouses with substantial marital estates, including business owners, executives, and professionals. He addresses complex financial issues involving valuation, tracing, separate property claims, and the division of significant assets.
• Complex Property Division. Chris handles intricate property disputes involving multiple asset classes, business interests, and contested ownership claims. He works to untangle complex financial holdings and present the issues clearly to clients and courts.
• Business Valuation in Divorce. Chris works with financial experts to examine the assumptions, methodology, and evidence underlying business valuations. He represents both business owners and spouses seeking an accurate determination of a business’s value in the marital estate.
• Characterization of Separate and Community Property. Chris handles disputes over whether assets constitute separate or community property, including matters involving commingled funds, inherited assets, and property acquired before marriage. His work frequently requires detailed tracing and financial analysis.
• Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements. Chris drafts marital agreements designed to address complex financial interests and reduce future uncertainty. He also represents clients in disputes involving the interpretation, validity, and enforcement of these agreements.
• Divorce for Business Owners. Chris helps business owners navigate the division of substantial marital estates while addressing the financial and operational interests of the businesses they have built.

Representative Appellate Matters

Chris has represented clients in appeals involving substantial marital estates, contested property divisions, and significant questions of Texas family law.

• In re P.A., No. 05-22-01048-CV, 2024 WL 1652352 (Tex. App.—Dallas Apr. 17, 2024, pet. denied)
  • Successfully defended summary judgments enforcing a premarital agreement, resulting in more than $1 billion in assets being confirmed as the client’s separate property.
• Z.S. v. L.S., 676 S.W.3d 845 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2023, no pet.)
  • Obtained reversal of a family violence protective order where the trial court conducted an improper ex parte interview of a child and denied cross-examination and rebuttal evidence.
• S.T. v. H.K., Nos. 02-21-00408-CV, 02-21-00420-CV, 02-22-00010-CV, 2023 WL 2607751 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth Mar. 23, 2023, pet. denied)
  • Successfully defended the trial court’s property division and appointment of a receiver to sell the marital residence.
• In re Lisa Miller, No. 22-0542 (Tex. 2022)
  • Successfully defended trial court orders authorizing out-of-state reunification therapy upon proof of severe parental alienation.
• In re K.K.W., No. 05-16-00795-CV, 2018 WL 1477533 (Tex. App.—Dallas Mar. 27, 2018, no pet.)
  • Successfully defended against claims alleging fraud in a divorce property settlement agreement.
• Litman v. Litman, 402 S.W.3d 280 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2013, pet. denied)
  • Successfully defended the trial court’s property division in a contested marital estate.

These matters illustrate Chris’s experience in particular cases. Results depend on the facts and applicable law, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Collaboration With Trial Counsel

Chris regularly works alongside trial lawyers within Goranson Bain Ausley and across Texas on complex family law matters. He is often brought into cases early to identify consequential legal issues, advise on trial strategy, and help preserve the record for potential appellate review.

His collaborative work includes defending substantial reimbursement claims, including claims exceeding $247 million, addressing complex property divisions, and assisting trial teams in contested custody matters. He also serves as appellate counsel when trial court rulings are challenged.

This approach allows trial counsel to draw on Chris’s appellate experience while developing and presenting the case, rather than waiting until an appeal becomes necessary.

Recognition and Credentials

Chris is recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in both Family Law and Appellate Practice. He has been named a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters every year since 2014, including selection to the Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers list in 2025. He has also been recognized among Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Family Lawyers and named a Top Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine since 2007.

His professional leadership reflects his longstanding involvement in Texas family law. Chris is a past Chair of the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, serves on the State Bar Board of Directors for District 7, and chairs the Committee on Pattern Jury Charges for Family and Probate.

A frequent author and presenter, Chris teaches at statewide continuing legal education programs, including Advanced Family Law, Marriage Dissolution, and New Frontiers in Marital Property Law.

His contributions to legal education have been recognized with the Franklin Jones, Jr. CLE Award and the Joseph W. McKnight Best Family Law CLE Article Award.

Beyond the Practice

Chris is drawn to family law because it allows him to help people navigate consequential transitions in their lives. He understands that even the most financially complex cases involve personal decisions about family, finances, and the future. His goal is to help clients understand what is possible, make informed decisions, and develop a plan that reflects their priorities.

Away from the office, Chris and his partner enjoy traveling and are renovating their 100-year-old home in Fort Worth’s historic Ryan Place neighborhood. They are also the self-described “fun uncles” to seven nieces and nephews.