A highly respected attorney who was named Lawyer of the Year in Family Law, Dallas/Ft. Worth by The Best Lawyers in America 2016, Diana S. Friedman has joined her family law practice with that of GoransonBain Ausley’s. Diana shares the core values of GoransonBain Ausley in helping clients make the difficult transition through family law problems in the best way possible.
Diana recognizes that divorce and other family law issues are very personal experiences, so she strives to build comfortable, trusting relationships with her clients. She works with clients to establish goals for their cases, giving them the benefit of her experience in weighing the pros and cons of different courses of action. She advocates tenaciously for her clients both in and outside of the courtroom. Diana thrives on the connections she makes with clients and the opportunity to provide assistance that really matters in clients’ day-to-day lives as well as their long-term futures.
With an undergraduate degree in business and a background in a family business, Diana excels in cases that involve complex property issues. She brings a cutting-edge knowledge of the law to her clients, and utilizes her creativity in effectively resolving challenging and difficult cases.
Diana is also passionate about working on legislation that will improve divorce laws. She is co-chair of a family law section Legislative Committee that recently secured passage of a bill establishing qualifications for court-appointed child custody evaluators. She believes that working on the front lines of divorce law and being aware of trends helps her better inform her clients and explain the law to them.
Diana has been widely recognized for her expertise in family law. She has been honored as one of the Dallas 500—The Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth 2016. In addition, she has been named to The Best Lawyers in America by Woodward White, Inc.—2010-2021, and to D Magazine Best Lawyers in Dallas—2013, 2015- 2017, among other recognitions. Diana has written numerous articles on family law topics, and she speaks frequently throughout Texas.
As a GBA partner and well recognized luminary in Dallas divorce law, Diana has the experience and acumen to handle high asset, high net worth divorce cases.
She and her husband of 26 years enjoy hiking, traveling, and wine.
Services
- Divorce
- High Net Worth Divorce
- Divorce for Business Owners
- Business Valuation in Divorce
- Property Division
- Dividing the Marital Home
- Characterization of Separate and Community Property
- Complex Property
- Divorce for Men
- Divorce for Women
- Mental Health and Addiction in Divorce
- Child Custody
- Parenting Schedules
- Grandparent Visitation and Custody Rights in Texas
- Visitation Rights
- LGBTQ+ Parenting Rights
- Child Support
- Adoption
- Becoming a Foster Parent
- Paternity
- Alimony & Spousal Support Maintenance
- Cohabitation Agreement
- LGBTQ+ Divorce
- Contested Divorce
- Uncontested Divorce
- Litigated Divorce
- Negotiated Divorce
- Appealing a Divorce Decree or Judgment
- High Conflict Divorce
- Pre-Divorce Guidance
- Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
- Modification and Enforcement
- Modifying Child Support
- Gray Divorce
Honors & Awards
- Sam Emison Award, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, 2016
- Dallas 500 – The Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas Fort-Worth, 2016
- Lawyer of the Year in Family Law, Dallas/Ft. Worth, The Best Lawyers in America, 2016
- Dan R. Price Award Recipient, Texas Bar Foundation, Family Law Section, 2014
- Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Family Law, Best Lawyers, 2010 – 2021, 2024
- “A Standing Ovation” Award, Texas Bar CLE, 2015
- Selected to the “Best Lawyers in Dallas: Family Law”, D Magazine, 2013, 2015 – 2017
- Selected to the “Best Lawyers Under 40″, D Magazine, 2004
- Selected to the Texas Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, 2003 – 2023
- Selected to the “Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers”, Thomson Reuters – 2004- 2007, 2010 – 2015, and 2018 – 2020
- Selected to the “Top 100: Dallas/Fort Worth Region Super Lawyer”, Thomson Reuters – 2011 – 2015, 2017
- Selected to the “Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers”, Thomson Reuters, 2011, 2013, 2017
- Named to the 500 Leading Family Lawyers List, LawDragon, 2024
Published Works
- “Premarital Agreements: Making Your Own Rules!”, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2019
- Panel Discussion, Legislative Update, State Bar of Texas, Panelist, 2019
- “Defending the Accused”, Innovations: Breaking Boundaries in Custody Litigation, State Bar of Texas, Panelist, 2019
- “Parental Alienation and Childhood Trauma”, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2018
- Different Strokes for Different Folks, Innovations: Breaking Boundaries in Custody Litigation, State Bar of Texas, Moderator, 2017
- Pick a Number, Any Number: Valuing Business, Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas, Moderator, 2017
- Direct & Cross of a Tracing Expert, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2016
- 2015 Legislative Update: Family Law, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2015
- Legislative Update, Legislative Update 2015, Family Law
- The Witness You Don’t Want and How to Deal With Them, Innovations, 2015
- Contempt Trial Demonstration, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2014
- You Don’t Own Me – Alienation and Reunification, Innovations, 2014
- Obtaining and Modifying Above Guidelines Child Support, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2013
- Legislative Update – Current Issues, Marriage Dissolution, 2013
- Who Are You and What Do You Do, Innovations, 2013
- Attachment Issues/Visitation Under Three, Marriage Dissolution, 2012
- Social Studies, Psychological Evaluations, Child Custody Evaluations – What’s in a Name, Marriage Dissolution, 2012
- If you don’t know where you’re going, you will probably end up someplace else: Legal and psychological principles and methodologies applied to successful complex custody litigation, Innovations, 2012
- Possession and Access for Children Under Three, Advanced Family Law Course, 2011
- Plutoed Parents: Preventing and Overcoming Parental Alienation, Family Law on the Front Lines, 2011
- The 2 Steps to the 12 Steps: How to Determine if a Parent is a Druggie, a Drunk, or Just Dry, 2010 Parent Child Relationships Conference, 2010
- The New Parent Coordination/Facilitation Statute: What’s In, What’s Out, Marriage Dissolution, 2010
- Application of Child Development Research to Crafting Age appropriate Possession Orders for Children Under Three, Family Law on the Front Lines, 2010
- Premarital and Post marital Agreements with Ethical Considerations, Advanced Family Law Drafting, 2010
- The Sixth Sense: I Hear Voices, But Is The Child Being Heard? (Which Perspective Really Matters to the Court?), Parenting Child Relationships: Critical Thinking for Critical Issues, 2009
- Family Law Contracts: Pre and Post Marital Agreements; Divorce Decrees; AID’s; Application of Transactional Contract and Related Law; Enforcement Breach and Contractual Defenses, 2009
- Finding Solutions for Dividing Property in a Troubled Economy, 2009
- Characterization Challenges, 2008
- Making the Most of Social Studies and Psychological Evaluations, Family Law on the Front Lines, The University of Texas School of Law, 2008
- Sex, Lies & The Internet: Internet Behavior,” Family Law on the Front Lines, The University of Texas School of Law, 2007
- Who Gets the Debts, or Worse, I’m Gonna File for Bankruptcy, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2006
- Ethical Dilemmas, Family Law on the Front Lines, The University of Texas School of Law, 2005
- Ka-ching, Ka-ching, Kachina? The Modern Day Cash Register, 2005
- Hoping for the Best and Planning for the Worst: Creative Pre- and Post- Marital agreements, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2004
- Experts Where Are We Now, Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas, 2003
- Marital Property and Estate Planning Issues: Characterization and Attacking Trusts, Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs), etc., Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2003
- Complex Trust Issues, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2003
- Bankruptcy and Family Law, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2000
- Sex, Lies & Liabilities: Bankruptcy and Family Law, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1998
Professional Associations
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Fellow
- Dallas Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Member
- Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
- Chair, CLE Committee, 1995 – 1997
- District 6-A Grievance Committee
- Member, 1996 – 2002
- State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section
- Member
- Chair
- Family Law Council
- Member, 2002 – Present
- Chair, 2013 – 2014
- Co-Chair, Legislative Committee, 2007 to present
- Co-Course Director, Advanced Family Law Course, 2012
- Planning Committee – Advanced Family Law Course , 2016
- Co-Course Director, New Frontiers in Marital Property Law, 2006
- Family Law Practice Manual Committee, 1993 – 1994
- State Bar Mentoring Program
- Texas Academy of Family Law Specialist
- Member
- Past President
- Texas Association of Family Law Specialists Trial Institute
- Course Director, 2007
- Texas Family Law Foundation
- Member
- Past President, 2013-2015
- The College of Master Advocates and Barristers
- Member, 2001
- Dedman School of Law at SMU
- Alumnae Steering Committee
- Southern Methodist University
- ATLA Mock Trial Team, Coach, 1993
Education
- Southern Methodist University School of Law, 1991
- J.D. (Cum Laude), Law
- Order of the Coif
- Louisiana State University , 1984
- B.S.
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1991
Certifications
Board Certified in Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1996
