A Strong Advocate When The Stakes Are High
I represent successful professionals and their spouses, including C-suite executives and business owners, with a range of high-level issues, including complex asset characterization and valuation and custody cases. Many of my clients are conscientious parents who put their children first and want to minimize the impact of divorce on their children. My goal is to guide people through a difficult time, provide assurance of better days ahead, and solve problems without escalating conflict.
How we do it:
- Achieve client goals in or out of court through experience and preparation, using my analytical skills, and being detail-oriented in negotiations.
- Protect clients’ interests and manage costs by helping them make emotionally and financially responsible choices.
- Make divorce a less toxic dynamic and work towards a constructive and efficient resolution.
- Create a rational cost/benefit analysis of proposed actions to give clients peace of mind that they are on the right track.
Professional Credentials
Hayley is experienced in all facets of family law, offering expertise in complex custody and financial matters, and managing cases that involve addictions, mental health issues, and special needs children. A strong advocate of mediation, she believes it aids clients in reaching an agreement and allows them to remain in control of the process. Hayley is trained in Collaborative Law and uses alternative dispute resolution to settle difficult cases and make divorce less toxic. Hayley prioritizes reaching a negotiated agreement; however, she is a fierce advocate for clients when court is the only option. Board-certified in family law, Hayley has been named to Best Lawyers Under 40, D Magazine, 2018, 2021 and 2022, and Up and Coming 50: Women Texas Rising Stars List, Thomson Reuters, 2018-2022. Hayley has also been included in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Family Law, Woodward and White Press, 2019 – 2023.
Hayley is a Dallas divorce attorney working out of Goranson Bain Ausley’s Dallas & Plano office locations.
Interests
Beyond her engagement in the legal communities of Collin, Denton and Dallas, Hayley serves as an enthusiastic mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters. A people person, she enjoys spending time with friends and family.
Services
- Divorce
- Collaborative Divorce
- Litigated Divorce
- Negotiated Divorce
- Complex Property
- Child Custody
- Parenting Schedules
- Mental Health and Addiction in Divorce
- Child Support
- Visitation Rights
- Grandparent Visitation and Custody Rights in Texas
- LGBTQ+ Parenting Rights
- Property Division
- Dividing the Marital Home
- Characterization of Separate and Community Property
- Business Valuation in Divorce
- Pre-Divorce Guidance
- Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
- High Net Worth Divorce
- High Conflict Divorce
- Divorce for Business Owners
- LGBTQ+ Divorce
- Contested Divorce
- Uncontested Divorce
- Divorce for Women
- Divorce for Men
- Adoption
- Becoming a Foster Parent
- Paternity
- Cohabitation Agreement
- Alimony & Spousal Support Maintenance
- Modification and Enforcement
- Appealing a Divorce Decree or Judgment
- Gray Divorce
Honors & Awards
- Best Lawyers Under 40, D Magazine, 2018, 2021, and 2022
- Selected to the Texas Rising Star list, Thomson Reuters, 2015 – 2019, 2021-2023
- Up-and-Coming 100: Texas Rising Stars List, Thomson Reuters, 2018 & 2020-2023
- Up-and-Coming 50: Women Texas Rising Stars List, Thomson Reuters, 2018 – 2023
- Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Family Law, Woodward and White Press, 2019 – 2023
- Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch © in the field of Family Law, Woodward and White Press, 2021
Articles
Articles
- Five Tips For Making Divorce Less Painful August 30, 2022
- Property Division 101: Answering Eight Important Questions About Property Division in Texas Divorce October 25, 2021
- Allocating Parental Rights in Divorce May 25, 2017
- Child Support for Adults with Disabilities in Texas: Customized Support After 18 January 11, 2017
- Recording Your Spouse – A Preliminary Guide October 20, 2014
Published Works
- Division of Marital Assets, visiting lecturer, Family Law Course, Southern Methodist University School of Law (2019)
- Are Your Pleadings And Discovery Ready for Trial?, Advanced Family Law Drafting Course (2018)
- Annulment and Jurisdiction, visiting lecturer, Family Law Course, Southern Methodist University School of Law (2018)
Videos & Podcasts
Videos
Presentations
- “Preparing for the Board Certification Exam”, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2019
- LGBTQIA: Family Law Update, Presentation at Insights Collaborative Therapy Group to the DFW LGBTQIA Professionals Group, 2015
Professional Associations
- Annette Stewart American Inn of Court
- Member
- Collin County Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Member
- Dallas Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Member
- Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
- Member
- State Bar of Texas, Family Law, LGBT Law, Juvenile Law, and Women and the Law Section
- Member
- Texas Family Law Foundation
- Member
Education
- Saint Louis University School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri, 2011
- J.D., Law
- Southern Methodist University, 2008
- B.A., English and Philosophy
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 2011
Certifications
Board Certified in Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2019