Lauren Restino

About Lauren Restino

Lauren Restino is a family law associate in Goranson Bain Ausley’s Austin office. She joined the firm full-time after clerking across GBA’s Dallas and Austin offices during her three years at SMU Dedman School of Law, where she was inducted into the National Order of Barristers and named to the State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Honor College in 2024. Lauren represents parents, spouses, and families across divorce, child custody, child support, and adoption — work she came to through advocating for children during law school.

Her practice covers the wide range of family transitions Goranson Bain Ausley handles every day — uncontested matters that families want to resolve quickly, contested cases that require sustained advocacy, and child-focused work where her clinic background applies directly. She represents clients through divorce, child custody and conservatorship, parenting schedules and visitation rights, modifications to existing orders, and adoption.

Lauren’s approach is deliberately calm, organized, and compassionate. She works to bring structure and stability to what can often feel like chaos — providing clear communication, steady guidance, and practical, personalized solutions so clients feel supported, informed, and confident in the decisions ahead. Her goal in every matter is to empower clients to navigate emotional and complex situations in a way that aligns with their long-term priorities and supports their family’s future.

What Sets Her Apart

• State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Honor College. Inducted in 2024 in recognition of pro bono service during law school.
• National Order of Barristers. A national honor for excellence in advocacy, earned at SMU through Head Brief Editor and Advocate roles across the National Veterans Law, Appellate Lawyers Association, and Lefkowitz Trademark national moot court competitions.
• Direct child advocacy experience. Represented abused and neglected children as Guardian Ad Litem and Attorney Ad Litem through the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Child Advocacy Clinic — work that continues to shape her perspective in custody and family cases.
• Federal court training. Served as a judicial extern to the Honorable A. Joe Fish in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, drafting judicial opinions and bench memoranda under supervision.
• Deep GBA grounding. Three clerkships across GBA’s Dallas and Austin offices over her three years of law school — assisting on complex cases and supporting attorneys and paralegals in preparing evidence and managing client communications before joining as an associate.

Practice Focus

Lauren focuses her practice on the family law matters where she has the deepest training and most direct experience, working toward constructive resolutions for each family:

• Divorce. Helps clients move through the divorce process — from amicable, uncontested resolution to contested cases that require sustained advocacy — with clear communication at each stage.
• Child custody. Represents parents through conservatorship questions, primary residence decisions, and the day-to-day arrangements that shape a child’s stability.
• Child support. Establishes and challenges support obligations grounded in Texas Family Code calculations and the realities of a family’s finances.
• Visitation rights and parenting schedules. Builds workable possession orders and parenting plans that protect children’s relationships with both parents.
• Modification and enforcement. Updates existing custody, support, or visitation orders when circumstances change — and enforces orders that aren’t being followed.
• Adoption. Guides families through stepparent, second-parent, agency, and private adoption matters.

Recognition and Credentials

Lauren was inducted into the State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Honor College in 2024 in recognition of her pro bono service during law school. At SMU Dedman School of Law, she was inducted into the National Order of Barristers, received the Master Advocate Award from SMU’s Board of Advocates, and was named Best Oral Advocate in Round at the Jackson Walker Moot Court competition.

During law school, Lauren served as Vice Chair of Off-Campus Advocacy for the SMU Board of Advocates and as Administrative Managing Editor of the International Law Review Association. She externed for the Honorable A. Joe Fish in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and worked as a research assistant to Professor Anna Offit. Before law school, Lauren earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Journalism/Political Science and Communication from the University of Arkansas, graduating in the top 3% of her class.

Beyond the Practice

Lauren practices family law because she cares deeply about the people behind each case — drawn to the human connection at the heart of the work, to listening for what matters most, and to helping clients find a path forward during difficult moments. Her commitment to advocacy began during law school, where she represented abused and neglected children through the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Child Advocacy Clinic as Guardian Ad Litem and Attorney Ad Litem — an experience that shaped her perspective and continues to guide her work with families. Outside the office, Lauren is a loyal Arkansas Razorbacks fan, enjoys watching The Great British Baking Show, and spends time with her Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Stella.

Client Reviews

Going through a divorce is never easy, but my experience with this firm made a difficult time much more manageable. From the very beginning, their team was incredibly caring, compassionate, and understanding. They took the time to listen, answer my questions, and guide me through each step of the process with patience and professionalism. What stood out most was how supported I felt throughout. They balanced empathy with expertise, ensuring I understood my options while always keeping my best interests in mind. I truly feel that the outcome was fair and handled with integrity. I’m very grateful for their help and would highly recommend this firm to anyone navigating a divorce. A big thank you to Kelly, Lauren and Jill. – Alanna G.