Lauren Restino

About Lauren Restino

Lauren Restino is a family law attorney in Goranson Bain Ausley’s Austin office. She represents clients in divorce, child custody, child support, modification, adoption, and other family law matters, with particular experience helping parents of infants and young children navigate custody and parenting arrangements.

Parenting schedules for very young children often require careful consideration of a child’s age, development, routines, and relationship with each parent. Lauren helps clients work through these issues and develop practical arrangements that meet their children’s needs while providing parents with greater clarity and predictability.

Lauren also regularly represents clients in agreed and uncontested family law matters. When families are able to reach agreement, she helps them move efficiently through the legal process while making sure their agreements address the issues that matter for their future. When disputes require litigation, Lauren brings the same organized, thoughtful approach to contested matters and works alongside experienced GBA attorneys on complex family law cases.

Lauren’s approach is calm, organized, and compassionate. She works to bring structure to what can feel like an overwhelming process, providing clear communication, steady guidance, and practical solutions so clients understand their options and can make confident decisions about their families and their future.

What Sets Her Apart

• Experience with young families. Lauren regularly works with parents navigating custody and parenting arrangements for infants and young children, where a child’s developmental stage and family circumstances may call for more individualized possession schedules.
• A practical approach to agreed matters. When clients are able to reach agreement, Lauren helps them resolve divorce, custody, and other family law matters efficiently while making sure important legal and practical issues are addressed.
• A child-focused perspective. Lauren represented abused and neglected children as both Guardian Ad Litem and Attorney Ad Litem through the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Child Advocacy Clinic. That experience continues to inform how she approaches custody and parenting matters.
• Litigation experience. Lauren represents clients in contested family law matters and works alongside experienced GBA attorneys on complex cases, giving her experience with matters that require strategic preparation and sustained advocacy.
• Clear, responsive communication. Lauren understands that clients are often making important decisions during an uncertain time. She focuses on helping them understand the legal process, their options, and the practical implications of the decisions ahead.

Practice Focus

Lauren represents clients across a range of Texas family law matters, with an emphasis on practical solutions tailored to each family’s circumstances:

• Divorce. Helps clients navigate divorce from agreed and uncontested resolutions to contested matters requiring litigation, with clear guidance throughout the process.
• Child custody. Represents parents in conservatorship, primary residence, possession, and other custody matters, with particular experience in cases involving infants and young children.
• Parenting schedules. Helps parents develop workable possession schedules based on their children’s ages, routines, developmental needs, and family circumstances, including phased or “step-up” schedules when appropriate.
• Child support. Helps clients establish or challenge support obligations based on Texas law and the financial circumstances of the family.
• Modification and enforcement. Assists parents when changing circumstances require existing custody, support, or possession orders to be modified or when existing orders need to be enforced.
• Adoption. Guides families through stepparent, second-parent, agency, and private adoption matters.

Recognition and Credentials

Lauren has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Family Law in 2027.

She is active in the Austin legal community through the Austin Bar Association and Austin Young Lawyers Association and supports the work of the Texas Family Law Foundation.

Lauren’s commitment to advocacy began before she entered private practice. At SMU Dedman School of Law, she was inducted into the National Order of Barristers and the State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Honor College and received the Master Advocate Award from SMU’s Board of Advocates. She also 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.

Lauren served as a judicial extern to the Honorable A. Joe Fish in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and represented children as both Guardian Ad Litem and Attorney Ad Litem through the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Child Advocacy Clinic.

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.

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.

Lauren Restino provided excellent legal representation throughout a challenging process. She was knowledgeable, professional, and compassionate every step of the way. Her guidance and expertise made a difficult situation much easier to navigate. I would highly recommend Lauren and her firm to anyone seeking caring and competent legal support. – David B.

Beyond the Practice

Lauren practices family law because she values the human connection at the heart of the work—listening to what matters most to clients and helping them find a path forward during difficult transitions.

Her interest in advocating for families began during law school, when she represented abused and neglected children through the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Child Advocacy Clinic as both Guardian Ad Litem and Attorney Ad Litem. That experience helped shape the child-focused perspective she brings to her family law practice today.

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.