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Kathryn J. Murphy Awarded Prestigious Sam Emison Award

August 17, 2021

Goranson Bain Ausley partner Kathryn J. Murphy was recognized with the 2021 Sam Emison Award, one of the most coveted awards in Texas family law.  Each year, this award is bestowed upon one exceptionally distinguished family law practitioner or judge who has demonstrated a significant commitment and made significant contributions to family law practice in the State of Texas.

Murphy is the third Goranson Bain Ausley attorney to receive the distinguished Sam Emison Award honors from the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists.  In 2016, Diana S. Friedman and 2013, Thomas L. Ausley were recognized for their leadership and service in family law.

“Kathryn has inspired generations through her leadership and mentorship within our firm and the family law profession,” said P. Lindley Bain, Managing Partner. “With dedication, compassion, collegiality, and a relentless focus on achieving better outcomes for clients, she continues to challenge the status quo and make things better.”

In a career that has spanned more than 30 years, Murphy has developed a stellar reputation as one of Texas’ most qualified family law attorneys. Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Murphy is a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists and a Fellow of the prestigious International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and the Texas Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, where she is a Past-President.  She is also a past Chair of the Family Law Council of the State Bar of Texas, and she is a Member of the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors.

Murphy is a Diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, representing the top 100 family law attorneys in the United States.

Murphy received the Dan Price Award from the State Bar of Texas in 2018, and in 2013, she was the recipient of the Annette Stewart Inn of Court, Serjeant of the Inn Award.

Murphy was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in Dallas by Best Lawyers in America – Family Law, Woodward and White Press.  Only a single lawyer in each practice area within a community is honored with this distinction.  She also received the “Lawyer of the Year” in Dallas – Family Law recognition in 2015 and 2017.

Murphy has extensive trial experience in family law, and she is the author of numerous family law publications and a sought-after speaker at legal profession continuing education conferences.

You can read more about Kathryn’s accomplishment on BusinessWire.

About Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists (TAFLS)
Established in 1984, The Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists is a professional organization of Board Certified family law attorneys and Board Certified family law paralegals.

About Goranson Bain Ausley

Goranson Bain Ausley is a leading family law firm in Texas, building on a long-standing record of trustworthy, successful advocacy for clients. For more than 40 years, Goranson Bain Ausley has fostered a constructive and strategic approach to help clients protect assets, control costs, minimize disruption, and achieve the most advantageous results.

In 2020, U.S. News & World Report named Goranson Bain Ausley a Best Law Firm in its U.S. News – Best Lawyers® for family law and family law mediation, an achievement that involved a rigorous independent evaluation process.

The firm has been named a Top Workplace by the Dallas Morning News and a Best Places to Work by the Dallas Business Journal and Austin Business Journal.