Austin Divorce Attorneys

What to Look For in an Austin Family Law Attorney

Choosing a family law attorney is a high-stakes decision, and it’s not always obvious what actually matters. These four factors are the ones worth weighing as you decide – what they mean, and what to ask.

Board Certification by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

When you’re choosing a family lawyer, it can be difficult to know which credentials truly reflect experience. Board Certification in Family Law is one of the strongest indicators. Awarded by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, an organization authorized by the Supreme Court of Texas, it recognizes attorneys who have demonstrated substantial experience in family law, passed a rigorous examination, completed ongoing continuing legal education, and earned recommendations from judges and fellow attorneys. Fewer than 1% of licensed Texas attorneys hold this certification.

Board Certification is an important credential, but it is not the only measure of an excellent family lawyer. Many highly capable attorneys, particularly those earlier in their careers, work closely with Board-Certified colleagues while building the experience required to become certified themselves. In our Austin office, 8 of our 12 attorneys are Board Certified in Family Law, so every client benefits from the collective experience and specialized knowledge of a collaborative team, regardless of which attorney leads their case.

Approach Fit: Litigation, Mediation, or Collaborative

Texas family law offers you three real paths through a divorce:

• Litigation – When important decisions about your future need to be made by a judge, or when negotiation is no longer the right path. 
• Mediation – A neutral mediator helps you and your spouse negotiate and work toward an agreement while keeping decision-making in your hands. where a neutral helps you and your spouse negotiate. 
• Collaborative Divorce – A structured Texas process in which both spouses and their attorneys commit to resolving the divorce outside of court through negotiation and problem-solving. 

Every family law matter is different, and the right approach depends on your goals and the specific circumstances of your case. Because we handle litigation, mediation, and Collaborative Divorce, we can help you choose the process that best aligns with your priorities. 

Texas Community Property Experience

Texas is a community property state, but that does not automatically mean assets are divided equally. Instead, courts are required to divide marital property in a manner that is “just and right,” taking into account the unique facts of each case.

The most complex property divisions often involve business interests, executive compensation such as stock options and restricted stock units (RSUs), retirement accounts, and separate property that has become commingled with marital assets. In these matters, the outcome often depends on careful financial analysis. Our attorneys regularly work with forensic accountants, business valuation experts, and tax professionals to identify, value, and trace assets so clients have a clear understanding of the marital estate and can make informed decisions about their financial future.

Depth of Experience and Specialist Support 

Some family law matters require additional experience beyond the attorney leading your case. That may include appellate attorneys, forensic accountants who trace and value complex assets, business valuation experts, or mental health professionals who help address challenging parenting issues. A well-equipped family law firm can bring those resources together as your case evolves, while maintaining continuity in your representation.

One example is appellate experience. Although relatively few family law cases are appealed, when they are, decisions made during the trial can have lasting consequences. A firm with appellate attorneys can help protect the record throughout the case and, if an appeal becomes necessary, continue representing you without transferring the matter to another firm.

When evaluating any family law firm, ask whether it has access to the specialized experience your case may require – not only today, but if circumstances become more complex as the case progresses.

Meet our Austin family law attorneys

Twelve family law attorneys work from our Austin office, with eight of them Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Our senior partners include people who have shaped this practice for decades.

Since the firm’s earliest days in Austin, our attorneys have been named to the Texas Super Lawyers list year after year since 1980. More than four decades on, that standard still defines the office: 8 of our 12 current Austin attorneys hold Texas Super Lawyers recognition, with two more named as Rising Stars. You can meet the full team, with their backgrounds, credentials, and photos, on our Austin office page.

How Our Austin Attorneys Approach a Divorce

We represent clients across the full spectrum of Texas family law, including high-net-worth divorce and Collaborative Divorce to mediation, property division, child custody, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and family law appeals.

Our approach is guided by a simple principle: pursue a constructive resolution whenever it serves the client’s goals, and be fully prepared to litigate when it does not. GBA has the largest Collaborative Divorce team in the United States, including a dedicated collaborative practice in Austin, as well as experienced trial attorneys and in-house appellate counsel to support clients when court proceedings become necessary.

We also represent clients from every financial and professional background. Whether you’re a business owner, executive, working professional, or a spouse who stepped away from a career to raise a family, we work to ensure that every contribution to the marriage is fully recognized under Texas law and reflected in the strategy we develop for your case.

Talk to a GBA Family Law Attorney in Our Austin Office

Our Austin office is home to twelve family law attorneys, eight of whom are Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. The office has served Austin families for decades, with founding partner Thomas Ausley practicing family law in Austin since 1968. Together, that experience means clients benefit from the collective knowledge and judgment of a team that has handled virtually every type of family law matter, regardless of which attorney leads their case.

That depth of experience also means we can support your case as it evolves. Goranson Bain Ausley has the largest Collaborative Divorce team in the United States, including a dedicated Collaborative Divorce practice in Austin, as well as experienced trial attorneys for matters that require litigation. If an appeal becomes necessary, our firm includes two of only eleven attorneys in Texas who are Board Certified in both Family Law and Civil Appellate Law, allowing your case to remain with the same trusted team from beginning to end.

The next step is simply a conversation. We’ll take the time to understand your goals, explain the legal and practical considerations that may affect your case, and help you make informed decisions about the approach that best fits your circumstances.