Austin Divorce Mediation Attorneys

Meet Our Austin Divorce Mediation Team

Kristiana Butler, Partner: Kristiana Butler is a high-net-worth divorce attorney and partner in Goranson Bain Ausley’s Austin office. She is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, has practiced family law exclusively since 2013, and is a trained family law mediator and Collaborative Divorce practitioner, recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Family Law Mediation since 2024. With more than a decade focused exclusively on family law, she advises clients on divorces involving closely-held businesses, executive compensation, complex investment portfolios, and the sensitive family dynamics that often accompany them.

Kelly Ausley-Flores, Partner: Kelly Ausley-Flores is a partner in Goranson Bain Ausley’s Austin office and a Board Certified family law attorney. She earned Board Certification in Family Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 2000 and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Admitted to the Texas Bar in 1995, Kelly has practiced family law exclusively for more than 30 years. She is a trained family law mediator and Collaborative Divorce practitioner, and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Family Law Mediation since 2024. and represents clients across Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Burnet, and Bell counties — many of them 50 or older, financially well-established, and ready for straight-talking, experience-backed counsel.

Kristen A. Algert (Kris), Partner: Kristen A. Algert is a Collaborative Divorce attorney in Goranson Bain Ausley’s Austin office. A partner since 1991, she is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization –  a distinction held by fewer than three percent of Texas attorneys – and a Master Credentialed Collaborative Professional named to the inaugural class recognized by Collaborative Divorce Texas (2017). Alongside her collaborative work, she practices divorce mediation and was named Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” in Austin for Family Law Mediation in 2019. With more than 35 years in family law, she advises busy professionals, business owners, retirees, parents, politicians, celebrities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

P. Lindley Bain, Managing Partner: Lindley Bain is Managing Partner of Goranson Bain Ausley and a Board Certified family law attorney in Austin. She helps clients manage the financial and emotional sides of contested family matters with clarity and confidence. A Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization – held by fewer than three percent of Texas attorneys – she is the firm’s second female managing partner, with a J.D. and M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University and nearly 20 years of practice. She uses mediation and Collaborative Divorce for clients who want an out-of-court resolution and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Family Law Mediation since 2024.

Why Choose GBA’s Austin Team For Divorce Mediation

Mediation at our Austin office is handled by experienced family lawyers, several of whom are trained family law mediators. Depending on what your situation calls for, a GBA attorney can advise and represent you through mediation or serve as the neutral mediator who helps both spouses work toward agreement. In either role, you are working with lawyers who understand the financial and parenting questions that determine whether an agreement lasts.

Our Austin clients also tend to value how we structure the process itself. Rather than the traditional one or two marathon sessions late in a contested case, our Austin team offers a series of shorter sessions throughout the process, beginning early, which can be a more cost-effective rhythm for couples committed to reaching an agreed resolution.

Two Mediation Models Offered in Our Austin Office

We offer two mediation models, and the initial consultation scopes which one fits your case and what counsel structure makes sense before any engagement begins.

Attorney-Assisted Mediation

How it works: Both spouses bring their own family lawyers to the session, and a GBA attorney serves as the neutral mediator.

When it fits: When both parties want to work toward a negotiated resolution while receiving legal advice and advocacy from their own attorneys. 

Note: GBA can serve in either role. Depending on your needs, a GBA attorney can represent you during mediation or serve as the neutral mediator. If a GBA attorney acts as the mediator, they remain neutral and cannot represent either spouse in that matter. 

Self-Represented Mediation

How it works: A GBA attorney serves as a neutral mediator, helping both spouses work through remaining issues and reach an agreement. The mediator facilitates the discussion but does not represent either party or provide legal advice. 

When it fits: This option may be appropriate when both spouses have already reached agreement on many issues, are committed to resolving the remaining matters cooperatively, and prefer to work directly with a neutral mediator rather than retain separate attorneys for the mediation process.

Our Role in Mediation

Whether you need an attorney to represent you during mediation or a neutral mediator to help resolve your case, our team has experience serving in both roles.

Representing You in Mediation

If you have retained GBA as your attorney, we prepare you for mediation, help you evaluate settlement options, advise you throughout negotiations, and work to protect your legal, financial, and parenting interests. Our goal is to help you reach a durable agreement whenever possible while ensuring you understand your options before making important decisions.

Serving as the Neutral Mediator

Several GBA attorneys are certified mediators who regularly serve as neutral third parties for family law disputes. In this role, we do not represent either spouse or provide legal advice. Instead, we facilitate productive discussions, help identify common ground, and assist the parties in working toward a mutually acceptable resolution.

Whether we are representing a client or serving as the mediator, our attorneys bring extensive family law experience and a practical understanding of the financial and parenting issues that often shape successful settlements.

What You Should Know About Mediation in Texas

Mediation works well when both people can come to the table in good faith, have a clear and honest picture of what they own together, and want to keep the decisions in their own hands rather than a judge’s. However, it’s worth being aware when it doesn’t: when there’s family violence, when one spouse is hiding or refusing to disclose assets, or when there’s a power imbalance that can’t be made safe even with each person’s counsel present. In those situations, a different path protects you better, and we’ll tell you so.

When mediation does fit, it carries real legal weight. Under Texas Family Code section 6.602, a properly executed Mediated Settlement Agreement is binding and cannot simply be revoked afterward. This is one reason many Travis County judges ask couples to try mediation before a contested trial.

Costs vary widely depending on the type of case. Our guide to how much a divorce costs in Texas and our Texas mediation FAQ are useful starting points, but the most reliable way to understand your own costs is to schedule a consultation about your specific situation.

Schedule a Consultation With Our Austin Team

The simplest next step is a conversation. We’ll talk through whether mediation suits your situation, which of the two models makes sense, and what the process would actually look like for you, so you have a clear idea. From there, formal representation begins once we’ve agreed on scope and retainer.