Best Lawyers Near You in Dallas, Texas for Family Law
“I believe in taking a straightforward approach to managing cases, and making it very easy for our clients to understand the legal and factual issues in their case.” – Clint Westhoff Every complex divorce case has its strengths and weaknesses. Clint Westhoff has the insight and experience to see them clearly, the result of combining analytical and technical skills with his deep knowledge of the law. Bringing objectivity to the case, Clint helps clients weigh the pros and con...
Kate Smith earned her J.D. from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law and later earned her LL.M. from Pepperdine University School of Law. She is skilled in representing a variety of complex legal issues, including planning and zoning, family law, contract disputes, corporate formation, and more. Kate has also received several honors and has been consistently recognized by Super Lawyer Fort Worth Texas Magazine since 2007. In 2014 and 2015, Kate was also nominated as a Texas Super Lawyer &l...
Ryan R. Bauerle is a Partner at Goranson Bain Ausley in Plano, Texas, Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© for Family Law (2024–2026), following inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch© (2020–2023). Ryan is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the International Academy of Family Lawyers, and the American Bar Foundation, and is also active in the International ...
Kyle is a highly regarded family attorney who draws on deep experience and a competitive nature in seeking to prevail for his clients. A seasoned litigator, mediator, and collaborative lawyer, he handles the gamut of family law matters, with special expertise in complex custody and business cases. In addition, Kyle has cultivated a niche in working with Christians, who often struggle with reconciling divorce and their faith. Kyle began his legal career as a civil litigator but realized family...
Constructive Solutions for Complex Family Law Matters Jonathan James on Your Family and Your Future: I represent business owners, professionals, and parents who want to resolve complex family law matters in the least destructive manner possible. While managing all aspects of family law, I offer particular strengths with cases involving complicated property and challenging real estate investments, contested custody disputes and modifications, and pre-marital and post-marital agreements. Whethe...
Thoughtful Counsel for Complex Family Matters Hayley Blair understands that family law is rarely just about legal issues. Clients come to her facing significant financial decisions, concerns about their children, and uncertainty about the future. She helps them navigate those challenges with thoughtful guidance, practical judgment, and a strategy tailored to their long-term goals. Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Hayley represents executives, business ...
Jessica began her law career as a paralegal, and it shows: Paralegals get things done. She’s smart, too. Jessica graduated magna cum laude from Texas Woman’s University, and later, while earning her law degree at the Texas A&M University School of Law, she served as Vice President of the Family Law Student Association and represented clients in the school’s Family Law Legal Clinic. “I knew from the start that I wanted to be a family law attorney,” says Jessic...
Jeff is a highly experienced litigator, mediator, and collaborative law attorney. With such a versatile skill set, he is exceptionally equipped to advise clients on the best approach to resolve their family law matter, and achieve an outcome that is ultimately successful. Jeff manages the full range of family law issues, with special expertise in high net worth business and complex property cases. Time as a civil business litigator early in Jeff’s career honed his technical skills and b...
Kathryn J. Murphy is a Board Certified family law partner at Goranson Bain Ausley in Plano and one of the most highly credentialed family law attorneys in Texas. She has been named the Best Lawyers in America© Family Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Dallas three times — in 2015, 2017, and 2019 — a distinction awarded to only one lawyer per practice area in each community. Kathryn has also been recognized continuously in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of...
Bill Neal handles the most complex family law cases but his approach is very simple: protect the client at every turn. Sometimes that means delicate settlement negotiations; other times it’s fighting a court battle. In every situation, Bill is aggressive and thorough and he represents every client with the same unwavering dedication. Bill specializes in divorce cases involving large estates, family-owned businesses and complicated custody arrangements. He takes special interest in prote...
Angel Berbarie is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and a partner at Goranson Bain Ausley in Plano. With over 22 years practicing exclusively in family law, Angel has been named to Best Lawyers in America (2021–2026), Texas Super Lawyers (2022–2026), Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star (2012–2018), D Magazine's Best Lawyers in Dallas (2026), and LawDragon's 500 Leading Family Lawyers (2025–2026). She is a Certified Mediator through t...
Ally Caskey is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Ally, who practices law in Plano, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ally is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Managing Family Law Challenges With Creativity And Compassion I practice family law because I understand that divorce and other family law issues can turn one’s world upside down. I want to help clients navigate this process as seamlessly as possible. When children are involved, I prioritize their well-being and encourage parents to check emotions that could have a detrimental impact on their lives long-term. An advocate for constructive and solution-focused approaches, including Collab...
Jack Wall provides dedicated representation to his clients with a practical and empathetic approach. He is committed to guiding his clients through each phase of their legal journey, assisting them in envisioning new possibilities for their future. A graduate of Baylor University School of Law, one of the nation's top litigation school, Jack was awarded a full scholarship from the Del Sampels Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund in Law.
Family law is innately sensitive and personal – there’s never a “one size fits all” approach to a case. Emily’s empathy and exceptional ability to connect with clients on a personal level helps them feel heard, understood and supported. That’s what makes her so special. “I’ve always wanted to work in family law because of my two main passions – learning and working directly with people,” Emily says. “Family law is as diverse as...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.