Early Family Lawyers

Emily chose family law to help protect clients’ well-being. She works with clients to find a personalized solution for their situation. Emily understands that divorce and other family law matters are not simply a transaction, but a significant life transition. She offers practical and sound advice to help guide clients through this time to a hopeful future.

My practice is focused on Family Law, and Business Law, especially startups. I have been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers and I have have served my Bar Association as a Qualified Mediator and Past President of the Denton County Young Lawyers Association.

Candice B. Deyerle is a founding partner of Deyerle Silva Smith, PLLC and is board certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Clients with particularly complex family law issues, including divorce with businesses involved, multi-million dollar estates, privacy or publicity concerns, contested custody matters, children or parties with disabilities and/or special needs, or difficult issues such as alcoholism, drug abuse, addiction, mental health disorders, or personality disorders involved particularly benefit from Candice’s expertise. From the initial consultation, she will listen to and thoughtfully evaluate the facts of your case and work with you to...

The mission of Hiller Law is to deliver expert divorce and family law counsel in a tough, smart, and professional manner. Michael Hiller is known as a fierce courtroom lawyer, and his team provides each client with aggressive and innovative approaches to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Michael Hiller is a Texas Board Certified family lawyer who has extensive legal experience in handling all kinds of family law cases and is specifically trained to handle high conflict divorce cases for high net worth individuals. The Hiller Law Team takes pride in working diligently to present truthful and honest evidence in court...

Graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1997 with a Bachelor in Social Work and soon thereafter, worked with the immigrant community as a social worker at a local middle school. In my work, I saw first-hand, the difficulties the undocumented confronted and decided to pursue law school to assist the immigrant community and have a greater impact on their everyday lives. Immediately upon enrollment in St. Mary's School of Law in 2000, I began assisting immigrants obtain legal status as a student attorney through the St. Mary's Immigration Clinic. I obtained my Juris Doctor...

When you retain fifth-generation attorney Patrick O’Fiel to represent you in your legal matter, you can rest assured knowing he will personally be handling your matter from start to finish. His success is attributable to his knowledge, aggressive representation, dedication to his clients, and the personal attention and service he provides. With more than 10 years of legal experience and the extensive skill and knowledge gained through being a fifth-generation lawyer, Mr. O’Fiel believes in aggressively representing his clients. You can count on the aggressive pursuit of your claim or legal goals, as well as the aggressive protection of your rights. You...

Jamie Kerr graduated from Rice University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2000. He spent nine years in education, working mostly with high school and university students through the process of application for admission to undergraduate, graduate, business, and law schools. In 2009, Jamie returned to school himself and graduated three years later from the University of Texas School of Law with a Juris Doctor. During his tenure at UT, Jamie focused heavily on clinical education, the study of the dynamics of domestic violence, and criminal law. He spent a year helping victims of domestic violence with their civil cases...

Mr. Bridge serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Firm Managing Attorney at Bailey & Galyen, one of the largest consumer law firms in Texas. A dedicated leader and experienced attorney, James has been instrumental in driving the firm’s success and overseeing its operations. James earned his undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University (TCU) and went on to graduate from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 1998. During law school, he demonstrated his leadership abilities as the President of the Student Bar Association and as the President of his legal fraternity. With a proven track record in litigation, James is a...

Jennifer is very driven; which helps her be a strong and effective advocate for her clients. She believes in treating people who are dealing with difficult situations as well as happy events such as adoptions and prenups with dignity, compassion, and respect while providing excellent representation and personal service. Born and raised in the North Dallas area; Jennifer graduated from Plano Sr. High in 1993. Four years later, she received her Bachelor of Science degrees in Criminal Justice, Business Law and English from UNT. Following college, she took two years off to begin her family before continuing her education and going...

J.C. was admitted to the bar and to practice before the United States District Court, Northern District of Texas in 1988. He received his undergraduate degree from Abilene Christian University and his law degree from the Baylor University School of Law. J.C. is a member of the Order of Barristers, the State Bar of Texas, and the Tarrant County Bar Association. A frequent speaker on a wide array of subjects, he enjoys making presentations for professional groups, businesses, churches and schools. Addressing challenges in a constructive and professional manner is the highest priority of Mr. Bailey’s practice. J.C. has...

Jane Mapes has been practicing law for 26 years and has devoted her practice to Family Law for the past 16 years, in Texas. Prior to relocating to Texas in 1996, she concentrated on real estate and personal injury law in the State of Florida, where she went to law school, and was admitted to the Bar in 1988. Upon moving to Texas, Ms. Mapes was admitted to the State Bar of Texas, and began practicing with a general practice law firm in Grand Prairie, where she familiarized herself with the courts in Tarrant and Dallas Counties. Jane then joined...

Doug Wright is a native of Fort Worth who graduated from Paschal High School in 1972 before earning a Bachelor’s of Business Administration at the University of Texas at Austin in 1976. He then attended St. Mary University School of Law. After graduating and getting licensed in 1979 he returned to Fort Worth where his father was a Family District Judge and began his legal career.After being in private practice for almost 30 years Mr. Wright joined the firm of Bailey & Galyen in 2009 as Managing Attorney of the Fort Worth Office. He has committed his practice to Family...

Mary Jones has been resolving family law matters, including complex financial issues, custody and visitation concerns, immediate and long reaching ramifications of settlement provisions for more than 25 years. Mary’s long-standing focus has been in all aspects of family law and collaborative divorce, including traditional and same-sex divorce, child support, spousal support, child custody, modifications, complex property division, maintenance, post-divorce disputes, paternity, adoptions, enforcement, pre- and post-marital agreements, and grandparent access.

A military-veteran owned law firm with proven experience in getting you what you need. Divorce, custody, child support, parental rights, auto accident injury, estate planning, adoption and more! Serving San Antonio, New Braunfels, San Marcos, Hondo, Austin and surrounding counties.

I’m an Austin criminal defense lawyer that puts in all the effort required of an attorney striving to be recognized as one of the best criminal defense lawyers in Austin. I investigate evidence, hire experts when needed, and locate and interview witnesses on behalf of my clients. Some Austin defense lawyers choose to help the state by coaching a defendant into a plea-deal for the sake of convenience. Unless the circumstances of the case demands it, that’s not how business is done at the Law Office of Jackson F. Gorski. I prefer to fight for the accused. My law firm provides...

With more than 15 years of experience as a practicing attorney, Armando J. Román provides advice and counsel to clients needing legal representation in the areas of personal injury, criminal defense, civil defense, citizenship and immigration services, removal defense, real estate, business, contracts, wills, probate, guardianship and family law matters.

Lawyers tend to focus or specialize in only particular areas of the law, while Armando focuses on serving his clients in several areas of the law. He represents people who are injured in motor vehicle accidents or because of the negligent acts of others. He represents people who have...

Merrilee L. Harmon is a Family Law specialist, Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1985. Merrilee has lived most of her life in Waco. She graduated from Baylor University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in elementary education with a minor in English. Merrilee also received certificates in teaching and in the fields of language and learning disabilities and mental disabilities. Merrilee graduated from Baylor Law School in 1978 with a Juris Doctor degree and concentration in Civil Trial Law. From 1978 to 1981, she practiced Criminal Law as...

Attorney Chrysandra S. Bowen believes in putting her clients first. Passionate about the best interest of her clients, she has earned a reputation for aggressively advocating on their behalf. As a mother herself, she is keenly aware of how divorce can adversely affect the children. She helps clients minimize the impact that divorce and separation have on their children. She has long had an affinity for children and family issues.

Mr. Sanchez is licensed in Texas and Nevada and practices law in both states. He began his legal career working for a mid-sized law firm in Las Vegas, Nevada practicing in corporate law, business structuring, and estate planning. Mr. Sanchez taught seminars on Asset Protection, Tax and Estate Planning, and business strategies for companies around the country.

After several years he decided to go on his own, opening his own practice that handles personal injury law, family law and civil litigation. After years of practice, he decided to move back to his hometown of New Braunfels, Texas and open...

I joined Minor & Jester, P.C. in April of 2025, where my practice is centered around civil litigation, family law, and probate matters. I graduated magna cum laude with a Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of Law. During my time there, I stood out for my academic achievements and skills in the courtroom. I represented clients in the Criminal Defense Clinic and actively participated in national moot court and mock trial competitions. Additionally, I was a board member of the Board of Barristers, coaching and judging advocacy teams in various events such as negotiations, moot court, and mock trials....

Linda Risinger has been in private practice since 1989, focusing on the needs of North Texans primarily in Collin, Dallas and Denton Counties. However, her expertise has been called upon in cases across Texas. Linda is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and Southern Methodist School of Law in 1983 with a Juris Doctor. In 1989, she moved to Collin County, preferring the opportunity to meeting her client's needs in a more personal, committed level. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Collin County Bar Association. Her commitment to maintaining the highest level of knowledge and experience...

Carla De La Cruz was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Carla has practiced family law in DFW and surrounding counties since 2017 and joined the Bogdanowicz Family Law team in 2020. She has experience in all areas of family law and is a native Spanish speaker.

Carla graduated from the University of Puerto Rico and later attended Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law. While in law school, she gained family law experience interning at the Child Support Offices in the District Court of Ponce, Puerto Rico. She further developed her skills...

Fernando D. Gireud was born in El Paso, Texas, and graduated from Coronado High School in 2002. He attended the University of Texas – Austin where he majored in Computer Science and graduated in 2007. Afterwards, Fernando attended law school at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas where he graduated with his J.D. in 2010.

Shortly thereafter, Fernando moved back to his hometown of El Paso, Texas, where he worked for the Domestic Relations Office of El Paso County where he acted as friend of the court and worked on child support enforcement cases. In March 2012,...

Megan was a family law paralegal for 16 years before becoming a family lawyer, and has seen firsthand what matters to clients: knowing their case is in good hands with an attorney who understands their personal situation and who is capable of providing personalized options for addressing their legal issues. With a combination of sound legal counsel and practical advice, Megan guides clients toward goal-oriented decision-making that positions them for a better future. Megan was named to the 2023 Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch © list in the field of Family Law.

Tom Trahan is proficient in all facets of family law, from out-of-court settlements to courtroom litigation. His deep understanding of the litigation process enhances the chances of reaching negotiated or amicable resolutions, as opposing counsel and clients often realize that finding common ground can lead to beneficial outcomes.

ABOUT BEN
Dallas-based attorney Benjamin Palatiere is a courtroom veteran with over 10 years of experience helping individuals, families, and businesses in civil disputes.


Education

Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, 2008
Texas State University, magna cum laude, 2005


Licensed/Admitted

Benjamin is admitted to the Texas Bar and licensed to practice in all district and county courts at law throughout the state.


Groups / Clubs

Dallas Young Lawyers Association
Sigma Alpha Epsilon

Shahzad R. Khan is an accomplished attorney/litigator. He has over ten-years of experience in the practice of law in Immigration, domestic relations, estate planning, and corporate matters. He is experienced in civil litigation and an author of several published articles on family law issues. Over the course of his career, Shahzad has honed his highly strategic legal skills by successfully litigating and settling numerous cases involving family law issues in Texas and Illinois.
Moreover, Shahzad is well experienced and versed in the areas of Employment and Family Based Immigration. He has prepared and overseen the preparation of...

I have been licensed to practice law in Texas for 40 years. I have tried thousands of cases, from traffic tickets to death penalty cases, from simple divorces and visitation cases to complex divorce and custody cases, to the court and to juries, in all levels of Texas trial courts and in the Federal Courts of Texas. I am a member of the San Antonio Bar Association, San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, State Bar of Texas.

Cherrell is from Saint Louis, Missouri, and moved to Texas in 2007. Thereafter, Cherrell commissioned from the Army Reserved Officer Training Course and served as an active-duty chemical officer. Cherrell served in the United States Army for 14 years. In January 2018, Attorney Holmes became a Judge Advocate in the US Army. During her time as a JAG Officer, she practiced family law, consumer protection, estate planning, military law, criminal defense, administrative law, and labor law. In January 2022, Cherrell began practicing family law in San Antonio, Texas. Cherrell has a passion for representing clients that need compassionate and zealous representation. Specifically,...

Desireé Marie Bedasa is committed to helping families facing challenging family law issues, such as divorce. Due to her own personal experiences growing up, Desireé is inspired to advocate for those who are unable to advocate for themselves, primarily children. As an individual who did not experience a "traditional" upbringing, Desireé knows the potential trauma of a child being caught in the middle of a custody battle. She has dedicated her career to assisting families with children determine what solution is in the best interest of a child. Desireé is dedicated to and experienced at advocating for families in a wide...

Amber Shemesh is a divorce and family law attorney in Dallas Fort-Worth area with passion and dedication of helping her clients with complex divorce and family law matters. She has represented clients in different counties of Texas, including Dallas, Collin, Tarrant, Denton, Rockwall, and Ellis. Amber Shemesh has been practicing family law in Texas for over 10 years now, and over the years she has helped her clients with contested divorce, uncontested divorce, child support, child custody, parental rights, property division, domestic violence protection, and restraining orders. Her passion to help her clients with their legal matters, dedication to...

In life, nothing imparts knowledge better than experience. Having endured a high conflict divorce that ended her twenty-year marriage, Robin Rubrecht Zegen understands her client’s fears and concerns first-hand. Compassionately, but zealously, helping her clients get through the process and ready for a happy and healthy future is her main focus. With over twenty years of experience Robin Rubrecht Zegen will help you identify and prioritize your goals and she will explain the options available for achieving them. She knows that divorce is a life changing and very personal event. She guides...

We understand nobody desires to hire an attorney. But serious circumstances require a seriously-effective attorney. Whatever issue you face, you don’t have to face it alone. Let us help you solve your problem so you can get on with your life.

As a former assistant district attorney and successful private practice owner, Marilee Hazel Brown provides clients broad expertise in the legal process and a depth of trial experience when cases cannot be resolved outside the courtroom. She makes a difference by looking beyond the ordinary to find creative solutions that work to the best interests of her clients. In private practice, her experience is drawn from having handled hundreds of cases in the tri-county area.

For the past ten years, Ms. Brown has built a family law and personal injury practice that has helped hundreds of clients successfully resolve high-conflict disputes....

Blake Watson is a graduate of South Texas College of Law and Baylor University. After graduating law school, Blake went on to work at a large firm in Houston, Texas that specialized in personal injury. While there he helped his clients receive far and lucrative settlements for cases involving auto and 18-wheeler accidents, wrongful death, slip and falls, and work related injuries. From Houston, Blake took his practice to Bastrop and Austin Counties where his practice included everything from real estate transactions to business litigation. When he is not practicing law, Blake is an avid outdoors-man who enjoys all types...

Brandon Joseph is an Attorney at McClure Law Group. As a persuasive advocate, Brandon's intense work ethic and passion for the law makes him a real asset to the McClure legal team and their clients.

Brandon has proven himself a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. During his first month at McClure Law Group, Brandon successfully persuaded a court to reconsider and overturn its ruling which granted an emergency protective order. Since that time, Brandon has successfully prosecuted and defended against multiple family violence protective orders. Additionally, Brandon has received numerous victories in suits to modify prior court orders,...

Francesca Blackard is a partner at McClure Law Group, exclusively practicing family law since graduating from law school in 2012. Prior to law school, she worked for family law firms in Chicago, New York, and Dallas as both a paralegal and law clerk.

Francesca is of Mexican descent and is fluent in Spanish. Her travels have often taken her to Mexico, and she attended Instituto Alpes San Javier in Guadalajara, Jalisco to perfect her native tongue. Conversant in French, Francesca loves the study of languages and world cultures.

One of Francesca's finest qualities is how she relates to clients on a...

I am a solo practitioner and my primary focus is family law and probate. If you are looking for an attorney who will truly listen to your issues and will work with you throughout the process, then give me a call. Solving your problem and getting you back on track is my primary concern. I am diligent, responsive, tenacious, reliable, and I truly care about my clients.