A highly goal-oriented family law and divorce attorney, Kathryn Murphy is skilled in answering one of the most important concerns clients have about divorce: seeing an efficient, satisfactory end to the process. Kathryn initially helps clients to establish their priorities, then explores with them all of their options for achieving resolution. Assisting clients with weighing the benefits and costs—not only financial but emotional as well—is an essential part of that. Drawing on her extensive trial experience as a family lawyer, Kathryn helps clients anticipate the likely impact of their decisions so they can choose wisely.
Clients value Kathryn’s thoroughness, especially in divorce, complex property and child custody cases. Her expertise includes business valuation, closely held business interests, relocation, characterization of property, division of property in Texas, protective orders and electronic surveillance. Kathryn embraces collaborative law when it is the right fit for clients, and brings considerable skills to the courtroom when necessary. Above all, Kathryn’s goal is to negotiate a topnotch settlement for her clients.
While striving to make the divorce process as efficient as possible, Kathryn nevertheless understands that she and her clients will be spending a fair amount of time together. Consequently, she is known for establishing a close connection with her clients, standing firm with them and working together as a team to support the best interests of them and their children.
Additionally, Kathryn received the award for the Best Family Law CLE article by the State Bar of Texas in 2004, and she won the Annette Stewart Inn of Court, Serjeant of the Inn Award in 2013.
Kathryn is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Texas Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, where she is a Past President. She is a member of the Family Law Council of the State Bar of Texas, where she is on the executive committee, and she is a member of the Family Law Sections of the State Bar of Texas, American Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association and Collin County Bar Association.
Kathryn is the primary researcher and writer of the book, Protecting Your Assets from a Texas Divorce, published in 2005. She also co-authored West Publishing Company's Texas Family Law Practice Guide, a three-volume family law treatise for attorneys that was published in March 2000 and supplemented each year. She has taught family law at Southeastern Paralegal Institute in Dallas, andshe is also a frequent speaker on family law issues.
Practice areas
31 years, 1,200 cases
31 years, 700 cases
31 years, 1,200 cases
Languages spoken
English
GoransonBain Ausley
7160 N. Dallas Parkway
Suite 650
Plano, TX, 75024
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
TX | Eligible To Practice In Texas | 1989 | 12/05/2020 |
Legal answers | 0 |
Legal guides | 0 |
Award name | Grantor | Date granted |
---|---|---|
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2020 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2019 |
Family Law: Lawyer of the Year | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2019 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2019 |
Best Lawyers in Dallas Family Law | D Magazine | 2019 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2019 |
---|---|---|
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2019 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2019 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2018 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2018 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2018 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2018 |
Best Lawyers in Dallas Family Law | D Magazine | 2018 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2018 |
Family Law: Lawyer of the Year | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2017 |
Best Lawyers in Dallas Family Law | D Magazine | 2017 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2017 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2017 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2017 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2017 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2017 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2016 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2016 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2016 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2016 |
Distinguished Alumni Award | UT Tyler | 2016 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2015 |
Family Law: Lawyer of the Year | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2015 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2015 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2015 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2015 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2014 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2014 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2014 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2014 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2014 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2013 |
Annette Stewart Inn of Court, Serjeant of the Inn Award | Annette Stewart Inn of Court | 2013 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2013 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2013 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2013 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2013 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2012 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2012 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2012 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2012 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2011 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2011 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2011 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2011 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2011 |
Best Women Lawyers in Dallas | D Magazine | 2010 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2010 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2010 |
Best Lawyers in Dallas Family Law | D Magazine | 2010 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2010 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2009 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2009 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2009 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2009 |
Best Lawyers in Dallas | D Magazine | 2009 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2009 |
Best Personal Lawyers in Dallas | D Magazine | 2009 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2008 |
Best Lawyers in Dallas Family Law | D Magazine | 2008 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2008 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2008 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2008 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2008 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2007 |
Best Lawyers in Dallas Family Law | D Magazine | 2007 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2007 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2007 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2007 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2006 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2006 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2006 |
Best Lawyers in Dallas Family law | D Magazine | 2006 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2006 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2006 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2005 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2005 |
Best Lawyers in Dallas | D Magazine | 2005 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2005 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2005 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2005 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2004 |
Best Family Law CLE Article | State Bar of Texas | 2004 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2004 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2004 |
Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2004 |
Top 100: Dallas/ Fort Worth Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2004 |
Best Lawyers in America | Woodward-White, Inc. | 2003 |
Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2003 |
Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2003 |
Best Lawyers In Dallas Family Law | D Magazine | 2001 |
Board Certified - Family Law | Texas Board of Legal Specialization | N/A |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Partner | GoransonBain Ausley | 2008 - Present |
Partner | Koons Fuller | 1995 - 2007 |
Attorney | Thompson & Knight | 1989 - 1991 |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Family Law Council, State Bar of Texas | Vice Chair | 2012 - Present |
Family Law Council, State Bar of Texas | Member | 2007 - Present |
Texas Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers | Fellow and Past President | 2002 - Present |
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers | Fellow | 2002 - Present |
Board Certified Family Law- Texas Board of Legal Specialization | N/A | 1995 - Present |
American Bar Association | Member | N/A |
---|---|---|
Annette Stewart Inn of Court | Former Board Member | N/A |
Texas Family Law Foundation | Lifetime Member | N/A |
Collin County Bench Bar Foundation | Fellow | N/A |
Plano Bar Association | Member | N/A |
Collin County Bar Association | Member | N/A |
Dallas Bar Association | Member | N/A |
College of the State Bar of Texas | Member | N/A |
State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section | Member | N/A |
Collaborative Law Institute of Texas | Member | N/A |
The Collaborative Alliance | Member | N/A |
State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section | President | 2016 - 2017 |
Publication name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
D Magazine | Ask the Expert – Complex Property | 2017 |
Family Law Advisor Blog | The Great Recession And Its Impact On Divorce | 2014 |
Family Law Advisor Blog | The Gray Divorce: Baby Boomers Are Ending Marriages Later in Life | 2014 |
Family Law Advisor Blog | The Financial Implications Of Divorce In Texas | 2014 |
Family Law Advisor Blog | How To Tell Your Children You Are Getting Divorced: 5 Tips | 2014 |
Family Law Advisor | Gay Couples Can’t Marry in Texas, But Can They Divorce There? | 2014 |
---|---|---|
Family Law Advisor Blog | Business Valuations in Divorce | 2014 |
Family Law Advisor | The Kids Are All Right: Be Prepared and Protect Children’s Best Interest | 2014 |
Family Law Technology Course | Using a Computer Forensic Expert | 2012 |
Family Law on the Frontlines | Characterization of Property | 2011 |
NA | Premarital and Postmarital Agreements | 2009 |
Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers | Protecting Children From Incompetent Forensic Evaluation and Expert Testimony | 2006 |
Professional Solutions Group | Protecting Your Assets From a Texas Divorce | 2005 |
West Publishing Company | Texas Family Law Practice Guide; co-author -- supplemented annually since publication in 2000 | 2000 |
NA | Parental Relocation | N/A |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
Southern Methodist University | N/A | 1989 |
University of Texas at Tyler | BA - Bachelor of Arts | 1986 |
Conference name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
Marriage Dissolution Institute | Reimbursement, Fraud, Waste, and the Reconstituted Estate | 2019 |
Innovations: Breaking Boundaries in Custody Litigation | Trial of a Custody Case | 2019 |
Collaborative Law: Avoid Breaking Bad When Breaking Up | How to Draw Clients to the Collaborative Model and Keep them Satisfied | 2019 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Direct and Cross of Tracing Experts | 2019 |
New Frontiers in Marital Property Law | Marital Agreements | 2018 |
Advanced Trial Skills for Family Lawyers | Drafting: Are Your Pleadings and Discovery Ready for Trial? | 2018 |
---|---|---|
Advanced Family Law Course | Premarital and Postmarital Agreements | 2018 |
Advanced Family Law Coursee | Characterization | 2016 |
The University of Texas School of Law | Experts, Examination and Ethics: A Guide to Mental Health Experts, Innovations | 2014 |
Southern Methodist University School of Law | Protective Orders and Family Violence | 2014 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Negotiation Techniques and Strategies | 2014 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Co-Course Director | 2013 |
University of Texas School of Law | Co-Course Director, Innovations- Breaking Boundaries in Custody Litigation | 2012 |
Family Law Technology Course | Using a Computer Forensic Expert | 2012 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Turbo Charge your Collaborative Practice | 2012 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Property Update | 2012 |
Family Law on the Front Lines | Characterization of Property | 2011 |
Collaborative Law Course | Course Director | 2011 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Attorney's fees agreements | 2011 |
New Frontiers in Marital Property Law | Co-course Director | 2010 |
Collaborative Law Course | Assistant Course Director | 2010 |
University of Texas School of Law | Electronic Evidence -- Civil and Ethical Implications | 2009 |
Universit of Texas School of Law | The Electronic Evidence Bible | 2009 |
Marriage Dissolution Institute | Characterization | 2009 |
Collin County Bar Association, Estate Planning and Probate Section | Premarital Agreements | 2009 |
Collin County Bar Association | Premarital Agreements | 2009 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Electronic Evidence Workshop | 2009 |
State Bar College | Marital Property 101 | 2006 |
Marriage Dissolution Institute | Child Support Update: Within and Outside the Guidelines | 2006 |
Marriage Dissolution Institute | Temporary Support, Maintenance and Alimony | 2006 |
Collin County bar Association, Family Law Section | High Tech Evidence | 2006 |
American Bar Association, Family Law Section | Relocation | 2006 |
Advanced Family Law Drafting Course | High Tech Evidence, Websites, Hard Drives, E-Mails, etc | 2006 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Relocation | 2006 |
A Panel of Texas Authors on Collaborative Law | Collaborative Law | 2006 |
Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and Family Law Section | Relocation | 2005 |
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers | Psychological Testing | 2005 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Child Support | 2005 |
Williamson County Bar Association | High Tech Evidence, Websites, Hard Drives, E-mails etc. | 2004 |
Ultimate Trial Notebook -- Family Law | Opening Statements and Closing Arguments | 2004 |
Collaborative Law Spring Retreat | Collaborative Law Panel | 2004 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Relocation | 2004 |
Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists | Parentage: Establishing, Attacking & Undoing | 2003 |
Collin County Bench Bar Foundation | Family Law Evidence | 2003 |
Advanced Family Law Course | High Tech Evidence, Websites, Hard Drives, E-mails etc. | 2003 |
Advanced Evidence & Discovery Course | Familiy Law Evidentiary Issues | 2003 |
University of Houston Law Foundation | Division of Property on Divorce | 2002 |
University of Houston Law Foundation | Division of Property and Dividing Specific Assets | 2002 |
University Of Houston Law Center | Parentage: Current Issues | 2002 |
J. Reuben Clark Law Society | Family Law for the Non-Specialist | 2002 |
American Bar Association, Family Law Section | Objections at Trial | 2002 |
University of Houston Law Foundation | Division of Property on Divorce | 2000 |
J. Reuben Clark Law Society | Family Law Discussion | 2000 |
J. Reuben Clark Law Society | Family Law Update | 2000 |
Collin County Bench Bar Foundation | Family Law Update | 2000 |
Collin County Bench Bar Conference | Moderator | 2000 |
American Bar Association, Family Law Section | Business Valuations in Divorce | 1999 |
Advanced Family Law Course | Opening Statement -- Jury or Nonjury | 1999 |
Family Law Conference for the General Practitioner | Opening and Closing the File | 1998 |
Dallas Women Lawyers Association | Update on Family Law | 1998 |
Dallas Chapter Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants | Business Valuations in Divorce | 1998 |
Dallas Bar Association | Discovery Update | 1998 |
Dallas Bar Association | Family Law for the Non-Specialist | 1998 |
Family Law Practice institute | Attorney's Fees | 1996 |
Dallas Chapter Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants Divorce Conference | Business Valuations in Divorce | 1996 |
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Brad Lamorgese, Divorce and separation Attorney on Jun 5, 2014
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
Kathryn is an excellent lawyer and she knows the details of her cases. She is an advocate for her clients, and she is well respected in the courts. She is ethical, professional, and a good person too!
Edward Kainen, Family Attorney on Jun 17, 2013
Relationship: Other
There is no quesiton in my mind, if I have a client with a Family Law matter in Texas, I'm calling Kathryn Murphy!