Atty. Thomas P. Goranson
Recognizing that divorce is a difficult time and often involves the division of an estate, Thomas P. Goranson applies a keen understanding of marital assets and how they can be valued and divided to achieve maximum benefit to the client.
Profile Summary
About Thomas P. Goranson at a glance
Thomas P. Goranson is a Founding Partner based in Dallas, Texas, practicing at Goranson Bain Ausley Family Law. They have 55+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1971. Their practice focuses on divorce, child custody, family law, real estate, and child support. Admitted to practice in Texas (1971). Educated at Southern Methodist University School of Law (J.D., 1971) and Southern Methodist University (B.B.A. Management, 1969). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Serands clients in Dallas, TX and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Recognizing that divorce is a difficult time and often involves the division of an estate, Thomas P. Goranson applies a keen understanding of marital assets and how they can be valued and divided to achieve maximum benefit to the client
- His attention to detail in cases that require complex property division and valuation of closely held businesses has helped hundreds of clients better understand the value of their property and assets
- Befitting the founder of the firm, Tom also brings a certain stature to his cases that supports each client’s goals in their proceedings
- With an eye toward preserving assets rather than destroying them, Tom offers clients a thorough analysis and a creative but realistic plan to accomplish their objectives
- In some cases, he is able to accomplish this proactively by sitting down with clients to create pre- and post-marital agreements
- But if divorce is already on the horizon, he is able to listen to each client’s unique needs and walk them through the process step by step so that they feel comfortable and confident
- Tom began his law practice in 1971 as an associate with the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld
- Early on, he was assigned an estate case and quickly became familiar with community and separate property concepts, cases, and laws in Texas
- Then, Tom assisted in a divorce case involving a jury trial
- In a rather short period of time, Tom was placed in charge of the divorce practice at Akin, Gump
- In 1987, he founded a law firm devoted exclusively to divorce and family law, known today as Goranson Bain Ausley
- Tom’s current divorce practice focuses on high-net-worth divorce cases involving significant property
- He is a graduate of SMU School of Law (1971), and a frequent lecturer on family law matters
- He is also a member of two separate American Inns of Court
- The William “Mac” Taylor Inn is a general litigation organization, while membership in the Annette Stewart Inn is limited to family law attorneys
- Tom was a founding member of the Annette Stewart Inn and was education vice president from 2003 to 2004
- Inns of Court were established in the United States for the purpose of fostering excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills
- He has also been a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 1982
- Tom has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© by Woodward/White Inc. for more than 20 years
- Tom was one of the founding members of, and is currently an active member of, a local Toastmasters International Club, Counselors (#5918)
- He is especially proud of establishing a law firm that has developed a great reputation among judges, mediators, other professionals, and clients
- Tom is a founding partner at Goranson Bain Ausley and a premier Dallas divorce lawyer working out of our Dallas and Plano office locations
- Honors & Awards Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Family Law, Best Lawyers, 1987 – 2021, 2024 – 2026 Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Best Lawyers, 2026 Named to the 500 Leading Family Lawyers List, LawDragon, 2024 – 2026 Selected to the “Top Lawyers: Family Law”, D Magazine, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 – 2009 Selected to the “Best Personal Lawyers in Dallas
- Family Law”, D Magazine, 2011 Selected to the “Best Lawyers in Dallas: Family Law”, D Magazine, 2008 Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, Thomson Reuters, 2003 – 2025 Selected to the “Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers”, Thomson Reuters, 2004- 2005 Selected to the “Top 100: Dallas/Fort Worth Super Lawyers”, Thomson Reuters, 2003 – 2005 “AV” Preeminent® rating, Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory Articles How Is an LLC Treated in a Divorce in Texas?
- August 23, 2024 Presentations 1980 – Supernumeraries: Master, Auditors, et al, Marriage Dissolution Seminar, State Bar of Texas 1983 – Valuation of Property and Proof of Value, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas 1984, 1985 – Special Problems of Valuation and Division of Corporations, Partnerships and Trusts, Advanced Family Law Short Course, South Texas College of Law 1988 – Valuation of a Closely Held Business and Related Problems of Distribution, Focus on Family Law: Selected Issues in Property and Parent/Child Relationships, State Bar of Texas 1992 – Estate Planning — When it Comes Apart, Advanced Underwriting Seminar, Dallas Chapter of CLU & ChFC 1992 – Examination of the Expert: How to Dress and Un-dress the CPA on the Witness Stand, the Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs (with Angeline L. Bain) 1992, 1994 A Characterization & Valuation Primer, Dallas Bar Association, Family Law Section, Pro Bono Training Session 1993 – What Accountants Really Want to Know About Divorce, the CPA Club of North Dallas 1993 – The Partine Dissolution, Dallas Estate Planning Council 1994 – Estate Planning/Divorce Interface, 18th Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, State Bar of Texas with Robert H. Kroney and Judge Paula Larsen – 1994 1995 – Enforcement and Clarification – Property Issues, Advanced Family Law Course for Legal Assistants 1995 – On the Cutting Edge of Reimbursement, Marriage Dissolution Seminar, State Bar of Texas (with Tom Greenwald) 1995 – Temporary Motions, Orders and Hearings, Legal Services of North Texas- July Pro Bono Training (With Paula Larsen) 1995 – Family Law Principles In Divorce and Estate Planning, the Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs 1996 – Co Presenter of Reimbursement and Alternative Theories of Recovery, New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas, Coronado – California, October 11, 1996 1997 – Working as an Expert Witness in Family Law Matters, Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPA’s Divorce Conference -September 25, 1997 1997 – Co Presenter of Defined Contribution Plans, Including the New Treasury Regulation Containing Sample QDRO Language and the PBGC Booklet on QDROs, New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas, San Diego, California – October 16, 1997 1998 – Intellectual Property, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas (with K. Dennise Garcia), August 19, 1998 1998 – Co Presenter of Strategies for Division of the Complex Estate, New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas, Santa Fe – New Mexico, October 16, 1998 1998 – Moderator, Relations and Tensions Between the Media and Attorneys, William “Mac” Taylor Inn of Court – November 10, 1998 1999 – Intellectual Property Issues, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas (with K. Dennise Garcia), August 17, 1999 1999 – The Next Millennium: 2000 Ways to Dramatically Present Your Case, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas (with K. Dennise Garcia) – August 19, 1999 1999 – Moderator of Intellectual Property Law and Divorce, The Battle Ground of the Future, New Frontiers of Marital Property Law 1999, State Bar of Texas, San Diego, California – October 14-15, 1999 2000 – Panel, Valuation Problems in the 21st Century, Advanced Family Law Course 2000, State Bar of Texas – August 23, 2000 2001 – Speaking In Codes: What Every Family Lawyer Should Know About the Civil Practice & Remedies Code, Property Code, and Business & Commerce Code (And Throw in the Finance Code and Penal Code), 2001 Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas (with Ron Goranson, K. Dennise Garcia and Lynn Davis Ward) – August 7, 2001 2002 – Panelist of Executive Compensation Beyond the 401(k), New Frontiers of Marital Property Law 2002, State Bar of Texas, San Antonio – October 10-11, 2002. 2003 – Speaking In Codes: What Every Family Lawyer Should Know About the Civil Practice & Remedies Code, Property Code, and Business & Commerce Code (And Throw in the Finance Code, Business Organizations Code and Penal Code), Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas (With K. Dennise Garcia, Ronald L. Goranson and Lynn Davis Ward) – August 18, 2003 2005 – Moderator of Panel on Employee Compensation, 2005 Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas – August, 2005 2005 – Panel on Employee Compensation, 2005 New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas – October, 2005 2006 – Estate Planning Counsel – Economic Contribution with Robert Kroney Speaking In Codes, Advanced Family Law – State Bar of Texas – August, 2006 Employee Compensation, Panel Member, New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas – October, 2006 2007 – Business Valuation – Advanced Family Law Course – State Bar of Texas – August, 2007 2008 – Speaking In Codes – Marriage Dissolution Institute – State Bar of Texas – 2008 Dealing with Complex Business Entities on Divorce, Panel Member, New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas – October, 2008 2009 – Panel Moderator, Family Law Isn’t Just the Family Code: Understanding How Other Codes Apply to Family Law, 2009 Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas – August, 2009 2010 – Reimbursement – 2010 Family Law on the Front Lines, University of Texas, June 4, 2010 2011 – Panel Moderator, Real Estate, Oil & Gas and Estate Planning, 2011 Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, August 2011 2011 – A Modest Primer on Business Ownership, Divorce And The Courts, New Frontiers In Marital Property (With Aimee Pingenot) – October 2011 2012 – Identifying, Valuing and Characterizing Natural Resources, New Frontiers In Marital Property – October 2012
Practice Areas Explained
Thomas P. Goranson's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Thomas P. Goranson handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
A divorce attorney guides you through property division, spousal support, custody, and the final decree — contested or uncontested.
Thomas P. Goranson is one of 50,487 divorce attorneys indexed nationally. Browse divorce attorneys in Texas →
Thomas P. Goranson is one of 31,241 child custody attorneys indexed nationally. Browse child custody attorneys in Texas →
Family law attorneys handle divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, prenups, and protective orders. Find verified family lawyers near you.
Thomas P. Goranson is one of 187,066 family law attorneys indexed nationally. Browse family law attorneys in Texas →
Real estate attorneys handle home purchases, sales, commercial transactions, title disputes, and landlord-tenant matters.
Thomas P. Goranson is one of 316,149 real estate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse real estate attorneys in Texas →
Thomas P. Goranson is one of 24,688 child support attorneys indexed nationally. Browse child support attorneys in Texas →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Texas
Practicing law in Texas. Legal matters in Texas are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Dallas are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Texas state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Texas brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Texas courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Texas attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Dallas or all attorneys in Texas.
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