Kathryn J. Murphy 6900 N. Dallas Parkway Suite 400 Plano, Texas 75024 | ![]() |
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A highly goal-oriented family 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 complex property and child custody and support cases. Her expertise includes cases involving the valuation of a business, closely held business interests, relocation, characterization of property, protective orders, premarital agreements 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.
A partner of the firm, Kathryn has been selected by Thomson Reuters for inclusion in the list of "Top 50 Women Texas Super Lawyers" (2003-2010), "Top 100 Dallas and Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers (2004-2009), and "Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Super Lawyers" (2003-2006; 2008-2009). She has also been selected for inclusion in the list of "Best Lawyers in Dallas" for Family Law (2001; 2005-2010) and "Best Lawyers in Dallas" for Family Law (2001; 2005-2010) and "Best Female Lawyers in Dallas" (2010) by D Magazine. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America ®2012(copyright Woodward/White Inc., of Aiken, S.C.) and as a Texas Super Lawyer (Thomson Reuters) 2003-2010.
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 prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Texas Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, where she is currently Past-President. She is a member of the Family Law Council of the State Bar of Texas, and 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, and is a frequent speaker on family law issues.
- Certification/Specialties:
- Board Certified, Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Education:
- Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas, Texas,
1989
J.D. - University of Texas, Tyler, Texas,
1986
B.A., With Honors
Honors: Distinguished Student Award
- Published Works:
- Texas Family Law Practice Guide, (Co-Author), West Publishing Company, March, 2000, supplemented annually, to the present.
- Protecting Your Assets From A Texas Divorce, 2005
- Protecting Children from Incompetent Forensic Evaluations and Expert Testimony, (Co-Author), Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Journal, 2006
- Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Collaborative Law Institute of Texas Course (2010), State Bar of Texas, Asst. Course Director
- Collaborative Law Institute of Texas Course (2011), State BAr of Texas, Course Director
- New Frontiers in Marital Property Course, State Bar of Texas (2010), Co-Course Director
- Electronic Evidence Workshop, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2009
- The Electronic Evidence Bible, University of Texas School of Law, 2009
- Characterization, Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas, 2009
- Premarital Agreements, Collin County Bar Association, 2009
- Electronic Evidence - Civil and Ethical Implications, University of Texas School of Law, Parent-Child Relationships; Critical Thinking for Critical Issues, 2009
- Premarital Agreements, Collin County Bar Association, Estate Planning Section, 2008
- Relocation, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2006
- Temporary Support, Maintenance and Alimony, Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas, 2006
- Child Support Update: Within and Outside the Guidelines, Marriage Dissolution Institute, 2006
- Relocation, American Bar Association, Section of Family Law, Spring CLE Conference, Washington D.C., 2006
- Collaborative Law, Panel of Texas Authors on Texas Collaborative Law, 2006
- Marital Property 101, State Bar College Spring Training 2006, State Bar College, 2006
- High Tech Evidence, Collin County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2006
- High Tech Evidence, Websites, Harddrives, E-Mails, Etc., Advanced Family Law Drafting Course, 2006
- Child Support, 31st Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2005
- Psychological Testing, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2005
- Relocation, Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and Family Law Section, "Nuts and Bolts" Family Law Training, 2005
- Opening Statements and Closing Arguments, Ultimate Trial Notebook - Family Law, State Bar of Texas, 2004
- High Tech Evidence, Websites, Hard drives, E-Mails, Etc., Williamson County, 2004
- Relocation Debate, 30th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2004
- Collaborative Law Panel, Collaborative Law Spring Retreat, 2004
- High Tech Evidence, Websites, Harddrives, E-Mails, Etc., 29th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2003
- Family Law Evidence, Collin County Bench Bar Conference, 2003
- Family Law Evidentiary Issues, 16th Annual Advanced Evidence & Discovery Course, State Bar of Texas, 2003
- Parentage: Establishing, Attacking & Undoing, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, 2003
- Parentage: Current Issues, University of Houston Law Center, 2002
- Objections at Trial, American Bar Association, Section of Family Law, CLE Conference, Orlando, FL, 2002
- Division of Property and Dividing Specific Assets, University of Houston Law Foundation, 2002
- Family Law for the Non-Specialist, J. Reuben Clark Law Society, 2002
- Division of Property on Divorce, University of Houston Law Foundation, 2001
- Division of Property on Divorce, University of Houston Law Foundation, 2002
- Family Law Update, Ten Hot Topics in Family Law, Collin County Bench/Bar Conference, 2000
- Moderator, Collin County Bench/Bar Conference, 2000
- Family Law Update, J. Reuben Clark Law Society, 2000
- Division of Property on Divorce, University of Houston Law Foundation, 2000
- Family Law Discussion, J. Reuben Clark Law Society, 1999
- Business Valuations in Divorce and Cross-Examination of a Valuation Expert, American Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1999
- Opening Statement - Jury or Nonjury, 25th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1999
- Update on Family Law, Dallas Women's Lawyers Association, 1998
- Family Law for the Non-Specialist, Dallas Bar Association, 1998
- Obtaining Records from Non-Parties, 24th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1998
- Discovery Update, Dallas Bar Association Friday Clinic, 1996
- Discovery Update, Dallas Bar Association Friday Clinic, 1998
- Opening and Closing the File, Family Law Conference for the General Practitioner and Legal Assistant, South Texas College of Law, 1998
- Opening and Closing the File, Family Law Conference for the General Practitioner and Legal Assistant, South Texas College of Law, 1999
- Discovery Update, 23rd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1997
- Discovery Update, 22nd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1996
- Business Valuation in Divorce, Dallas Chapter Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants Fifth Annual Divorce Conference, 1996
- Business Valuation in Divorce, Dallas Chapter Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants Fifth Annual Divorce Conference, 1998
- Discovery, Dallas Bar Association Family Law Training Seminar, 1996
- Attorney's Fees, Family Law Practice Institute, University of Houston, 1996
- Honors and Awards:
- Listed in D Magazine – "Best Lawyers in Dallas" Family Law (2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010).
- Listed in D Magazine – “Best Female Lawyers in Dallas” (2010).
- Listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” – Woodward and White Press., 2012
- Listed by Thomson Reuters in Texas Monthly – “Top 50 Women Texas Super Lawyers” , 2003 - 2011
- Listed by Thomson Reuters in Texas Monthly – “Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers” , 2004 - 2009
- Listed by Thomson Reuters in Texas Monthly – “Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers” , 2011
- Listed by Thomson Reuters in Texas Monthly – “Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Super Lawyers” , 2003 - 2006
- Listed by Thomson Reuters in Texas Monthly – “Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Super Lawyers” , 2008 - 2009
- Listed by Thomson Reuters in Texas Monthly – “Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Super Lawyers” , 2011
- Listed by Thomson Reuters in Texas Monthly – “Texas Super Lawyer” in the area of Family Law , 2003 - 2011
- Best Family Law CLE article, State Bar of Texas, 2004.
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists
- Member
- Family Law Council, State Bar of Texas
- Member
- The Collaborative Alliance
- Member
- Collaborative Law Institute of Texas
- Member
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- Member
- State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section
- Member
- American Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Member
- College of the State Bar of Texas
- Member
- Dallas Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Member
- Collin County Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Member
- Plano Bar Association
- Member
- DAYL People's Law School , 1995 - 1996
- Co-Chair
- Southeastern Paralegal Institute, 1993 - 1996
- Instructor
- Dallas Bar Association, 1998 - 2000
- Member, Fee Dispute Committee
- Collin County Bench Bar Conference, 2000
- Program Committee
- Advisory Board in CASA
- Board Member
- Collin County Bench Bar Conference, 2001
- Co-Chair
- Grievance Committee, District 1A, 2002 - 2007
- Member
- Grievance Committee, District 1A, 2006 - 2007
- Chair
- Annette Stewart Inn of Court
- Board Member
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Fellow
- Texas Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Fellow, Current President
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation
- Fellow
- Family Law Foundation (State Bar of Texas)
- Lifetime Fellow
- Texas Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Nominating Committee
- Denton Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Member
- Collaborative Law Course (2010), State Bar of Texas
- Asst. Course Director
- Collaborative Course (2011), State Bar of Texas
- Course Director
- New Frontiers in Marital Property Course, Stte Bar of Texas (2010)
- Co-Course Director









