Paula Larsen 8150 North Central Expressway Suite 1850 Dallas, Texas 75206 | ![]() |
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Paula is a partner at Goranson Bain. She has served as both a Judge in the 303rd Family District Court and an Associate Judge in the 302nd Family District Court. She is Board Certified in Family Law, is currently a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and is a former member of the Family Law Council of the State Bar of Texas. She has been recognized as a Top 50 Female Super Lawyer (top 50 female attorneys in the state of Texas), and as a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly, as well as a Best Lawyer in Dallas by D Magazine.
With over thirty years of family law experience, including eleven years of prior judicial experience as an associate judge and a district judge in the Dallas family courts (1983-1994), Paula offers a unique perspective to her clients. Board Certified in family law since 1985 and consistently named in The Best Lawyers In America since 1997, she handles significant property cases, divorces involving children, and premarital and postmarital agreements. Her practice emphasizes collaborative family law, an innovative approach for the amicable resolution of divorce cases without litigation. As of Jan, 2010, she has successfully resolved 75 collaborative cases.
- Year Joined Organization:
- 1995
- Certification/Specialties:
- Board Certified in Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1985
- Bar Admissions:
- Texas, 1979
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 1980
- U.S. Federal Court, 1980
- Education:
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Law - Camden, Camden, New Jersey,
1979
J.D. - University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio,
1976
B.A.
Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Major: Political Science
- Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Speaker, Asserting Community Property Claims/Complex Trust Issues, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2002
- Speaker, Tax Traps/Tax Tricks and the Complex Property Case, New Frontiers in Marital Property Law, State Bars of Texas, 2000
- Speaker, The Child as a Witness, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2000
- Speaker, Stock Options Where Are We Now?, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1999
- Panelist, Impact of the New Rules of Discovery, State Bar of Texas, 1998
- Panelist, Handling the Big Money Case, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1998
- Speaker, The Art of Persuading the Judge, 18th Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas, 1995
- Panelist, Persuading the Judge, Marriage Dissolution Course, State Bar of Texas, 1995
- Speaker, The Estate Planning/Divorce Interface, 18th Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, State Bar of Texas, 1994
- Speaker, Making the Judge's Job Easier: Practical Suggestions for Improving Your Performance in the Preparation and Trial of a Family Law Case, Solo Firm Section, Dallas Bar Association, 1994
- Speaker, Appearing in a Family Court Proceeding as an Expert Witness: Meeting the Judges Expectations, Divorce Conference, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, 1994
- Speaker, Discovery Workshop, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1991 - 1993
- Speaker, The New Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1993
- Speaker and Author, Effective Use of Experts in the Collaborative Law Process, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2008
- Speaker, Death after Divorce, 32nd Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, State Bar of Texas, 2008
- Honors and Awards:
- "The Best Lawyers in America" Woodward and White Press, 1997 - Present
- "Best Female Lawyers in Dallas" D Magazine, 2010
- "Top 50 Female Super Lawyers" Texas Monthly Magazine, 2003 - 2009
- "Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers" Texas Monthly Magazine, 2004, 2005, 2009
- "Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Region Super Lawyer" Texas Monthly Magazine, 2003 - 2009
- "Super Lawyer" in the area of Family Law, Texas Monthly Magazine, 2003-2009
- "Best Lawyers in Dallas" D Magazine, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 & 2008
- "Most Ethical Family Law Attorney" D Magazine, 1995
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Fellow American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- State Bar of Texas
- Dallas Bar Association
- The Collaborative Alliance
- Pattern Jury Charge Committee
- Texas Bar Foundation
- Dallas Bar Foundation
- State Bar of Texas, 1999 - 2008
- Family Law Council
- State Bar of Texas, 2003 - 2005
- Chair, Public Information Committee
- State Bar of Texas
- Chair, Webcast & CLE committee, 2006
- State Bar of Texas, 1989 - 1993
- Judicial Liaison, Family Law Council
- State Bar of Texas, 1991 - 1995
- District 6 Grievance Committee
- State Bar of Texas, 1995 - 1996
- Director, District 6
- Dallas Bar, 1995 - 1998
- Board Member, Family Law Section
- Past Employment Positions:
- 303rd Family District Court, District Judge, 1994
- 302nd Family District Court, Associate Judge, 1983 - 1993
