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Recognizing that divorce is a difficult time and often involves the division of an estate, Thomas Goranson applies a keen understanding to marital assets and how they can be valued and divided to achieve maximum benefit to the client. Befitting the founder of the firm, Tom also brings a certain stature to his cases that supports the client’s goals in the proceedings.
With an eye toward preserving assets rather than destroying them, Tom offers clients a thorough analysis, and creative but realistic planning to accomplish the client’s objectives. In Tom’s experience, seeking to destroy the other side does not obtain the best results. Rather, he deploys his trial and negotiation skills strategically to help clients find the best solutions and keep matters under control.
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 law 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, Tom founded a law firm devoted exclusively to divorce and family law, known today as Goranson, Bain, Larsen, Greenwald, Maultsby & Murphy, PLLC (GoransonBain).
Tom's current divorce practice emphasizes significant property cases. He is Board Certified in Family Law, by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1980, a graduate of SMU School of Law (1971), and a frequent lecturer on family law matters. Tom is also a member of two separate American Inns of Court. The William "Mac" Taylor Inn is a general litigation organization. The membership of 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 for 2003 - 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 been a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 1982. Tom has been selected for inclusion in the list of Best Lawyers in America", by Woodward/White, Inc., for over twenty years. He was selected by for inclusion in the list of "The Top Lawyers" in family law in the May, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 issues of D Magazine. Thomson Reuters has selected him for inclusion in the list of "Super Lawyers" in family law in its November 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 issues (including a selection of one of the top 100 lawyers in Texas in 2004 and 2005). Tom was one of the founding members of, and is currently an active member in, a local Toastmasters International Club - Counselors (#5918). He is especially proud of establishing a law firm that developed a great reputation among judges, mediators, other professionals and clients.
See Tom’s profile on ChristianLawyers.com
Professional Associations and Memberships:
American Inns of Court
William "Mac" Taylor Inns of Court
Annette Stewart Inns of Court, 2003 - 2004
Founding Member, Education Vice President
Toastmasters International Club Counselors #5918
Founding Member
American Bar Association
State Bar of Texas
Dallas Bar Association
Denton Bar Association
Collin County Bar Association
Current Employment Position(s):
Chief Executive Officer, Goranson, Bain, Larsen, Greenwald, Maultsby & Murphy, PLLC, since 2008
Year Joined Organization:
1987
Areas of Practice:
Divorce
Family Law
Complex Property Division
Collaborative Law
Certification/Specialties:
Board Certified -Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1980
Bar Admissions:
Texas, 1971
Education:
Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas, Texas, 1971
J.D.
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, 1969
B.B.A.
Major: Finance & Management
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Frequent Lecturer, Family Law Matters
Moderator, "Real Estate, Oil & Gas and Estate Planning," Advanced Family Law Course 2011, State Bar of Texas, 2011
"Reimbursement," The University of Texas School of Law, 2010 Family Law on the Front Lines, 2010
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, 2009
"Speaking In Codes," (With K. Dennise Garcia, Carson Epes Steinbauer and Lindley Bain), 2008 Marriage Dissolution Institute - State Bar of Texas, 2008
"Dealing With Complex Business Entities on Divorce" (Panel), 2008 New Frontiers in Marital Property Law – State Bar of Texas
"Business Valuations - Just Some Basics," 2007 Advanced Family Law Course - State Bar of Texas, 2007
Estate Planning Counsel (Dallas, Texas) - 2006 – "Economic Contribution" with Robert Kroney
"Speaking in Codes" - 2006, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas - August 2006
Panel on "Employee Compensation," 2006 New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas - October, 2006
Moderator of Panel on "Employee Compensation," Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2005
Panel on "Employee Compensation," New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas, 2005
"Speaking In Codes: Revisited - What Every Family Lawyer Should Know About the Civil Practices & Remedies Code, Property Code, and Business & Commerce Code (And Throw in the Finance Code, Penal Code and the Revised Partnership Act)," Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, August 18, 2003
Panel, ''Beyond the 401(k) - Executive Compensation'', New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas, San Antonio, Texas, 2002
"Speaking In Codes: What Every Family Lawyer Should Know About the Civil Practices & Remedies Code, Property Code, and Business & Commerce Code (And Throw in the Finance Code and Penal Code)," Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, San Antonio, Texas, August 7, 2001
Panel, "Valuation Problems in the 21st Century," Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2000
Moderator, "Intellectual Property Law and Divorce, The Battle Ground of the Future," New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas, San Diego, California, 1999
"The Next Millennium: 2000 Ways to Dramatically Present Your Case," Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1999
"Intellectual Property Issues," Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1999
Moderator, "Relations and Tensions Between the Media and Attorneys," William ''Mac'' Taylor Inn of Court, 1998
Co-Presenter, "Strategies for Division of the Complex Estate," New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas, Sante Fe, New Mexico, 1998
"Intellectual Property," Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1998
Co-Presenter, "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, 1997
"Working as an Expert Witness in Family Law Matters," Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPA's Divorce Conference, 1997
Co-Presenter, "Reimbursement and Alternative Theories of Recovery," New Frontiers of Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas, Coronado, California, 1996
"Family Law Principles In Divorce and Estate Planning," Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs, 1995
"Temporary Motions, Orders and Hearings," Legal Services of North Texas July Pro Bono Training, 1995
"On the Cutting Edge of Reimbursement," Marriage Dissolution Seminar, State Bar of Texas, 1995
"Enforcement and Clarification - Property Issues," Advanced Family Law Course for Legal Assistants, 1995
"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
"The Partine Dissolution," Dallas Estate Planning Council, 1993
"What Accountants Really Want to Know About Divorce," CPA Club of North Dallas, 1993
"A Characterization & Valuation Primer," Dallas Bar Association, Family Law Section, Pro Bono Training Session, 1992
"Examination of the Expert: How to Dress and Un-dress the CPA on the Witness Stand," Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs, 1992
"Estate Planning -- When it Comes Apart," Advanced Underwriting Seminar, Dallas Chapter of CLU & ChFC, 1992
"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, 1988
"Special Problems of Valuation and Division of Corporations, Partnerships and Trusts," Advanced Family Law Short Course, South Texas College of Law, 1984
"Valuation of Property and Proof of Value," Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1983
"Supernumeraries: Master, Auditors, et al," Marriage Dissolution Seminar, State Bar of Texas, 1980
Frequent Lecturer, Family Law Matters
Honors and Awards:
Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 1982 - Present
Selected for inclusion in the list of "Best Lawyers in America", Copyright 1987-Present by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C., 1987 - Present
Selected for inclusion in the list of ''The Top Lawyers'' in Family Law, D Magazine, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
Selected for inclusion in the list of "Super Lawyers", by Thomson Reuters, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010, including being selected for inclusion in the list of the Top 100 Lawyers in the State for 2004 and 2005
Past Employment Positions:
Goranson, Bain, Larsen & Greenwald, 2005 - 2007
Goranson, Bain & Larsen, L.C., 1996 - 2004
Goranson & Larsen, L.C., 1995
Law Office of Thomas P. Goranson, 1992 - 1995
Goranson & Bain, 1991 - 1992
Law Office of Thomas P. Goranson, 1987 - 1991
Akin, Gump Strauss, Hauer & Feld, Partner, 1978 - 1987
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, Associate, 1971 - 1978
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