Williams, M. Edward

Randall Wilhite has represented clients in a full range of family law matters for over 32 years, specializing in complex property disputes, stock option and restricted stock issues, retirement assets, employee benefits, taxation issues, characterization of assets as separate or community property, business valuation and division, and other valuation issues. As a mediator, he has settled over 2,100 family law cases, with an emphasis on complex legal issues, valuation disputes, tax issues and business divisions. He is experienced in the litigation, arbitration and mediation of all family law issues.

Randy is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin (teaching Texas Marital Property Rights and Texas Marital Relations & Divorce) and at the University of Houston Law School, (teaching Advanced Family Law, Texas Marital Property Rights and Family Law Practice). He has also taught for several consecutive years as a member of the Permanent Teaching Faculty of the American Bar Association Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute and, in addition to being a regular Faculty Member of the Course, also has taught the Advanced Course on Business Valuation Advocacy.

Randy has co-authored three published books on Texas Family Law. One is a 1,346-page annotated version of the Texas Family Code that digests and abstracts important case law interpreting the Texas family law statutes. The other book is entitled Texas Family Law Handbook. This book, several years in the making, is a comprehensive and authoritative 1,130-page treatise on Texas family law. The books are part of the highly regarded O'Connor's "Annotated Code Series" and "Expert Series" published by Jones McClure Publishing. Randy is also a co-author of Texas Family Law - Direct & Cross Examination - A Focus on Property Issues, a 3 Volume set with 2,118 pages of suggested ideas, questions and outlines for direct and cross-examination in the trial of a divorce property case in Texas published by Imprimatur Press.

Randy is a recipient of the prestigious David A. Gibson Award for Demonstrating Professionalism and Excellence in the Practice of Family Law, presented annually by the Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists. Randy was also named the Frank G. Evans Mediator of the Year, an award presented annually by the State Bar of Texas.

Randy is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has sat on the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (Family Law Certification Examination Board) for several years, which develops and grades exams for certification in Texas as a Board Certified Family Law Attorney.

Randy has spoken and presented over 90 continuing legal education articles at seminars and institutes in Texas and around the United States. In 2003, he was presented with the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Award for the Best Continuing Legal Education Presentation in Texas Family Law for his article on Valuation of Closely Held Businesses & Professional Practices.

Randy has been a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 1989. In 2006, he was inducted as a Fellow into the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
 
Randy is a Certified Public Accountant, which gives him the background to handle sophisticated tax and business cases. He is also one of the very few practicing attorneys in the United States who is Accredited in Business Valuation by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. This recognized expertise in business valuation gives Randy an excellent background in the development, mediation and trial of divorce and other cases involving business valuation and sophisticated financial analysis.

Randy also serves as an expert witness to other family law attorneys in Harris County, Travis County and elsewhere on issues of business valuation, characterization of assets as separate or community property, tracing, business distributions and trusts. He also consults with, and is co-counsel with, other attorneys on specialized cases in Texas dealing with the development and cross-examination of business valuation testimony at trial.

In 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, Randy was named in Texas Monthly as one of the Top 100 Attorneys in Texas. In 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, he was named a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine and Law & Politics Magazine. Also, in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, he was named as one of Houston's Top Lawyers in Family Law by H Magazine. Randy is listed in Best Lawyers in America, (Woodward/White, Inc. 2005-2011), and has been AV Rated his entire legal career by the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory (which is the highest rating possible).

Randall Wilhite is regarded as one of the most preeminent family law attorneys in Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Accounting and received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Houston College of Law in 1979.

Publications & Speeches:
Valuation of Property:

Alternative Dispute Resolution in Family Law Cases -  37th Annual Advanced Family Law Course 2011, Using Statistics in Business Valuation and Other Financial Issues, AICPA/AAML National Symposium on Divorce (Las Vegas, Nevada 2010); "Business Valuation, State Bar of Texas Family Law Webcast (Dallas, Texas 2007); Practical Business Valuation, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Institute (El Paso, Texas 2007); Discounts in the Valuation of Closely Held Businesses (State Bar of Texas New Frontiers Institute, October 2005, Scottsdale, Arizona); Valuation of Assets in Divorce (State Bar of Texas, Advanced Family Law Course, August 2005); Presenting & Attacking Valuation Evidence in Trial - Real Estate & Business Valuation (Houston Bar Association Family Law Seminar - Property Issues (2005); Valuation of Marital Assets (The University of Texas At Austin School of Law, Family Law on the Front Lines Seminar, Galveston, Texas, 2004); The Use and Abuse of Discounts Disappearing Marital Assets (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants & American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Annual Conference on Divorce, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2004); Valuation of Difficult Property (University of Houston College of Law 2003 Advanced Family Law Course); The Basics of Business Valuation (Houston Bar Association Family Law Institute), April 2003; Valuation of Closely Held Businesses & Professional Practices (State Bar of Texas 2002 Advanced Family Law Course, August 2002); Valuation of Difficult Property, (University of Houston College of Law 2002 Annual Family Law Seminar, Dallas & Houston, June, 2002); Valuation of Closely Held Businesses & Professional Practices (University of Houston College of Law 2001 Annual Family Law Seminar, Dallas & Houston, October, 2001); Author, The Effect of Goodwill in Determining the Value of a Business in a Divorce, 35 Family Law Quarterly, pp. 351 381 (A.B.A., Summer 2001); Valuation of Closely Held Businesses & Professional Practices (University of Houston College of Law 2001 Annual Family Law Seminar, Dallas & Houston, June, 2001); Valuation of Closely Held Businesses & Professional Practices (University of Houston College of Law 2000 Annual Family Law Seminar, September 2000); Valuation of Closely Held Businesses & Professional Practices (University of Houston College of Law 1999 Annual Family Law Seminar, September 1999); Valuation of Closely Held Business Interests & Professional Practices (University of Houston College of Law 1998 Annual Advising Small Business Owners Seminar); Valuation of Closely Held Business Interests In Divorce (University of Houston College of Law 1997 Annual Family Law Seminar); Valuation Variation: A Practical Study of the Latent Tax Impact On The Division of Marital Property (American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Symposium on Federal Issues Affecting Family Law).

Accounting, Taxation & Tax Planning:

Accounting for Lawyers (Web-Cast to 43 states and the Department of Justice, sponsored by CLE Options and the State Bar of Texas, May 2006); Dissecting the Complex Tax Return (State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course 2004); Litigating Tax Issues (Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Trial Institute, New Orleans 2004); Tax Issues in Divorce (State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course 2003); Tax Motivated Drafting Stock Options, Alimony Agreements, Divisive Reorganizations & Redemptions (State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Drafting Institute, December 1999); Co-Director and Speaker (Federal Tax Issues in Divorce, Including Drafting Tax Provisions in Divorce Decrees - With Forms and Checklists), South Texas College of Law Family Law Conference, February 1999; Taxation of Marital Property Transfers (South Texas College of Law Seminar on Marital Property Rights, October 1998); Federal Tax Issues In Family Law: Issues, Current Developments And Common Tax Traps For the Family Law Practitioner (South Texas College of Law 6th Annual Family Law Seminar, 1996); Tax Ethics In Divorce (National Business Institute Symposium on Divorce Taxation in Texas, August 1995); Taxation Of Property Transfers Incident To Divorce (National Business Institute Symposium on Divorce Taxation In Texas, 1995); Tax, Accounting & Financial Terminology (State Bar of Texas, Litigation Section Symposium on Accounting And Tax Issues Affecting Litigation, 1994); Divorce Taxation In Texas (NBI Symposium on Family Law, 1992) Valuation Variation: A Practical Study of the Latent Tax Impact On The Division of Marital Property (American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Symposium on Federal Issues Affecting Family Law).

Division Of Property:
 
Navigating the Maze: Impact of Estate Planning on  Marital Estate in a Divorce - AICPA/AAML National Conference on Divorce, May 10-11, 2012, Using Discovery and Selecting Documents to Use at Trial, Ultimate Trial Notebook (State Bar of Texas, New Orleans, La. 2009); Hot Tips on Hot Topics, New Frontiers in Marital Property Law (State Bar of Texas, Scottsdale, Arizona 2010); Finding Hidden Assets, AICPA/AAML National Symposium on Divorce (Las Vegas, Nevada 2010); Myths & Misconceptions in Texas Community Property Law (Constitutional, Fundamental and Foundational Issues Ripe for Challenge During the Next 10 Years) (State Bar of Texas New Frontiers Institute, 2007, Memphis, Tennessee) Employee Benefits (The University of Texas School of Law Family Law on the Frontlines Seminar, Galveston, Texas 2007); Property Silver Bullets (Ultimate Trial Notebook, State Bar of Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2006); Unique Characterization Issues (New Frontiers in Marital Property Law, State Bar of Texas, San Francisco, California, 2006); Economic Contribution (University of Houston College of Law Annual Family Law Seminar, Dallas 2006); What are My Options: The Characterization, Taxation, Valuation & Division of Stock Options & Restricted Stock, (State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2006); Economic Contribution and Tracing Separate Property, (Houston Bar Association Family Law Institute, March 2006); Sophisticated Corporate Structures, (State Bar of Texas New Frontiers Course, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 2004), Advanced Property Division (State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2003); An Overview of Economic Contribution (University of Houston College of Law Annual Family Law Seminar, Dallas & Houston, 2003); The Use of Trusts in Family Law, (State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Drafting Institute, 2001); Equitable Reimbursement Under The 1999 Texas Family Code Statutes (Burta Rhoads Raborn Family Law Inns of Court, 1999); Dividing Privately Owned Businesses (State Bar of Texas 25th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 1999); Handling Liabilities In A Divorce (State Bar of Texas 22nd Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, 1999); Property Division In Divorce (National Business Institute Symposium on Family Law Taxation, 1992); Divorce: Division of Property, Child Support & Alimony (National Business Institute Symposium on Family Law, 1991).

Mediation:

Negotiation Strategies & Skills, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (San Antonio, Texas 21007); The Great Debate on Collaborative Law, Marriage Dissolution Course by the State Bar of Texas (Austin, 2006); Family Law Arbitration, Houston Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (March, 2006); Family Law Mediation, Burta Rhoads Raborn Family Law Inns Of Court (March, 2006); Interest-Based Negotiation & Mediation, University of Texas School of Law Collaborative Law Spring Retreat (Austin, Texas, February, 2006); Creative Strategies in Mediation, Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar, Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas (Austin, Texas, September, 2005); Focus on the Finish Line: Mediation v. Litigation (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants & American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Annual Conference on Divorce, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2004); Preparing for Mediation (Houston Legal Assistants Association Docket Management Seminar, 2003); Slam Dunk the Mediation: Winning Strategies for Preparing and Executing Effective Mediations of Property and Custody Issues in Divorce (State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Institute, 2002); Mediation of a Marital Property Case (South Texas College of Law Seminar on Advanced Marital Property Rights, 2001); Mediation for Family Law Legal Assistants (Half Moon Continuing Legal Education Seminar for Family Law Legal Assistants, 2001); Mediation Tools (Division of Assets and Allocation of Liabilities) & Mediation Workshop Leader (South Texas College of Law Annual Mediation Training Seminar, 1999); Family Law Mediation (Houston Bar Association Seminar, 1999); The Changing Face Of Mediation (South Texas College of Law Family Law Mediation Seminar, 1998); Effective Preparation for Mediation, Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists, 1997.

Ethics:
 
The Impact of Divorce on Children and the Role of the Family Law Attorney: Advocate v. Counselor, A Dichotomy (Burta Rhoads Raborn Family Law Inns of Court, 2001); The Rewards of Decency: Professionalism and Legal Ethics (Live Oak CLE), 2000 - Panel Discussion; "Tax Ethics" In Divorce (National Business Institute Symposium on Divorce Taxation in Texas, 1995).

Retirement Assets & Employee Benefits:

Retirement Assets (State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2007); Stock Options (State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2006); Retirement Assets (The University of Texas At Austin School of Law, Family Law on the Front Lines Seminar, Galveston, Texas, 2005); Retirement Plans Identification, Characterization, Valuation & Division (Houston Bar Association Family Law Seminar, March 2004); Stock Options (State Bar Advanced Family Law Course, 2003); Employee Benefits: Identify, Value, Divide & Award (The University of Texas At Austin School of Law, Family Law on the Front Lines Seminar, Austin, Texas, 2003); Retirement Assets: Identify, Value, Divide & Award (The University of Texas School of Law Family Law on the Frontlines Seminar, Galveston, 2002); Community Property & Federal Tax Laws for Employee Benefits, Golden Handcuffs, Qualified and Non-Qualified Stock Options & Deferred Compensation in Divorce (Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Annual Trial Institute, 2001 & Houston Bar Association Family Law Section, 2001); Employee Benefits Identify, Value, Divide & Award To QDROS and Beyond (Houston Bar Association Family Law Seminar, 2000); Retirement Benefits In A Texas Divorce (National Business Institute Symposium on Divorce Taxation In Texas, 1995); Retirement Benefits In A Texas Divorce (National Business Institute Symposium in Family Law, 1992); Retirement Benefits In Divorce (NBI Symposium on Family Law Taxation, 1991).

Evidence, Discovery, Procedure and Bankruptcy:

The Ten Most Important Rules of Direct & Cross Examination of CPAs and Forensic Experts - AICPA/AAML National Conference on Divorce, May 10-11, 2012, Obtaining and Enforcing Discovery from Third Parties, State Bar of Texas, San Antonio (Advanced Family Law Course 2010); Creative Cross Examination (Ultimate Trial Notebook, State Bar of Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2006); Electronic Evidence (State Bar of Texas 27th Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, 2004); Obtaining Discovery Out of State, (Burta Rhoads Raborn Family Law Inns of Court, 2002); Riding the Information Highway: Some Rules for the Internet Road Legal, Ethical and Practical Guidelines (Ask the Experts, Houston, Texas, 2001); Co-Director and Speaker (Unusually Obtained Evidence), South Texas College of Law Family Law Conference, 1999; Unusually Obtained Evidence (Houston Bar Association Family Law Section, 1999); Dealing With Unusually Obtained Evidence In A Family Law Case (Family Law Inns of Court, 1998);Staying Warm After The Sheets Are Split: Protecting Your Divorce Decree From Bankruptcy (South Texas College of Law 6th Annual Family Law Seminar, 1997); Bankruptcy in Family Law (Houston Bar Association Seminar, 1990).

Miscellaneous & Course Director & Planning Committee:
 
Course Director, Federal Issues Affecting Family Law, CLE Options & the State Bar of Texas (Dallas 2007); Planning Committee, State Bar of Texas Ultimate Trial Notebook, 2006; Course Director, Marriage Dissolution Course by the State Bar of Texas (Austin, 2006); Planning Committee, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Seminar, 2004; Planning Committee, State Bar of Texas New Frontiers in Family Law Seminar, 2004, 2005 & 2006; Planning Committees, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course, 2002, 2003 & 2005; Course Director, Family Law For the General Practitioner & Legal Assistant, South Texas College of Law, 2001; Course Director, Family Law For the General Practitioner & Legal Assistant, South Texas College of Law, 2000; Houston Bar Association, Family Law Section, Family Law Seminar, Course Director, 1998; Rights of Grandparents in Visitation and Conservatorship Actions, 27 S. Tex L. Rev. 519; Children, Parents, & Grandparents: Balancing the Rights of Association and Control, 1 Am. J. Fam. Law 473.