A responsibility to give back to the legal community and advocate for families and children has driven Texas family law attorney Kathryn J. Murphy to the top of the list.  Best Lawyers®, in a peer-driven selection process, has named her as 2017 "Lawyer of the Year" for Family Law in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. At the same time, she moves into a leadership position as Chair of the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section.

This is the second time Murphy has been named Best Lawyers® Family Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Dallas. Only a single lawyer in each practice area within a community is honored with this distinction. She has been listed in Best Lawyers in America every year since 2003.

The Best Lawyers® recognition is one of many accomplishments of the GoransonBain family law firm partner, but it is her devotion to the professional development in herself and others that motivates her. 

 Advocacy in Action

Kathryn feels if you are passionate about your work, you take an active interest in solving problems and learning new things. At the same, she says it’s important to her to contribute to the development of others and share her knowledge and experience.

As Chair of the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section,  Murphy will lead the approximate 6,000 members of the Section in their mission to promote the highest degree of professionalism, education, fellowship and excellence in the practice of family law.

Through her involvement with the State Bar of Texas and other industry related organizations, Murphy has developed strong relations with fellow attorneys and expanded her network of connections.  She has helped advance family law legislation that works for the best interests of families and children.  She is a frequent speaker on family law matters and has authored several publications including most recently, Family Law at Your Fingertips, a guidebook that provides quick access to the substantive law.

Murphy is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  She is a Fellow of the prestigious International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Texas Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, where she is a Past-President.  She is a member of the American Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association and Collin County Bar Association.

Murphy is a resident of Plano, where she lives with her husband.