What You Need to Know About Divorce in Texas

Family law is a complex practice area, regulated by rules that vary slightly from state to state. In Texas, the Texas Family Code governs and guides attorneys and their clients through the divorce process. Family law cases can be highly complex and involved. It can also be the most emotionally charged area of the law to deal with because of the difficult issues that must be addressed. The procedures used in these cases are similar to other areas of the law, but there are important differences. Family law, unlike many types of litigation, goes directly to the issues that affect people the most: children and money.

Michelle May O'Neil has 25 years' experience representing small business owners, professionals, and individuals in litigation related to family law matters such as divorce, child custody, and complex property division. Described by one lawyer as "a lethal combination of sweet-and-salty," Ms. O'Neil exudes genuine compassion for her client's difficulties, yet she can be relentless when in pursuit of a client's goals. One judge said of Ms. O'Neil, "She cannot be out-gunned, out-briefed, or out-lawyered!" Ms. O'Neil became a board certified family law specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 1997 and has maintained her certification for 20 years since that time. While representing clients in litigation before the trial court is an important part of her practice, Ms. O'Neil also handles appellate matters in the trial court, courts of appeals and Texas Supreme Court. Lawyers frequently consult with Ms. O'Neil on their litigation cases about specialized legal issues requiring particularized attention both at the trial court and appellate levels. This gives her a unique perspective and depth of perception that benefits both her litigation and appellate clients. Ms. O'Neil has been named to the list of Texas SuperLawyers for six straight years, 2011-2016, a peer-voted honor given to only about 5% of the lawyers in the state of Texas. In 2014 to 2016, Ms. O'Neil received the special honor of being named by Texas SuperLawyers as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas, Top 100 Lawyers in Texas, and Top 100 Lawyers in DFW. She was named one of the Best Lawyers in America for 2016 and 2017 in appellate law and, most recently, made the DMagazine list of the Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016 in appellate law. The State Bar of Texas and other providers of continuing education for attorneys frequently enlist Ms. O'Neil to provide instruction to attorneys on topics of her expertise in the family law arena.