Curtis W. Harrison has previously served as the managing partner for two law firms, including Goranson Bain Ausley, over a combined period of almost 20 years. Drawing upon his extensive educational and professional background in business administration, management, and finance, Curtis profoundly understands the intricate economic challenges and enduring pressures encountered by business proprietors, C-suite executives, and their spouses. Curtis applies his experience to help clients identify, prioritize, and achieve their strategic goals for the process, just as they would in their professional lives.
Curtis has litigated cases around the state of Texas for almost 30 years. However, he has come to recognize the collateral harm caused by a judicial system that was designed to adjudicate winners and losers, not resolve family disputes. His goal is to help clients resolve their conflicts over property division and child custody constructively so that they can move forward with hope for a better future. Curtis practices family law as he strives to live — with honesty and integrity, working diligently to make a positive difference.
Curtis is Master-credentialed in the Collaborative Divorce approach and has published numerous articles on the advantages of the Collaborative Divorce model. He is board-certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been named a “Texas Super Lawyer” by Thomson Reuters every year since 2008. He has also been named a “Best Lawyer” by Best Lawyers in America© in family law, mediation, and collaborative law in 2017 through 2026. He has previously served on the board of trustees for Collaborative Divorce Texas and the Texas Board of Legal Specialization Family Law Advisory Commission.
Curtis is an experienced mediator and Collaborative Divorce lawyer in Dallas and Plano, Texas.
Curtis is a self-described Christ-follower, husband, father of three, DIYer, and classic car aficionado.
Honors & Awards
Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in
the field of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Best Lawyers, 2017 – 2026
Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in
the field of Family Law, Best Lawyers, 2018 – 2026
Inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in
the field of Family Law Mediation, Best Lawyers, 2019 – 2026
Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list,
Thomson Reuters, 2008-2025
Named to the 500 Leading Family Lawyers List,
LawDragon, 2024 – 2026
Articles
Divorcing a Sociopath May 2, 2025
How Adultery in Texas Affects a Divorce May
29, 2024
Avoiding Christmas Custody Games December
1, 2022
The Minimally-Invasive Divorce March 3,
2022
Negotiating with Your Spouse February 3,
2022
Hidden Risks for Couples Ending Common Law Marriages in
Texas April 15, 2021
Why Does It Matter If Your Family Lawyer Is Trained in
Collaborative Divorce? April 1, 2021
Protecting Your Child’s Emotional Health During Divorce March
29, 2021
Can I Start My Divorce During the Coronavirus Shutdown? March
24, 2020
How to Successfully Divorce Someone with a High-Conflict
Personality January 26, 2019
Meet Curtis W. Harrison April 15, 2016
Collaborative Divorce Doesn’t Promote Divorce June
16, 2015
3
Things You Should Not Do In a Divorce July 21, 2014
Does Social Security Incentivize Divorce? June
23, 2014
Publications & Speeches
Author, “When Loyalty and Collaborative
Transparency Collide,” Headnotes, Dallas Bar Journal,
2021.
Author, “How to Successfully Divorce Someone with a High-Conflict
Personality,” Family Law Advisor, 2019.
Author, “Divorcing A Sociopath,” Family Law
Advisor, 2018.
Ask the Expert – High Conflict
Personality, D Magazine, 2018
KDFW Fox 4 – Good Day TV segment,
titled, “Modern Divorce Trends,” featured an interview with
attorney Curtis Harrison about co-parenting, how the emotion aspects of divorce
affect one’s logical thinking and decision-making, and knowing your attorney’s
approach and style.
KERA radio segment on Collaborative Divorce,
explores the less-messy divorce, and emerging trends in litigation, with a team
of experts including attorney Curtis Harrison, mental health professional Linda
Solomon and financial professional Scott Clarke. Click here to hear the radio segment featured on Think
with Krys Boyd.
Contributor, “Getting the Case Started,”
Collaborative Law—Start to Finish, TexasBarBooks, March 2014
Author, “Facing Divorce in an Uncertain
Economy,” Huffington Post, February 5, 2011
Author, “Dealing with Christmas Custody
Games,” Huffington Post, December 24, 2010
Author, “Is There a Minimally-Invasive
Divorce?” Huffington Post, December 13, 2010
Author, “Logic Doesn’t Drive the Divorce
Train,” Collaborative Law Institute of Texas, October 15, 2010
Author, “Getting Your Case from Zero to 60,”
Collaborative Law Spring Conference, January 2010
A Roadmap Through Divorce Proceedings,
National Business Institute, November, 2008
Presentations
Speaker, When Client Loyalty and Collaborative
Transparency Collide, State Bar of Texas Collaborative Law Spring
Conference, 2022.
Co-Presenter, Common Estate Planning
Problems Divorce Lawyers Experience — Texas Wealth Council, 2021.
Panelist, Where is the Voice of the
Child in Divorce? CDT Advanced Disciplinary Training, 2019.
An Inconvenient Truth: What the Legal System
Tells Us About Children and Divorce, Collaborative Divorce Texas, Advanced
Training, Panelist, 2019
Panelist, When to Just Say “No”, Collaborative
Law Interdisciplinary Group, 2017.
What is Attachment Theory and How Does It
Apply to My Divorce Case?, Dallas Bar Association, Collaborative Law Section,
March 2016
Attachment Theory and It’s Potential Impact to
Collaborative Practice, Dallas Bar Association, March 2015
Course Director, Texas Bar Association’s
Collaborative Law Conference, March 2014
Assist. Course Director, Texas Bar
Association’s Collaborative Law Conference, February 2013
Dallas Bar Association’s ADR Section Meeting,
Capturing Benefits from the Collaborative Process Even When a Case Doesn’t
Settle, May 2012
Succeeding Collaboratively in a Soft Economy,
Texas State Bar’s Advanced Family Law Seminar, August 2011
Getting Your Case from 0-60, Texas Bar
Association’s Collaborative Law Spring Conference, March 2010
Divorce, the Collaborative Way, Journey of
Hope Christian Counseling, 2009
Divorce Mediation Training, El Centro Junior
College, 2009
A Roadmap Through Divorce Proceedings,
National Business Institute Seminar, 2008
1998—, Ethics Committee; Treasurer, 1999-2001, Charter Fellow); Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists; Collaborative Law Institute of Texas (Board Member); Texas Bar Foundation.