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Michael
Childs

Partner, Board Certified

Profile

Michael Childs first came to the firm in 1996 as a law clerk, and became an associate in November 1996. He has over twenty-one years of experience with complex family matters. As a litigator, his representation has included divorce, disputed property valuations and divisions of property, contested custody and child support matters, paternity issues, grandparent rights and common law marriage. He has worked with numerous professional athletes and their agents, and is well-versed in the complex and sensitive nature of their cases.

Michael became board certified in family law by the Texas State Board of Legal Specialization in 2001. He was named as a Rising Star by Thomas Reuters in Texas Monthly Magazine from 2004-2010 and named to Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters 2011-2018. Michael is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. He received his Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law, with a focus on civil litigation.

  • DISTINCTIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

    Michael is a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, Houston Bar Association, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists and the Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists. He has previously served as a director of the Houston Bar Association-Family Law Section and with Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists.

    Awards

  • PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

    • American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2009 – present
    • American Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1996 – present
    • Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, 2001 – present
      (2009-2010, Director)
    • Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists, 2001 – present (2009-2010, Director)
    • Houston Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1996 – present (2006 – 2009, Director)
    • State Bar of Texas
  • PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING

    Michael has published several articles for continuing education courses and routinely lectures on family law issues at continuing legal education seminars around the state.

    • 1998 – Houston Legal Assistants Association, Rules of Evidence, Distinguished Speaker
    • 1999 – Rules of Evidence (with Donn C Fullenweider)
    • 2003 – South Texas Family Law General Practice, What You Must Know to Prove Your Property Case
    • 2004 – Advanced to Family Law Course, How to Qualify for and Pass the Family Law Board Certification Exam (with: Heather Hughes and Kyle Sanders)
    • 2004 – South Texas Family Law General Practice, Representing Diverse Clients
    • 2006 – Advanced Family Law Course, Property Tracing Economic Contribution and Retirement (with: Jeffrey O Anderson, Michael R. Debuin and Douglas K. Fejer)
    • 2007 – South Texas College of Law Family Law Conference, Case Management: The Attorney and Paralegal (with: Nicole Wood, Charlotte Rainwater and Melody Godwin)
    • 2008 – Advanced Family Law Drafting Course, International and Out-of-State Property

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Education

South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas

Honors: Worked with the South Texas Disability Clinic
Texas A & M University

Honors: Legal Assistant, Texas A&M University Office of General Counsel

Honors: Law Librarian, Texas A&M University Office of General Counsel

Bar Admission

Texas, 1996


  • 2009 – South Texas College of Law Family Law Conference, Grandparent and Kinship Care Seminar
  • 2010 – Family Law Institute, Qualifying and Disqualifying Experts
  • 2012 – Family Law Institute, Employee Benefits