TBHF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
VP AWARDS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
AWARDS COMMITTEE
ESTES THORNE & CARR
MEMBER, MANAGING PARTNER
DALLAS
PRACTICE AREAS
Family Law
Collaborative Law
Commercial Litigation
Construction Litigation
PRACTICE EMPHASIS
After working on complex litigation cases for a few years, Jessica was asked to assist on a large family law case. Through that experience, she discovered her passion as a lawyer. No longer was Jessica behind the scenes doing paperwork, but she learned first-hand that the right experience with the right attorney could literally change someone’s life in a divorce or other family law matter. After that, Jessica’s goal was clear. She wanted to be that right attorney, helping her clients find something better on the other side of what is often a very difficult period in their lives. “Everything just clicked from that point forward.” She’s never gotten away from the paperwork, but she’s staying optimistic.
In addition to family law, Jessica has an extensive background in business litigation, including cases involving breach of contract, fraud, patent infringement claims, product liability, and construction problems. This gives her family law clients a perspective they wouldn’t get with other lawyers, while her background in family law allows her to work with corporate clients with a personal understanding of what litigation problems and cases actually mean to a company and its employees. Some say this makes her a double threat. Others have lost count.
Outside the office, Jessica has worked with different organizations supporting children and education. She is a strong advocate for children and actively seeks to connect young people to educational opportunities and to help break cycles of crime and poverty. Jessica is also a fan of sporting events. If she is not watching her own children play, you may find her watching the Frisco Roughriders or the Dallas Mavericks. She also loves going to concerts and listening to live music. Not surprisingly for this person who loves working with families, Jessica’s favorite times are those spent with her family.
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS
- J.D., Texas Tech University School of Law (1995)
Quarter-Finalist, National Mock Trial, 1995
Champion, American Bar Association (ABA) National Moot Court Competition, 1994
Best Oralist, ABA National Moot Court Competition, 1994
- B.A., Trinity University (1991)
Speech and Economics
Mathematics (minor)
ADMISSIONS
- State Bar of Texas
- All Texas State Courts
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western Districts of Texas
AFFILIATIONS
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Member, Dallas Bar Association
- Member, Dallas Women Lawyers Association
- Member, Women Owned Law
- Member, Attorneys Serving the Community
- Member, College of the State Bar of Texas
- Associate, Texas Family Law Foundation
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
- KIPP DFW, Member, Board of Directors (2011-2018)
- Rainbow Days, Inc., Executive Board of Directors (2003-2009)
- President, Executive Board of Directors (2007-2009)
- Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation, Board of Directors (2007-2013, 2018-2020)
- President and Chairperson, Board of Directors (2011)
- Texas Tech Law School, Board of Directors (2008-2018)
- Trustee, Trinity University (2018-2019)
- YMCA Finance Committee
PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE
Partner, Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, Dallas (2004-2008) Trial Section
Associate, Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, Dallas (1995-2004) Trial Section
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
- Recognized, Best Lawyers in America, in Family Law, Woodward/White, Inc. (2013- 2020)
- Recognized, Best Lawyers in Dallas, as published in D Magazine (2015, 2017)
- Recognized, Texas Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, as published in Texas Monthly
(2005, 2010-2018) - Recognized, Texas Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, as published in Texas Monthly
(2004-2005)
PUBLICATIONS
- Electronic Smoking Gun Evidence in Family Law Cases Has Potential to Backfire – Texas Lawyer – 05/2016