Laura D. Dale

Laura Dale is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Her practice is concentrated in the area of family law involving high conflict divorce, high net worth property division, both domestic and foreign, property valuation, custody cases, international child abduction brought under The Hague Convention and complex multi-jurisdictional family law disputes. Ms. Dale is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and a USA Delegate on the Board of Governors of the organization. She also serves as Co-Chair of the USA Chapter Hague Committee, and as Chair of Subcommittee 1 of International Hague Committee of the organization. She is fluent in French and provides support services in Spanish. Laura is a certified mediator, a certified collaborative law attorney, and a certified parenting coordinator under the Texas parenting coordinator statute. She received her J.D. from South Texas College of Law and is licensed by the Texas Supreme Court, and admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Texas Eastern District Court, the Texas Northern District Court, the Texas Southern District/Bankruptcy Court, the Texas Western Bankruptcy Court, and the Texas Western District Court.

Areas of Practice:

• Complex family law litigation High net worth property division and valuation – domestic and international Foreign asset division – domestic and international Complex jurisdictional disputes in family law matters
• Child abduction suits under The Hague Convention in federal and state courts
• Appeals in state court involving family law issues and Hague issues in federal and state courts
• Complex premarital and marital agreements involving questions of jurisdiction and enforcement
• Probate matters involving family law issues
• Bifurcated property division issue in foreign courts and marital agreement enforcement issues.

Legal Publications:

The Economic Impact of Replacing the Federal Income Tax with a Federal Consumption Tax: Leveling the International Playing Field, Currents International Law Journal, Spring 2001

Don’t be a Neanderthal: Case Management Software—The Time for Evolution is Now! 2002 So. Tex. Fam. L. Gen. Practice Ch. I

A Client for Life—How to Keep Those Referrals Coming, Houston Bar Association, March 2004

Informal Marriage and Marriages in Other States, Marriage Dissolution Conference April 2004

Cultural Aspects of Divorce, South Texas College of Law Continuing Legal Education, February 2007

Handling Special Property Division Issues, Half Moon CLE, January 2007

Why Shouldn’t I Handle a Family Law Case on My Own? Winstead University, November 2008

Examining the Examiner, Advanced Family Law 2009

Dealing with Ethnic and Religious Issues in Suits Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship, 2010 Parent-Child Relationships, University of Texas CLE

International Issues – Travel, Advanced Family Law Drafting Course 2010

Valuing Assets Outside the U.S.: Why Doesn’t Everyone Play by OUR Rules? AICPA/AAML National Conference on Divorce, May 10-11, 2012, Las Vegas, Nevada

Financial Restitution under The Hague Convention: Obtaining Attorney Fees and Expenses in the United States; IAML, Quebec City, Canada, June 10-13, 2015

HABITUAL RESIDENCE: A Comparative Analysis of Habitual Residence Standards under The Hague Convention; IAFL, Los Angeles, California, February 2016

Calculating Imputed Income in Divorce Proceedings: Examining Earning Capacity, Income Sources, and Intent in Spousal and Child Support Determinations, Stafford Publications, June 15, 2016

The Hague Abduction Convention - From the Basics to Hot Topics & Tips; American Bar Association; Quebec City, Canada, October 2016

International Relocation of Children – Global Guide from Practical Law; Published by Thomson Reuters, 2016

International Comparative Guide to Family Law, 1st Edition, Published by Global Legal Group, 2017

Habitual Residence and Cross Border Comparison; International Family Law; International Academy of Family Law Attorneys, New York, April 29-29, 2017

International Relocation of Children – A Global Guide from Practical Law; General Editor: Anna Worwood; Penningtons Manches LLP, Tompson Reuters 2016 (Texas pages 339-349)

Habitual Residence - A comparative analysis of habitual residence standards under the Hague Convention; International Academy of Family Lawyers; New York, 2017

Relocation and the UCCJEA – Common Issues and Practical Tips, American Bar Association, Nashville, Tennessee, 2018