Who This Consultation Is For
The Ashmore Law Firm represents Dallas families protecting significant assets in complex divorce and estate matters — including business owners, professionals with executive compensation, real-estate portfolio holders, and families coordinating divorce with trust or estate-planning concerns.
We do not accept pro bono, court-appointed, CPS, or incarceration matters. If your matter falls in one of those categories, please contact the Dallas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service at (214) 220-7444 or Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas at (888) 529-5277 — both are excellent resources for matters we cannot take.
What Happens During a Divorce Second Opinion Strategy Session
How Our Second Opinion Consultation Works
Step 1 — Complimentary Confidential Intake Conversation. Every call starts with a confidential conversation with a senior paralegal on our family-law team. Tell us about your situation in general terms and ask any preliminary questions. This step is at no charge, whether or not we ultimately handle your matter.
Step 2 — Warm Handoff to Our Managing Family-Law Attorney. If your matter is one we would take, our paralegal transfers you to our Managing Family-Law Attorney, for a general conversation about your case — also at no charge. We listen to your situation, answer general questions, and determine whether a paid strategy consultation would be valuable given the complexity of your matter.
Step 3 — $250 Flat-Fee Strategy Consultation, Staffed to Your Case. If a deeper strategy consultation is appropriate, our managing family law attorney schedules a $250 flat-fee session of up to 30 minutes with the attorneys best suited to your matter. Depending on complexity, that may be 1 attorney alone; a session with our managing family law attorney and Gary M. Ashmore, our Managing Attorney and one of the firm's founders; a session with our litigation attorney; or a coordinated multi-attorney session. Bring specific case questions, documents you'd like reviewed during the session, or a proposed settlement to walk through. We don't produce a written summary — the value is real-time attorney analysis and direct answers. Your $250 fee is credited toward representation if you retain the firm within 30 days.
Complex matters — particularly those involving business valuation, dual-bench family-law-plus-estate-planning coordination with our Trusts & Estates team led by Lori Ashmore Peters, or multi-attorney review — may warrant a longer session or multiple sessions, which we quote at the time of scheduling. All fees are flat-rate, quoted before any paid work begins, and never billed hourly for consultation work.
A paid $250 strategy consultation at The Ashmore Law Firm is a focused, confidential session — not a sales pitch. You bring what you have: court filings, financial disclosures, proposed settlement agreements, or specific case questions you want answered. The attorney or attorney team scheduled for your session reviews the information, assesses the legal and financial landscape of your case, and gives you a direct, honest assessment of what we see.A paid $250 strategy consultation at The Ashmore Law Firm is a focused, confidential session — not a sales pitch. You bring what you have: court filings, financial disclosures, proposed settlement agreements, or specific case questions you want answered. The attorney or attorney team scheduled for your session reviews the information, assesses the legal and financial landscape of your case, and gives you a direct, honest assessment of what we see.
A second opinion session at The Ashmore Law Firm is a focused, confidential consultation — not a sales pitch. You bring what you have: court filings, financial disclosures, proposed settlement agreements, or simply your questions and concerns. Our attorneys review the information, assess the legal and financial landscape of your case, and give you a direct, honest assessment of what we see.
That assessment may confirm that your case is on solid ground. It may identify specific areas where additional analysis or negotiation would protect your interests. In some cases, it reveals that assets have been overlooked, valuations are incomplete, or that the proposed settlement terms carry significant financial risk that has not been clearly communicated to you.
You are not required to retain us as a result of the session. If you do choose to retain the firm within 30 days, your $250 consultation fee is credited toward representation. The goal is to give you the independent perspective you need to make an informed decision about how to proceed.
What to bring to your strategy session:
- Divorce petition and any court orders already in place
- Proposed or draft settlement agreements
- Financial disclosures and inventory and appraisement documents
- Information about businesses, real estate, retirement accounts, or investment portfolios involved in the case
- Any specific questions or concerns about how your case is being handled
If you don't have all of these items, come with what you have. We will help identify what's most important to review during your $250 session.
What We Evaluate — The 360° Strategy Review
A $250 strategy consultation goes beyond a surface read of the paperwork. Your assigned attorney or attorney team evaluates multiple dimensions of the case simultaneously:
Overall case strategy. Is the current approach aligned with your long-term financial goals? Are the right legal tools being used — negotiation, mediation, litigation — at the right time?
Asset identification and characterization. Have all marital assets been properly identified? Is separate property being correctly distinguished from community property? Are there assets — digital accounts, business interests, deferred compensation — that may have been overlooked?
Valuation accuracy. Are businesses, real estate, and investment accounts being valued correctly? Is the methodology being used for business valuation appropriate for the type of entity involved? Are liabilities — loans, deferred taxes, contingent obligations — being accounted for alongside gross asset values?
Financial exposure. What are the tax consequences of the proposed division? Are retirement accounts being divided with proper instruments like QDROs? Are there indemnification gaps that could leave you exposed to the other party's debts after the divorce is final?
Negotiation and litigation positioning. Is your case prepared for the full range of outcomes — including trial — or is the current strategy dependent on the other party agreeing to terms they have shown no willingness to accept?
360° Divorce Support — Legal Strategy and Personal Guidance
Divorce affects more than financial accounts and legal documents. It affects daily life, parenting relationships, professional focus, and long-term personal stability. For clients navigating a complex or high-conflict case, The Ashmore Law Firm provides access to a divorce coach as part of our team-based approach — a professional who works alongside your legal team to help you manage the personal dimensions of the process.
A divorce coach can help with:
- Preparing for difficult negotiations or emotionally charged conversations
- Staying organized and maintaining focus during a lengthy or contentious process
- Clarifying personal priorities that should inform your legal decisions
- Managing stress and maintaining decision-making clarity throughout the case
- Improving communication with your co-parent or the other party when children are involved
This integrated approach — legal strategy and personal support working together — helps clients make better decisions under pressure.
Who Leads Your Divorce Strategy Consultation
Your intake and initial attorney conversation are led by our Managing Family-Law Attorney who oversees the day-to-day family-law practice, conducts the initial no-charge attorney conversations after paralegal intake, and staffs paid strategy consultations with the attorneys best suited to each matter.
When case complexity warrants it, your paid strategy consultation may also include Gary M. Ashmore, our Managing Attorney and one of the firm's founders. Gary is a Texas Super Lawyers honoree in Family Law for 2024, 2025, and 2026, holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a 10.0 Avvo rating, and more than 30 years of practice representing clients in complex divorce matters — from agreed divorces to multimillion-dollar disputes involving business interests, real estate portfolios, and coordinated estate concerns. Gary has lectured at the Texas College for Judicial Studies on the intersection of family and probate law and is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and Collaborative Law Dallas.
For matters involving business valuation dispute, trust or estate concerns, or coordinated divorce-plus-estate-planning strategy, your consultation may also include coordination with Lori Ashmore Peters, who leads our Trusts & Estates team. Lori is a Texas Super Lawyers honoree in Estate Planning & Probate with more than 20 years in the practice area, and was selected for the 33rd edition of The Best Lawyers in America® (2026) for Trusts and Estates. This dual-bench capability — family law and estate planning under one roof — is one of the rarest structures among Dallas family-law boutiques.
For litigation-intensive matters, your consultation may also include our litigation attorney, who brings courtroom-tested experience to strategy sessions that require analysis of trial posture and evidentiary preparation.
What Makes a Strong Divorce Strategy
A second opinion is only as useful as the framework used to evaluate your case. At The Ashmore Law Firm, every paid strategy consultation is conducted using a team-based approach — not a single attorney reading through your documents in isolation. Depending on the complexity of your matter, your consultation may include Managing Family-Law Attorney, Managing Attorney and firm founder Gary M. Ashmore, our trial-experienced litigation attorney, or a coordinated combination — each of whom understands how a case needs to be built not just for settlement but for the courtroom. This multi-attorney perspective means your situation is assessed from multiple angles simultaneously — legal strategy, financial analysis, litigation readiness, and long-term outcome — which is exactly how complex divorce cases should be evaluated.
Comprehensive asset identification. We confirm that all marital assets have been identified — including those that are easily overlooked, such as unvested equity, digital assets, deferred compensation, and business goodwill.
Accurate valuation. We assess whether assets are being valued at fair market value using appropriate methodologies, and whether liabilities are being properly offset against gross asset figures — particularly in cases involving businesses, investment properties, or multi-entity ownership structures.
Long-term financial impact. Settlement decisions made today affect financial stability for years. We evaluate proposed terms not just for immediate fairness but for their long-term tax, retirement, and wealth implications.
Negotiation and settlement planning. We assess whether the proposed settlement fairly reflects the full marital estate and whether there is a realistic path to a better outcome through continued negotiation, mediation, or litigation.
Litigation readiness. Even when settlement is the goal, a case that is not prepared for trial is a case that negotiates from a position of weakness. We evaluate whether your current preparation supports the leverage you need.
We serve clients throughout Dallas, Highland Park, University Park, the Park Cities, East Dallas, Lakewood, Uptown, and surrounding communities in Collin, Denton, Tarrant, Rockwall, and Ellis counties.
Fees, Ethics, and Attorney-Client Relationship
The information on this page is provided for educational purposes and does not create an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship with The Ashmore Law Firm, P.C. is established only through a signed engagement letter after a conflict check has been completed.
Consultation fees are as follows: complimentary confidential intake with a senior paralegal on our family-law team; complimentary warm-handoff conversation with our Managing Family-Law Attorney when your matter is one we would take; and a $250 flat fee for a strategy consultation of up to 30 minutes with the attorney or attorney team best suited to your case. Complex matters may warrant longer sessions, which are quoted at the time of scheduling. All consultation fees are flat-rate, never hourly, and quoted in writing before paid work begins. Your $250 consultation fee is credited toward representation if you retain the firm within 30 days.
Past results do not predict future outcomes. Every case is different, and the outcome of any legal matter depends on the specific facts and applicable law. Legal information on this page is not a substitute for legal advice about your specific situation.
The Ashmore Law Firm, P.C. is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas. Attorneys of the firm are subject to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. This page and its contents constitute attorney advertising under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. This page is not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization unless expressly stated. Attorney recognitions and awards referenced on this page (Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America®, Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent®, Avvo) are peer-reviewed recognitions. Selection methodologies are available at supperlawyers.com/methodology, bestlawyers.com/methodology, martindale.com/products/ratings, and avvo.com/support respectively. No attorney can guarantee results in any legal matter. Past case results do not predict or guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different, and the outcome of any matter depends on the specific facts and applicable law.
