Attorneys

Richard R. Orsinger

Richard R. Orsinger

Partner, Attorney at Law
Offices: Dallas | Frisco | San Antonio
Tel: 214-273-2400 Email: richard@ondafamilylaw.com

Biography

Richard Orsinger is well-regarded as one of Texas’ top family law and appellate lawyers. He offers clients unparalleled experience gained over the course of an esteemed career that has lasted for more than 40 years.

In that time, his peers have repeatedly recognized him for his legal acumen, dedication to hard work, and to the integrity of his profession. The list of awards bestowed upon him from a variety of legal organizations and publications is impressive.

Richard has been named to The Best Lawyers in America in Family Law listing each year since 1987 and in Appellate Law since 2007.

In 1996, Richard was honored with the Gene Cavin Award for Excellence in Continuing Legal Education from the State Bar of Texas and has garnered four State Bar Certificates of Merit. He received a State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation in 2001 for “innovative leadership and relentless pursuit of excellence for continuing legal education.” The same year, Richard earned the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section’s Dan R. Price Award for outstanding contributions to family law.

In 2003, Richard was awarded the prestigious Sam Emison Award by the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists for his accomplishments in family law.

In 2007, Richard was honored as the state’s top Family Lawyer in Texas Lawyer newspaper’s Go-To Guide, which is published every five years.

He is also one of just two attorneys to have earned the College of the State Bar of Texas’ Franklin Jones Best Continuing Legal Education Article Award twice (2009 and 2013) and was the 2008 recipient of the State Bar of Texas’ Best Family Law CLE Article of the Year Award.

Richard was recognized in 2011 and again in 2012 as Lawyer of the Year in Family Law, Dallas. He also was included in the listing of the Top 10 attorneys in the state by Texas Super Lawyers five times: 2009-2010, 2012-2014. He was named among Super Lawyers’ Top 100 Lawyers in Texas from 2003 to 2021.

In 2014, Richard received the prestigious Dan Rugeley Price Memorial Award from the Texas Bar Foundation in recognition of his dedication to the legal profession. He also recently received the Best Non-Judicial Speaker at the Texas Center for the Judiciary award and presented a paper on “Same-Sex Marriage and Gender Identity Issues.”

In 2021, Richard was inducted into the State Bar of Texas Family Law Hall of Legends, an honor recognizing those attorneys practicing for a minimum of 40 years and who have had an important impact on Family Law in Texas. He is only the 22nd lawyer to receive the honor. 

Richard is Board Certified in Family Law and Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to excellence in both of these areas of law. Board Certification in Family Law requires continuing education and involvement in issues including marriage, adoption, divorce, custody, support, and ownership of property acquired before and during marriage. Similarly, Board Certification in Civil Appellate Law requires continuing education and involvement in issues such as the review by appellate courts of final decisions from civil county and district courts (non-criminal).

With so many accolades and recognitions, it comes as no surprise that his colleagues and peers consider him a thought leader and innovator. As such, he often mentors other attorneys and has written over 250 CLE articles. Richard also serves on several boards and chairs numerous organizations for the betterment of the legal community and to better serve his clients.

One reason Richard Orsinger has been so highly regarded and honored throughout his career is that he understands that, no matter how agreeable a divorce may seem, the process still causes a massive imbalance. There are always uncertainties and they can be very destabilizing, both financially and psychologically. The process of breaking a tie that’s been so close, usually for so long, has its consequences.

Awards and accolades aside, when all is said and done, Richard’s goal is for his clients to come out from under the dark cloud of yesterday and look forward to the silver lining of tomorrow.

Practice Areas

  • Family Law
  • Civil Appellate Law
  • Marital Property Issues in Probate Disputes

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1980
  • Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1987

Bar Admissions

  • Texas, 1975
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 1997
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1979
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1979
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1981

Education

The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas

  • J.D. – 1975

University of Texas, Austin, Texas

  • B.A. – 1972
    • Honors: With Honors
    • Major: Economics

Washington and Lee University

  • 1968-1970

Published Works

  • Texas Supreme Court Practice Manual (Editor in Chief), State Bar of Texas, 2005
  • Expert Witness Manual, State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, Vols. II & III (Editor in Chief), 1999
  • 6 McDonald, Texas Civil Practice: Texas Civil Appellate Practice (Book), Bancroft-Whitney Law Publishers, 1992
  • A Guide to Proceedings Under the Texas Parent Notification Statute and Rules, (Co-Author) (Law Review Article, co-author), South Texas Law Review, 2000
  • Obligations of the Trial Lawyer Under Texas Law Toward the Client Relating to an Appeal (Law Review Article), South Texas Law Review, 1999
  • Asserting Claims for Intentionally or Recklessly Causing Severe Emotional Distress in Connection with Divorce (Law Review Article), 25 St. Mary’s Law Journal 1254, 1994
  • Asserting Claims for Intentionally or Recklessly Causing Severe Emotional Distress in Connection with Divorce (Journal Article), Republished: American Journal of Family Law, 1994
  • Asserting Claims for Intentionally or Recklessly Causing Severe Emotional Distress in Connection with Divorce (Law Review Article), Republished: Texas Family Law Service NewsAlert, 1994, 1995
  • Characterization of Marital Property (Law Review Article, co-author), Baylor Law Review Symposium, 1988
  • Fitting a Round Peg Into a Square Hole: Section 3.63, Texas Family Code, and the Marriage that Crosses States Lines (Law Review Article), 13 St. Mary’s Law Journal 477, 1982
  • Practicing Family Law in a Depressed Economy, Part I: Your Law Practice and Your Clients (2009 College of the State Bar of Texas’ Franklin Jones Best Continuing Legal Education Article of the Year Award), State Bar of Texas’ 35th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2009
  • Property Puzzles: 30 Characterization Rules, Explanations & Examples (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 35th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2009
  • When an Officer Divorces: How a Company Can Be Affected by an Officer’s Divorce (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 8th Annual Advanced In-House Counsel Course, 2009
  • Different Ways to Trace Separate Property (2008 State Bar of Texas Family Section’s Best Family Law Continuing Legal Education Article of the Year Award), State Bar of Texas’ New Frontiers in Marital Property Law, 2008
  • Judicial Review of Arbitration Rulings: Problems and Possible Alternatives (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 22nd Annual Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, 2008
  • The Law of Interpreting Contracts: How to Draft Contracts to Avoid or Win Litigation (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 34th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2008
  • Effect of Choice of Entities: How Organizational Law, Accounting, and Tax Law for Entities Affect Marital Property Law (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 34th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2008
  • Tracing, Reimbursement and Economic Contribution Claims in Brokerage Accounts (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ New Frontiers in Marital Property Law Course, 2007
  • The Law of Interpreting Contracts (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, 2007
  • A New Approach to Distinguishing Enterprise Goodwill From Personal Goodwill (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 33rd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2007
  • Important Topics in Family Law (CLE Article), Texas Center for the Judiciary 2007 Regional Conference, 2007
  • Distinguishing Personal Goodwill From Enterprise Goodwill (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ New Frontiers in Marital Property Law Course, 2006
  • The Road Ahead: Long-Term Financial Planning in Connection With Divorce (CLE Article), Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2006
  • Recent Developments in the Daubert Swamp (CLE Article), Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, State Bar of Texas, 2005
  • Pearls of Wisdom From Thirty Years of Practicing Family Law (CLE Article), Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2004
  • Trends in the Supreme Court (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ Practice Before the Texas Supreme Court, 2004
  • Recent Developments in Family Law (CLE Article), Judicial Section Annual Conference Spring Training, 2004
  • Hot Topics in Family Law (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ Judicial Section Annual Conference, 2004
  • Supreme Court Trends (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 18th Annual Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, 2004
  • Those Other Texas Codes: Things the Family Lawyer Needs to Know About Codifications Outside the Family Code (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 30th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2004
  • Pre-Trial Motions: Daubert /Robinson (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ Annual Meeting: Ultimate Trial Notebook, 2004
  • Admissibility of Fact, Lay Opinion & Expert Witness Evidence (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 4th Annual Advance Expert Witness Course, 2004
  • Special Problems Admitting Business Records Containing Expert Evidence (CLE Article), State Bar of Texas’ 4th Annual Advanced Expert Witness Course, 2004
  • The Right Stuff: Choosing Expert Witnesses (CLE Article), Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Trial Institute, 2004
  • Family Law Updates (CLE Article), Texas Center for the Judiciary Winter Regional Conference, 2004
  • Evidentiary Issues, College of Advanced Judicial Studies, 2001
  • Hot Topics in Litigation: Restitution/Unjust Enrichment (CLE Article), Advanced
    Civil Appellate Practice Course, State Bar of Texas, 2006

Classes and Seminars

  • “170 Years of Contract Law,” History of Texas Supreme Court Jurisprudence Course, 2013
  • “Sanctions on Review! (Appeal and Mandamus),” Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, 2012
  • “Negotiating a Family Law Case,” Advanced Family Law Course, 2012
  • “New Appellate Rules for CPS Cases,” Advanced Family Law Course, 2012
  • “Court-Imposed Sanctions in Texas,” Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course, 2012
  • “Business Valuation Upon Divorce: How Theory and Practice Can Lead to Problems In Court,” AICPA-AAML National Conference on Divorce, 2012
  • “Goodwill Upon Divorce: Distinguishing Between Intangible Assets, Enterprise Goodwill, and Personal Goodwill,” AICPA-AAML National Conference on Divorce, 2012
  • “The Role of Reasoning and Persuasion in the Legal Argumentation,” State Bar of Texas’ Handling Your First Appeal, 2012
  • “A New Approach to Determining Enterprise and Personal Goodwill Upon Divorce,” State Bar of Texas’ New Frontiers in Marital Property Law Course, 2011
  • “The Role of Reasoning in Constructing a Persuasive Argument,” State Bar of Texas 37th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2011
  • “The Role of Reasoning and Persuasion in Appeals,” State Bar of Texas’ Handling Your First Civil Appeal, 2011
  • “The Role of Reasoning and Persuasion in the Legal Process,” State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, 2010
  • “Troubling Issues of Characterization, Reimbursement, Valuation, and Division Upon Divorce,” State Bar of Texas 36th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2010
  • “Separate & Community Property: 30 Rules With Explanations & Examples,” State Bar of Texas 36th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2010
  • “Reassessing Some of Our Approaches to Family Law Cases,” State Bar of Texas New Frontiers in Marital Property Law Course, 2009

 

Course Director:

  • “Practice Before the Supreme Court of Texas,” State Bar of Texas, 2009
  • “Practice Before the Supreme Court of Texas,” State Bar of Texas, 2007
  • “Practice Before the Supreme Court of Texas,” State Bar of Texas, 2005
  • “Advanced Expert Witness Course,” State Bar of Texas, 2001 – 2004
  • “Practice Before the Supreme Court of Texas,” State Bar of Texas, 2002
  • “Enron, The Legal Issues” (Winner of the Association for Continuing Legal Education Best Program Award), State Bar of Texas, 2002
  • “Advanced Civil Appellate Course,” State Bar of Texas, 1987
  • “Advanced Family Law Course,” State Bar of Texas, 1987
  • “Advanced Expert Witness Course,” Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, 1987

 

Panelist:

  • “International & Cross Border Issues,” State Bar of Texas, Advanced Family Law Course, 2002
  • “Predicates and Objections Every Lawyer Should Know and Use,” Houston Bar Association, 5th Annual Family Law Institute, 2002
  • “Predicates and Objections,” State Bar of Texas 14th Annual Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course, 2001
  • “Vaccine for the Plague of the 21st Century Equitable Liens & Reimbursement: Getting Them and Beating Them,” Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists 15th Annual Trial Institute, 2001
  • “Ethics: The Effect of Technology on the Profession and the Professionals,” Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, 2001
  • “Valuation of Business Interests in Divorce,” State Bar of Texas 27th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2001

 

Honors and Awards

  • Top 10 Lawyers in Texas, Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters Legal Division, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014
  • Exemplary Non-Judicial Faculty Award, Texas Center for the Judiciary, 2014
  • Dan Rugeley Price Memorial Award, Texas Bar Foundation, 2014
  • State Bar of Texas Family Law Hall of Legends, 2021
  • Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2009
  • Franklin Jones Best Continuing Legal Education Article of the Year Award for “170 Years of Contract Law”, College of the State Bar of Texas, 2013
  • Franklin Jones Best Continuing Legal Education Article Award for Practicing Family Law in a Depressed Economy, College of the State Bar of Texas, 2009
  • Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Best Family Law Continuing Legal Education Article Award for Different Ways to Trace Separate Property, State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, 2008
  • Family Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America, 2011-2012
  • Top Family Lawyer in Texas, Texas Lawyer newspaper, 2007
  • Top Five Family Lawyers in Texas, Texas Lawyer newspaper’s Go-To Guide, 2002 & 2012
  • State Bar of Texas Certificates of Merit, 2004
  • Top Family Lawyer in Texas, Texas Lawyer newspaper, 2002
  • Best Lawyers in America, Family Law, 1987 – 2025
  • Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Law, 2007 – 2025
  • Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters Legal Division, 2003 – 2024
  • Top 100 Lawyers in Texas, Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters Legal Division, 2003 – 2021
  • Top 50 Central and West Texas Region Lawyers, Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters Legal Division, 2004 – 2011; 2013 – 2024
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Family Lawyers, 2024
  • San Antonio’s Best Lawyers, S.A. Scene Magazine, 2004 – 2014
  • Best Personal Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, 2009
  • Leading Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, 2006 – 2007
  • Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
  • Associate, American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Sam Emison Award, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, 2003
  • Association for Continuing Legal Excellence Best Program Award, 2002
  • Dan R. Price Award, State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, 2001
  • State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation, 2001
  • State Bar of Texas Certificate of Merit, 1997
  • Gene Cavin Award, For Excellence in Continuing Legal Education, State Bar of Texas, 1996
  • State Bar of Texas Certificate of Merit, 1996
  • State Bar of Texas Certificate of Merit, 1995

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, Member & Former President
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fellow
  • American Board of Trial Advocates, Associate
  • Dallas Bar Association, Member
  • Houston Bar Association, Member
  • San Antonio Bar Association, Member
  • Supreme Court of Texas, Member,
  • Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure Supreme Court of Texas, Chair, Rules 16-165a Subcommittee of Rules Committee
  • Supreme Court of Texas, Member, Jury Charge Task Force
  • Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Family Law Legal Assistants Testing Commission, 2006-2012
  • Texas Judicial Committee on Information Technology, Supreme Court Liaison