Kristina Voorhies Legan has learned from decades of experience in family law that effective advocacy requires achieving just the right balance – of flexibility and strength, tenacity and compassion, expertise, and a desire to keep learning. Although she originally planned a career in criminal law, family law offered the ideal balance of intellectual challenge and opportunity to help people.
Board-certified in family law since 1998, Kristina has specialized in family law and family law appeals for over twenty years and believes in working together with clients to identify their goals and craft a strategy to help them reach those goals. She understands that clients going through a painful divorce or custody battle need someone they trust on their side to guide them, advise them, and fight for them when necessary. Kristina completed family law mediation training at Texas Women’s University in 1998and has since successfully resolved countless cases as a mediator or attorney.
Kristina practiced for many years in El Paso, Texas, before recently returning to her North Texas roots. Although she is delighted to be back in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, El Paso gave Voorhies Legan the chance to handle numerous cases with cross-border issues as well as substantial experience with military family law matters. Years before any Texas appellate court had recognized that a Mexican marriage certificate (Acta de matrimonio) might serve as a premarital agreement under Texas law, Kristina obtained a jury verdict finding just that and confirming the bulk of the marital estate as her client’s separate property. Recently she has achieved favorable decisions in appeals concerning whether a German or American court had jurisdiction to divide an American military service member’s pension and a notable case on same-sex parentage.
Licenses/Certification:
- ABA-trained in International Family Law Mediation, October 2015
- Admitted to New York Bar, 2012
- Board Certified in Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1998. Recertified in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018 (must be recertified every five years)
- U. S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1997 (lapsed)
- U. S. District Court, Western District of Texas, 1994 (lapsed)
- Admitted to Texas State Bar, 1991
Education:
- University of Texas at Austin, J.D., 1990
- University of Texas at Austin, B.A.(Psychology) 1987
Speaker:
- Law School for Non-Lawyers (UTEP continuing education class sponsored by EPYLA) Family Law speaker, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
- Community Legal Education Seminar (sponsored by El Paso Bar Association) Juvenile Law speaker, 1996
- Family Law 101 (Sponsored by the El Paso Family Law Bar Association) 1999
- Family Law for the Pro Bono Practitioner (Sponsored by the El Paso Bar Association Pro Bono Project) January 2000
- Mentor Training-Independence House September 2000, 2001, 2002
- Numerous presentations to various community organizations since joining the Domestic Relations Office, including non-Lawyer training for attorneys' office personnel, presentations to YWCA personnel, presentations in conjunction with the City of El Paso Community Development
- Co-author, Child Support Collection: Role of the Domestic Relations Office, presented at the University of Texas School of Law 2nd Annual Family Law on the Front Lines conference, 2002
- Speaker, “Enforcement of Support” - Family Law and the Military 2003 (sponsored by the El Paso Family Law Bar Association)
- Speaker, “Practical and Legal Issues in Enforcement” TADRO Annual Conference 2003
- Speaker, “Motivating the Probationer” TADRO Annual Conference 2004
- Speaker, “Enforcement of Support Orders” – Family Law and the Military 2005 (sponsored by the El Paso Family Law Bar Association and the University of Texas School of Law)
- Speaker, “Practical Considerations for Child Support” for the Texas Young Lawyers Association’s Ten-Minute Mentor program (www.tenminutementor.com)
- Speaker, “Enforcing Court Orders Through Community Supervision” – Family Law 201 (sponsored by the El Paso Family Law Bar Association) 2007
- Speaker, “What Science Has to Teach Us About Dealing with the Adolescent” Third Annual El Paso Mental Health Seminar, October 2010
- Speaker, “Discovery Traps and Tips”, State Bar of Texas Pro Bono Seminar – El Paso, 2012
- Speaker, “UIFSA” El Paso Family Law Bar Association Bullpen Series – El Paso, June 2013
- Speaker, “Appellate Considerations”, State Bar of Texas and RioGrande Legal Aid Pro Bono series, September 2013
- Speaker, “Premarital and Postmarital Agreements” El Paso Association of Legal Professionals, January 2017
- Speaker (not author), “What We All Need to Know About HIPAA, HB 300 and Data Security,” Family Law Essentials (presented by the State Bar of Texas), El Paso, TX May 11, 2017
- Speaker, “HIPAA” El Paso Family Law Bar Association Family Law CLE – El Paso, October 2017
- Speaker (not author), “Obtaining and property handling medical and drug treatment records (HIPAA)” - El Paso Family Law Bar Association Family Law CLE – El Paso, October 2018
- Speaker and author: “Healthcare Options Before and After Separation from the Military” – “Ten Hut!” Marching Your Way Through a Military Divorce” (presented by the El Paso Bar Association), El Paso, TX January 15, 2020
Professional Activities:
- El PasoYoung Lawyers Association - Board Member, 1992-1993
- El Paso Family Law Bar Association
Secretary, 2000
Treasurer, 2001- 2005, 2012-2013
- El Paso Bar Association - Board Member, 2014-2017
- Served on the organizing committees for:
Family Law on the Border (2001), sponsored by the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office and the El Paso Family Law Bar Association
Representing Children Ain’t Kid Stuff (2002), sponsored by the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, the El Paso Family Law Bar Association and the 383rd District Court
Family Law and the Military (2003), sponsored by the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office and the El Paso Family Law Bar Association
Family Law on the Border (2004), sponsored by the University of Texas School of Law, the El Paso County Domestic Relations Office, and the El Paso Family Law Bar Association
Alphabet Soup of Child Representation (2006), sponsored by the El Paso Family Law Bar Association
TADRO annual conference most years from 2001 through 2009, including as course director in 2006
Third Annual El Paso Mental Health Seminar, October 2010, co-course director and speaker
“Ten Hut!” Marching Your Way Through a Military Divorce, January 2020, sponsored by the El Paso Bar Association – served on organizing committee and as speaker
- Texas Association of Domestic Relations Offices:
Board member, 2001-2009
President, 2005-2006
Served on the legislative committee every year from 2001 – 2010
- Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists:
Member since 1999
Community Involvement:
- CASA of El Paso
- Board Member 1998 – 2000, 2012-2019
- Secretary 1999
- Humane Society of El Paso Endowment Corporation
- Board Member 1996 – 2000
- Humane Society of El Paso
- President: July 1996 to December 1997
- Board Member 1993 – 1998
- Wiggs Middle School Band Boosters
- Secretary: 2005-2006
- El Paso High Wrestling Boosters Club
- President: 2007-2008
