Bruce David Bain
Bruce D. Bain, shareholder, is a board certified specialist in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and a member in the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. Bruce received his Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in Houston, and his B.B.A. from the University of Mississippi-Oxford. He limits his practice to solely complex family law issues which range from complicated custody and conservatorship issues to complex property concerns relating to property characterization and reimbursement. Bruce also handles multi state jurisdictional issues regarding out of state litigants and foreign nationals as well as grandparent access and custody.
Bruce has spoken on several occasions providing continuing legal education to fellow attorneys. The issues have ranged from discovery rules and procedures to new legislation regarding economic contributions on property to modifications and enforcement of custody issues.
Bruce is currently serving his second term as a member of the Texas Pattern Jury Charge Committee for family law issues. Bruce is also a founding member of the Smith County Bar Association's Family Law Section, and he is the current secretary and a past director of the Smith County Bar Association. Bruce donates some of his time through East Texas Legal Services providing pro bono services for indigent clients. Bruce is also an active board member of the Alzheimer's Alliance of Northeast Texas, Inc.
Married to Martha for 15 wonderful years and a full-time father of three boys as homework helper, diorama assistant, reader listener, electronic game time arbitrator with binding unappellable authority, which results in my being only a part-time golfer and outdoorsman.
Bruce's office is in Tyler, Texas, the county seat of Smith County, but he regularly practices all over East Texas. He makes regular court appearances in Longview, Gregg County; Palestine, Anderson County; Rusk, Cherokee County; Henderson, Rusk County; Quitman, Wood County; Athens, Henderson County; and Canton, Van Zandt County. He also takes cases in Rains County, Hopkins County, Franklin County, Camp County, Upshur County, Panola County, Angelina County, Houston County, and Freestone County.
Areas of Practice
- 100% Family Law
Litigation Percentage
- 85% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Certified Legal Specialties
- Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2001
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1994
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1995
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 1995
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1995
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1995
Education
- South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas
- J.D. - 1994
- Honors: Moot Court Teams
- University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
- B.B.A. - 1990
- Major: Business
Published Works
- ATLA Family Law Section Newsletter, Spring, 2002
- Reimbursement: The Old and The New, College of the Law Quarterly, State Bar of Texas, 2011
Classes/Seminars
- Economic Contribution and Valuation, Texas Center for the Judiciary, 2007 - Present
- Ethics: Paralegals and You, State Bar of Texas - Marriage Dissolution Boot Camp, 2005 - Present
- Ethics: Paralegals and Lawyers, Rural Association for Court Administrators, 2007 - Present
- Post Judgment Issues, Ultimate Trial Notebook, State Bar of Texas, 2006 - Present
- Motions in Limine, Family Law Boot Camp, State Bar of Texas, 2005 - Present
- When Disaster Strikes, Advanced Family Law, State Bar of Texas, 2003 - Present
- Economic Contribution, Family Law Section, Smith County Bar Association, 2007 - Present
- New Grievance Procedures, Family Law Section, Smith County Bar Association, 2004 - Present
- New Cases and Legislation, Family Law Section, Smith County Bar Association, 2002, 2003
- Economic Contribution, Smith County Bar Association, 2007 - Present
- Child Support Accountability Program, Texas Attorney General & Probation Officers, 2003 - Present
- Family Law Issues and School Responsibility, Texas Private Schools, Texas Private Schools, 2002 - Present
- Family Law Issues and School Responsibility, All Saints Episcopal School, 2002 - Present
- Economic Contribution, Texas Panhandle Family Law Association, 2002 - Present
- Modification of Custody, State Bar of Texas, Pro Bono Project, 2001 - Present
- The New Discovery Rules, Smith County Bar Association, 1998 - Present
- Co-Chair, Parenting Plans: Visitation and Custody, UT Law School Fall CLE, 2007 - Present
- Co-Course Director, Family Law Boot Camp, Family Law Advanced Course, State Bar of Texas, 2008 - Present
- Co-Course Director, The Definitive Short Course on Parent-Child Relationships,, University of Texas Law School CLE, 2007 - Present
- Economic Torts, Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas, 2008 - Present
- Getting It In and Keeping It Out, State Bar of Texas Family Law Essentials, 2008 - Present
- Economic Torts, Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2008 - Present
- Child Support and the Failing Economy, University of Texas CLE, 2009 - Present
- Parent-Child Relationships - Critical Thinking on Critical Issues, University of Texas CLE, 2007 - Present
Honors and Awards
- Young Lawyer of the Year, Smith County Bar Association, 2004 - Present
- Pro Bono Service Recognition, Smith County Bar Association, 2002 - Present
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Texas Academy Family Law Specialists, Member, 2001 - Present
- State Bar of Texas Family Law Pattern Jury Charge Committee, 2001 - 2009
- State Bar of Texas, Grievance Committee District 2A, 2003 - 2009
- Texas Supreme Court, Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, 2001 - Present
- Smith County Bar Association, President, 2005 - 2006
- Smith County Bar Association, Vice-President, 2004 - 2005
- Smith County Bar Association, President, 2005 - 2006
- Smith County Bar Association, Secretary, 2002 - 2003
- Smith County Bar Association Family Law Section, President, 2003 - 2004
- Smith County Bar Foundation, Director, 2004 - 2007
- American Bar Association, National Appellate Advocacy Competition, National Student Director, 1993 - 1994
- State Bar of Texas, Texas Family Law Practice Manual Formbook Committee, 2007 - 2009
- State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee, District 2A, Chairman, 2005 - 2007
- State Bar of Texas Family Law Council, Board of Directors , 2011 - Present
- Texas Family Law Bar Foundation, Life Member
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Member
Pro Bono Activities
- East Texas Legal Services, 1998 - Present
- Volunteer Mediator During Settlement Week, Smith County Bar, 2002 - Present
Fraternities/Sororities
- Kappa Sigma
