Texas Family Law Insiders: Episode 138

Guest: Rachael Kelly, Founder of Hive Enterprises

In this episode, host Holly Draper sits down with Rachael Kelly to explore the intersection of mental health, trauma, and family law. Rachael shares her journey from corporate executive to founding Hive Enterprises, a platform that supports individuals and organizations through high-stakes life transitions. The conversation focuses on how family lawyers can better serve clients who have experienced trauma and domestic violence by adopting a trauma-informed approach.

Clients who have experienced, or are experiencing trauma, in their relationships may or may not be aware of the psychological damage that has been done, and as an attorney, you can better serve your clients by helping them connect with the appropriate kind of support they need to be able to begin their recovery, enabling you to focus on getting them a desirable legal outcome.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Red flag behaviors that might indicate trauma
• The "oxygen mask" rule for attorneys
• Why clients in survival mode might struggle to support their own litigation efforts 
• Techniques for client co-regulation
• The need for scaffolded support for your clients who have experienced trauma
  
  

Divorce clients often arrive overwhelmed, reactive, and unsure of what they actually want their post-divorce life to look like. In this episode of the Texas Family Law Insiders Podcast, host Carrie Tapia speaks with Bryann Owen, founder of Rebuild with Bryann, about the growing role of divorce coaching and how it can support both clients and their attorneys during high-conflict or emotionally charged cases.

Bryann explains how divorce coaching bridges the gap between legal strategy and emotional readiness—helping clients clarify their goals, regulate reactions, and make decisions aligned with the life they want after the case is over. For family lawyers, that can translate into more focused clients, more productive conversations, and better litigation outcomes.

If you’ve ever had a client who couldn’t articulate their goals, struggled to manage the emotional toll of divorce, or needed support beyond legal advice, this conversation explores how divorce coaching can complement the work family lawyers already do.

In this episode, you'll discover:

●      What divorce coaching actually is

●      How emotionally overwhelmed clients can unintentionally derail litigation strategy

●      How family lawyers and divorce coaches can work together effectively 

●      Ways divorce coaching can reduce conflict and improve outcomes

●      Key considerations around confidentiality and privilege 

What you do—or fail to do—during trial can determine whether your client has any meaningful right to appeal. In this solo episode of the Texas Family Law Insiders Podcast, family law appellate attorney Holly Draper shares practical guidance for trial lawyers on one of the most commonly misunderstood areas of litigation: preserving error for appeal.

Drawing on years of reviewing trial transcripts in family law appeals—including cases that reached the Texas Supreme Court—Holly highlights the procedural mistakes trial lawyers frequently make that can completely eliminate appellate arguments. From objections to offers of proof to evidentiary gaps, this episode provides a clear roadmap for protecting the appellate record while still effectively advocating in the courtroom.

For family lawyers who rarely handle appeals but want to protect their clients—and themselves—this episode offers essential, courtroom-ready guidance on how to make sure critical issues remain reviewable if a case goes up on appeal.

In this episode, you'll discover:

●      Why failing to properly preserve the record can completely eliminate appellate options

●      How and when to make objections during trial”

●      The importance of obtaining explicit rulings on objections

●      How offers of proof protect excluded evidence for appeal

●      Why many attorneys lose appellate issues by failing to present evidence supporting their claims

For many family law cases, the marital residence is the largest asset at stake—and one of the most difficult to resolve. In this episode of the Texas Family Law Insiders Podcast, host Carrie Tapia sits down with Michelle Appling, a Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert (CDRE) based in North Texas, to discuss the unique challenges that arise when selling or dividing real estate in divorce.
From buyouts and refinancing to contested sales and poorly drafted decree provisions, Michelle shares practical insight into how divorce-related real estate transactions differ from typical residential sales—and how attorneys can avoid common pitfalls that derail settlements or create post-decree headaches. This episode offers family lawyers practical strategies for working effectively with real estate professionals to protect clients and keep property disputes from spiraling into costly conflict.

In this episode, you'll discover:
● How divorce real estate transactions differ from typical home sales

● Common mistakes lawyers make in decrees and mediated settlement agreements

● Why listing deadlines and pricing provisions in decrees can create unintended problems.

● Key logistical challenges in divorce home sales

● How collaboration between family lawyers and divorce-focused real estate professionals can streamline negotiations, protect clients’ interests, and prevent post-divorce disputes

Who can you send parents to when they need help figuring out how to co-parent in a healthy manner? What do you do when you and your client are struggling to work out a co-parenting plan with their ex?  Are there resources out there to help parent navigate the minefield of working with someone with whom they have struggled to work with for years?  In this episode of the Texas Family Law Insiders Podcast, Holly visits with Bradley Craig, a licensed social worker, certified family life educator, an expert in the field of parenting facilitation, and author of Between Two Homes, a Co-Parenting Handbook for Parents and Attorneys.

In this episode you will discover:

• The difference between Cooperative and Parallel Co-Parenting
• The importance of avoiding and/or addressing Conflicted Co-Parenting
• The characteristics of High Conflict relationships in terms of parenting
• The benefit of involving  a parenting facilitator
• Resources available to you and your clients to help with the co-parenting process
• The financial benefit to your clients for investing in healthy co-parenting practices

In today's legal landscape, operating a brick-and-mortar office might not be the best choice for your business, especially as you scale it.  In this episode, Holly Draper and Carrie Tapia will discuss the advantages and challenges of operating a thriving virtual law practice.  They will offer advice on how to start and grow your virtual firm and share their insights gained over years operating in this format.

In this episode you will discover:
-The advantages and challenges that operating a virtual firm presents
-How to maintain office culture when there is no office
-The necessity of process development and training to ensure efficient and effective representation.
-Practical advice for starting and growing your practice

In this episode of the Texas Family Law Insiders Podcast, Holly Draper welcomes Sharon Ramage, founder and CEO of the Ramage Law Group in McKinney, Texas. In addition to being a family law attorney, Sharon is one of the few special education attorneys in the state. Sharon brings a unique perspective as both a former social worker and special education hearing officer. She discusses the critical intersection of family law and special education, explaining why family lawyers must understand IDEA, IEPs, and 504 plans when representing families with special needs children. Sharon shares practical advice on drafting orders, avoiding common pitfalls like appointing tiebreakers, and knowing when to bring in a special education attorney. 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• The basics of Special Education law and the differences between IDEA and Section 504 
• The necessity of assigning educational rights to one parent and the potential pitfalls when they are not 
• How to advocate properly with the judge when there are special education issues at hand 
• Who should and should not be making Special Education-related decisions 

Have you ever noticed that Temporary Orders often become the long-term orders in a divorce proceeding? Temporary orders can influence the ultimate outcome of a divorce or custody proceeding dramatically. In this episode, Holly Draper will provide a list of very important things to make sure you include in your preparation for and in your appearance at a temporary orders hearing.

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Divorces can be complicated enough, but what happens when there is a child with special needs involved?  This episode will help you identify issues that you might never have encountered before and give you practical solutions for approaching these in your negotiations and at trial.

In this episode, Monica Peters, partner at Neal Peters Law, shares insights from her years of experience dealing with these difficult issues both professionally as a family lawyer and personally as the parent of a child with special needs.

You’ll discover…

• How every situation is unique and why they need to be approached without a one-size fits all mentality
• Things that you will need to consider which will help you identify the specific needs of the child or children involved.
• How the special needs may necessitate creative solutions and impact the final orders
• How to admit pertinent expert input and testimony, even when there are strict time limits in the court
• Important financial considerations for care beyond childhood that must be taken into consideration

AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s changing the legal landscape right now.

But what does that mean for solos, small firms, and the future of legal practice? If you’re a family lawyer (or any lawyer who wants to thrive in the age of AI), this episode will surprise you with practical, actionable insights.

In this episode, Carolyn Elefant, founder of the Law Offices of Carolyn Elefant and myshingle.com, reveals how solo and small firm lawyers can harness AI to transform their law practices, streamline operations, and stay competitive—without needing to code or become a tech guru.

You’ll discover…

• The single mindset shift that makes AI adoption easy for even the most tech-averse attorneys
• A clever method to “train” AI so it actually understands your firm’s language and processes
• Why AI might help you escape the billable hour grind—and what that means for your revenue model
• The #1 mistake lawyers make with AI (and why it could land you in hot water)
• Simple automations you can set up to finally take control of email overload and daily busywork