(L to R) Curtis Harrison and Thomas Ausley

GoransonBain, a family law firm with offices in Dallas, Plano and Austin, will merge Dec. 1 with Austin's Ausley, Algert, Robertson & Flores, creating a 28-lawyer firm with offices in Dallas, Plano and Austin.

Curtis Harrison, managing partner of GoransonBain, said it is a merger of equals that will allow both firms to leverage their expertise. It will give Harrison's firm an immediate expanded presence in Austin, and provide Ausley Algert with offices in north Texas and access to more lawyers.

Harrison said the firm will consolidate in Austin, and GoransonBain lawyer Lindley Bain, who works in the firm's Austin office, will move into Ausley Algert's Austin office.

The firm will keep the name GoransonBain everywhere but in Austin, where it will be known as GoransonBain Ausley.

Harrison said about 18 months ago, lawyers in his firm held a strategic-planning retreat, deciding then that they should look to expand in Austin. He said the deal with Ausley Algert exceeds his firm's expectations for what growth in the Austin market will do for his firm because the firms are on the same page in culture, vision and expertise.

“We've known the Ausley firm and its members for years. There's always been a perceived alignment in our constructive approach to handling family law litigation, he said.

Thomas Ausley, founding partner of Ausley Algert, said he's known some of the GoransonBain lawyers for 30 years. “We are very similar in the way we approach family law and the way we try to help people,” he said.

Ausley said his firm's clients don't benefit simply from the larger size of the post-merger firm. He said clients will benefit from the network of offices and the skills of the “competent and very ethical” GoransonBain lawyers.

The firms started talking about a year ago, Harrison said.

GoransonBain was found in 1987 and Ausley Algert dates back to 1978.

(L to R) Curtis Harrison and Thomas Ausley

GoransonBain, a family law firm with offices in Dallas, Plano and Austin, will merge Dec. 1 with Austin's Ausley, Algert, Robertson & Flores, creating a 28-lawyer firm with offices in Dallas, Plano and Austin.

Curtis Harrison, managing partner of GoransonBain, said it is a merger of equals that will allow both firms to leverage their expertise. It will give Harrison's firm an immediate expanded presence in Austin, and provide Ausley Algert with offices in north Texas and access to more lawyers.

Harrison said the firm will consolidate in Austin, and GoransonBain lawyer Lindley Bain, who works in the firm's Austin office, will move into Ausley Algert's Austin office.

The firm will keep the name GoransonBain everywhere but in Austin, where it will be known as GoransonBain Ausley.

Harrison said about 18 months ago, lawyers in his firm held a strategic-planning retreat, deciding then that they should look to expand in Austin. He said the deal with Ausley Algert exceeds his firm's expectations for what growth in the Austin market will do for his firm because the firms are on the same page in culture, vision and expertise.

“We've known the Ausley firm and its members for years. There's always been a perceived alignment in our constructive approach to handling family law litigation, he said.

Thomas Ausley, founding partner of Ausley Algert, said he's known some of the GoransonBain lawyers for 30 years. “We are very similar in the way we approach family law and the way we try to help people,” he said.

Ausley said his firm's clients don't benefit simply from the larger size of the post-merger firm. He said clients will benefit from the network of offices and the skills of the “competent and very ethical” GoransonBain lawyers.

The firms started talking about a year ago, Harrison said.

GoransonBain was found in 1987 and Ausley Algert dates back to 1978.