Kathryne M. Morris

When organizations face hard decisions about technology and data—novel issues, or situations where something has already gone wrong—I’m the person they call. They trust me to be direct and to never lose sight of the people facing the problem. 

Kate’s practice sits at the intersection of law, data, and technology — advising organizations on how to govern, protect, commercialize, and build with data and AI across the full arc of their operations.

She represents a wide range of clients on matters spanning AI governance and strategy, data law, privacy, cybersecurity, commercial technology transactions, and information governance. Her practice covers the full spectrum of regulated and sensitive data: from personal information governed by U.S. and E.U. privacy frameworks, to financial data, trade secrets and other intellectual property, proprietary business information, export-controlled technical data, protected health information, and critical infrastructure information such as CEII. A key part of her value to clients is recognizing when a transaction or issue implicates specialized regulatory requirements — and ensuring they have the right expertise to address them.

She works closely with clients to understand their objectives and identify risk — always keeping an eye on both the evolving regulatory landscape and the client’s broader strategic goals. The aim is to deliver solutions that are legally sound, commercially sensible, and built to hold up as the law and technology continue to change.

Her engagement with AI is not new. Well before generative AI entered the mainstream conversation, she was advising clients on the legal and commercial dimensions of machine learning, predictive analytics, facial recognition, and IoT — at a time when these technologies were just beginning to move from research into enterprise deals and real-world deployments. That foundation shapes how she thinks about the AI and data questions businesses face today.

Russ Pearlman

Russ Pearlman brings a rare combination to the practice of law: more than 25 years as a C-suite technology executive paired with an active legal practice focused on technology transactions, AI governance, and emerging technology risk. With an M.S. in Artificial Intelligence and a J.D. from SMU Dedman School of Law, he is one of the few attorneys in the country who has served as both a sitting Chief Information Officer and a practicing lawyer simultaneously. An award-winning CIO and a Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star in Technology Transactions, Russ brings an operator’s instinct to every engagement, understanding not just what the law requires, but how technology actually works inside complex organizations.

Russ’s practice spans technology transactions, AI governance and regulatory compliance, data privacy, and strategic technology advisory work. His dual perspective makes him a “go-to” counselor for organizations navigating digital transformation, artificial intelligence adoption, vendor negotiations, and technology risk. He doesn’t just advise on technology law. He has lived it from the inside, leading enterprise-scale implementations across higher education, automotive, consulting, and financial services, managing information security programs, and building governance frameworks from the ground up.

Alexander M. Breaux

I believe the most effective legal strategies are grounded not only in the law, but in understanding a client’s business and goals. I like digging deep into the facts, understanding how the technical pieces fit together, and turning complex issues into clear, practical arguments. Clients appreciate that I am thoughtful, prepared, and strategic, and that I tailor my approach to their objectives–whether that means helping resolve a dispute before litigation, positioning a case effectively for mediation, developing the right record through discovery, or preparing for trial when necessary. 

What I find most meaningful about practicing law is helping clients navigate challenges with steady judgment, disciplined preparation, and a practical, solution-oriented perspective. 

Alex Breaux represents clients in complex commercial disputes in state and federal court. His practice includes construction, real estate, energy, environmental, land-use, toxic-tort, products-liability, and other business litigation. He handles all phases of litigation, including dispositive and evidentiary briefing, discovery strategy, witness preparation, depositions, expert development, and trial preparation. 

Before practicing law, Alex worked as an environmental geologist and project manager, which gives him a practical, technically grounded perspective in matters involving complex records and expert-driven issues.

Laura Caston

Laura’s practice is focused on complex family law matters, including high net worth divorces, contested suits affecting parent-child relationships, property agreements, and post-trial matters such enforcements and modifications. She is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been recognized as a Texas Rising Star, Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” in America, and was featured in D Magazine’s 2025 Best Lawyers in Dallas. Over the last decade, Laura’s articles focused on niche family law matters, ranging from unique property issues to cohabitation agreements, have been published in the Dallas Bar Association Headnotes as well as the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section Report.  Laura is a member of the Dallas Bar Association Family Law Section, and is active in Attorney’s Serving the Community, First United Methodist Church of Richardson, and several other community organizations. She earned her J.D. from Southern Methodist University in 2014 and her B.S. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011.

Cynthia Dunn Raibourn

I am committed to guiding clients through difficult family transitions while advocating strongly for their interest and the well-being of their families.  In addition to litigation, I am also trained in Collaborative Law as an alternative to resolving family disputes.  The collaborative process allows parties to work together respectfully and privately to reach solutions outside of the courtroom, helping families move foward cooperatively.

Cynthia Dunn Raibourn is a shareholder in the Family Law Section and a highly respected attorney who is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction that reflects her extensive experience and recognized expertise in this complex area of law. With more than 32 years of dedicated practice, Cynthia has focused exclusively on family law, representing individuals and families in a wide range of sensitive and often high-stakes matters affecting children and family relationships.

Throughout her career, Cynthia has successfully handled cases involving pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, divorce proceedings, child custody and visitation disputes, child support matters, enforcement of court orders, paternity actions, termination of parental rights, adoptions, and post-judgment modifications of both Texas and out-of-state orders. Her practice reflects a deep commitment to helping clients navigate challenging personal situations while protecting their legal rights and the best interests of their children.

Cynthia is particularly passionate about trial advocacy and is known for her strong courtroom presence. She has extensive litigation experience, having tried numerous jury trials and bench trials in courts throughout the State of Texas. Her thorough preparation, strategic approach, and dedication to her clients have earned her a reputation as a skilled and effective advocate in family law litigation.

Sarah S. Youssef

I take a thoughtful and proactive approach to my work and try to anticipate issues before they arise. I’m attentive to each client’s goals and take the time to understand what matters most to them, while being reliable, friendly and supportive throughout the deal process.

I focus on real estate transactions and support clients through each stage of a deal. I also have prior experience with corporate transactions, including M&A matters and general corporate governance work. My day-to-day responsibilities have included coordinating due diligence, supporting subject-matter specialists, reviewing and drafting transaction documents, and helping move M&A deals forward.

Ryan E. Vayner

My desire for each client is to help create an estate plan that addresses their individual goals, needs, and concerns. I enjoy the challenge of customizing estate plans and making the complexities of those plans understandable for clients.

As a trust and estates attorney, Ryan approaches each client’s needs on an individual basis, understanding that planning for the future can be difficult but is also an act of love for those you may leave behind. Ryan enjoys tackling transfer tax issues to help minimize estate and gift tax consequences for high net-worth individuals and families. She also understands the importance of a detail-focused approach for drafting documents.

Additionally, as a trust and estate attorney, after the death of a loved one Ryan assists individuals and families navigate probate courts and estate administration with compassion and patience.

Christopher Pride

For me, the most meaningful part of practicing law is the relationships I get to build with the people I serve. Estate planning touches some of the most personal corners of a person’s life, and I consider it a privilege to be invited into those conversations. I approach every engagement with the goal of making the process smooth and accessible, especially when clients are navigating grief or other difficult transitions. When handling complex corporate, private equity, or other high-stakes transactional matters, I bring a disciplined, detail-driven approach to ensure the plan is executed with precision and aligned with my clients’ objectives.

I’ve learned that the best legal work starts with listening. When I take the time to understand not just the facts but the person behind them, I can help clients sort through decisions that may feel overwhelming or unfamiliar. My role, as I see it, is to translate complex issues into clear guidance, ask the questions they may not have considered, and provide steady support from start to finish. I try to create an environment where clients feel at ease and our conversations are straightforward and respectful, to feel more like talking with a trusted friend than meeting with an attorney.

At heart, I believe good lawyering is less about showcasing expertise and more about using it in a way that genuinely serves others. I take satisfaction in delivering work that is thoughtful, thorough, and dependable, but what stays with me long after any document is signed is the sense that I’ve helped someone move forward with confidence and peace of mind. That is why I show up every day and why I value this work as deeply as I do.

Christopher’s practice focuses primarily on estate planning, trusts, special needs planning, and tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies, which together make up the core of his work. He assists individuals and families in designing and implementing comprehensive plans that preserve assets, protect family legacies, address the unique needs of beneficiaries with disabilities, and support their long-term financial objectives. Throughout the process, Christopher provides practical, forward-looking counsel tailored to each client’s personal, financial, and charitable priorities.

In addition to his estate planning practice, Christopher assists clients with a broad range of transactional and business matters including mergers and acquisitions, entity formation, contract drafting and negotiation, private investments, and real estate transactions. His work spans a variety of industries—among them family wealth and family office services, financial services, real estate, non-profit organizations, retail, and e-commerce—allowing him to deliver cohesive advice that accounts for the legal and commercial realities clients face.

With the belief that prevention is the best solution, Christopher strives not only to address clients’ immediate needs but also to anticipate and mitigate potential risks before they arise.

Val C. Cronin

I function as a proactive advisor to my clients. I try to think ahead and come up with creative solutions to issues before they become problems for my clients. What makes coming to work exciting is coming up with creative solutions that most people don’t think of. The center of my wheelhouse is federal taxation. Since just about everything we do has a tax impact, my practice is varied. From helping clients structure their business lives from inception to sale to maximize their after-tax cash flow, to provide asset protection planning to help clients protect the wealth they have acquired, to mergers and acquisition work, to estate planning.

Val practices in the fields of mergers and acquisitions, taxation, asset protection, and estate planning. He offers considerable experience in business sales and acquisitions, family and business tax planning, asset protection, and estate planning for family succession.

Val offers years of experience structuring family business interests for growth and asset transfers and minimizing the tax consequences of those transactions in present day transfers and in transferring the family business to the next generation. He strongly believes in protecting key family assets from litigation risk and creating the business structures most likely to offer that advantage. As lawyers we frequently encounter people in crisis. He has learned to be a good listener to understand a client’s issues and concerns before he starts talking about solutions.

He has advised start-up businesses from inception through negotiating and drafting the documents to selling the business. In that process, he works with the client to structure the deal in a manner that minimizes income tax consequences and maximizes cash flow.  Finally, he works with the client to plan for minimizing estate taxes and protect the assets the client has spent their business lives accumulating.

Val is a Certified Public Accountant.

David L. Campbell

I have been called “user friendly” and a lawyer who always looks at the big picture.

David focuses his work on the bankruptcy, creditor rights, and real estate title litigation practices of the firm. His clients include institutional lenders, pension funds, landowners, developers, asset managers, landlords, tenants, lessors, lessees, contractors, bankruptcy debtors, and trustees. He serves diverse industries, including real estate, energy, and technology.

David was an editor of “Foreclosure & Related Remedies,” published by ABA Press in 2009. He was also a National Business Institute speaker and an advisor to the Uniform Law Commission Home Foreclosure Procedures Act Committee.