Overview
Fred Adams has practiced family law in Dallas for over 30 years and has extensive experience in all types of family law matters. Listed among The Best Lawyers in America® in family law as recognized by Best Lawyers, LLC, he is also certified as a mediator and family law arbitrator. “I have a knack for finding resolution with even the most complex family matters. Developing a partnership with my clients is something I take pride in. My approach is simple; we are in this together and my goal is to help you get the best possible outcome.”
Fred is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. Fred is board certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Education & Admissions
- Baylor University School of Law, Waco, Texas, J.D., 1981
- The University of Texas at Austin, B.B.A. Administration / Finance, 1978
- Licensed in Texas
- Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- Federal District Court for the Western District of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
Accreditations
- Board Certified, Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Certified Mediator
Honors & Awards
- AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Family Law, 2017-2022
- Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2003-2023
- Top 100 DFW Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2019
- Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, 1996-2019
- Legal Leaders: Top Rated Lawyers in Texas, Martindale-Hubbell and Texas Lawyer, 2019-2022
- Elite Lawyer, 2018
- Who’s Who in America, Marquis
- Texas Top Rated Lawyers, 2013-2018
Publications & Presentations
- Author and co-presenter, “Texas Firearms Law,” 11th Annual Firearms Law: Every Texas Lawyer Needs to Know, Austin, Texas, September 2022
- Co-author and co-presenter, “Enforcement and Contempt: Pleadings, Techniques and What To Do (And Not Do)”, 48th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, Texas, August 2022
- Author, “Guns N Orders”, Dallas Bar Association: Headnotes, June 26, 2020
- Co-author and co-presenter, “Child Support and Possession Enforcement – Trial Demonstration”, Advanced Family Law Seminar, State Bar of Texas, San Antonio, Texas, August 2019
- Author and presenter, “What Every Lawyer Needs to Know about Firearms Law – Firearms in Family Law”, 7th Annual Firearms Law Course, San Antonio, Texas, September 2018
- Author and presenter, “Firearm Law – What Every Texas Attorney Needs to Know”, 6th Annual Firearms Law Course, Houston, Texas, September 14, 2017
- Author and presenter, “The Top Ten Dos and Don’t’s – Lawyer’s View”, Advanced Family Law 101 Course, Advanced Family Law Seminar, State Bar of Texas, San Antonio, Texas, August 2017
- Presenter, “Updates in Family Law”,General Practice Institute, Baylor University School of Law, April 28, 2017
- Author and presenter, “What Every Texas Lawyer Needs to Know About Firearms Law”, Firearms Law Course, September, 2016
- Co-author and presenter, “Contempt Trial Demonstration”, Advanced Family Law Seminar, August, 2016
- Presenter, “Updates in Family Law”, 38th Annual General Practice Institute, April 24, 2015
- Co-presenter, “Challenging Allegations of Mutation”, New Frontiers, October, 2014
- Co-presenter, “Contempt Trial Demonstration”, Advanced Family Law Seminar, August 5, 2014
- Co-presenter, “Contempt Trial Demonstration”, Texas Center for Judiciary, 2013
- Co-presenter, “A Primer For The New Practitioner”, 2012 Advanced Family Law Course, August 6, 2012
- Co-author and Co-presenter,“Contempt Trial Demonstration”, 2013 Advanced Family Law Seminar, August 5, 2013
- Presenter, “What Every Texas Lawyer Needs to Know About Firearms Law”, Firearms Seminar, September 27, 2013
- Author and presenter, “Concealed Handgun Licenses: ‘How to Get Them and What they Mean', ‘What Every Texan Needs to Know About Firearms Law’”, State Bar of Texas, September 28, 2012
- Co-author and co-presenter, “Contempt Enforcement: A Primer for the New Practitioner”, Family Law 101 Course, 2012
- Presenter, “Federal Firearms Law Related to Family Law”, Family Law Section of the Dallas Bar Association, June 8, 2011
- Presenter, “Family Law Essentials”, Pro Bono Committee, Family Law Section, Texas State Bar, 2004 Laredo, 2010 Plainview, 2011 Waco
- Co-author and presenter, “Civil and Criminal Ramifications of a Family Violence Protective Order”, Advanced Family Seminar, State Bar of Texas, San Antonio, Texas, August, 2010
- Presenter, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialist Trial Institute, 2009 and 2010
- Presenter, “Child Support Workshop: UIFSA, Above Guideline Child Support, Effective Use of Financial Documents, Utilization of Qualified Domestic Relations Orders & Child Support Liens; Enforcement Techniques”, Advanced Family Law Seminar, August, 2009
- Presenter, “Characterization of Marital Property”, State Bar Convention, June 25, 2009
- Author and presenter, “The Supreme Court and the Second Amendment: the Impact on Texas Gun Law”, Marilea Lewis, Sanford Levinson, Richard Roper, III at a live webcast, in Austin, Texas, August 20, 2008
- Author and presenter, “Enforcing the Property Division”, Advanced Family Seminar, State Bar of Texas, in Dallas, Texas, August, 2005
- Author and presenter, “Beyond Contempt - Innovative Enforcement.”, Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas, Galveston, Texas, April 21-22, 2005
- Author and presenter, “Federal Gun Control Act (18 USC § 922) Including Malpractice Traps for the Family and Criminal Lawyer.”, “Lawyers Guns and Money, What Every Texas Lawyer Needs to Know About Firearms Law”State Bar of Texas Seminar, Houston, Texas, October 24, 2004
- Author, “Confused About Contempt?”, Family Law Essentials in Laredo, Texas, September 24, 2004
- Presenter, “Prosecuting and Defending Protective Orders”, Family Law Essentials in Laredo, Texas, September 24, 2004
- Author and presenter, “Federal Gun Control Act (18 USC § 922) Including Malpractice Traps for the Family and Criminal Lawyer”, “Lawyers Guns and Money, What Every Texas Lawyer Needs to Know About Firearms Law”, State Bar of Texas Seminar in Houston, Texas, October 24, 2003
- Presenter, “Lawyers Guns and Money, What Every Texas Lawyer Needs to Know About Firearms Law”, State of Texas, October 24, 2003
- Author and presenter, “What’s New with Guns and Contempts?”, Family Law Section Summer Bar Seminar, June 6, 2003
- Author and presenter, “Federal Gun Control Laws and Temporary Orders and Family Violence Orders”,American Academy of Matrimonial Law Attorneys in Chicago, November, 2002
- Author and presenter, “Enforcement/Contempt”, Dallas Bar Association Family Law Section, September 12, 2001
- Author and presenter, “Enforcement and Firearms Legislation”, Texas Family Law Practice for Paralegals Seminar, March 23, 2001
- Author and presenter, “Guns and Orders (Firearms and Family Law)”, Advanced Family Law Seminar, August 21, 2000
- Author and presenter, “Firearms and Family Law”, Dallas/Ft. Worth Bar Association - Family Law Section, Playa Del Carmen, June 1, 2000
- Author and presenter, “Enforcement of Temporary Orders in Family Law”, Solo & Small Firm Section, December 1, 1999
- Author and presenter, “Enforcement of Direct and Indirect Contempt - A Panel Discussion (Enforcement of Temporary Orders)”, Advanced Family Law Seminar, August 16, 1999
- Co-Author and co-presenter, “Enforcement/Contempt - Pitfalls and Problems for the Practitioner”, Advanced Family Law Seminar, August 16, 1999
- Author, “Interesting Cases and Things You May Not Have Known Regarding Enforcement of Temporary Orders”, Dallas/Fort Worth Bar Association - Family Law Section, June 14, 1999
- Co-presenter, Contempt Workshop with Honorable Craig Fowler, Honorable Richard Johnson, and John Turner, March 23, 1999
- Presenter, "Walk or Don't Walk (updated)", Dallas Bar Family Law Section, January 27, 1999
- Author and presenter, "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Custody and Child Support, Before You Need to Know", Dallas Chapter of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, September 22, 1998
- Author and presenter, "Walk or Don't Walk", Dallas/Fort Worth Bar Association, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, June 26, 1998
- Author, "Do You Have A Cigar? It's A Baby!" Recent Developments in Paternity Law, Dallas/Fort Worth Bar Association - Family Law Section, July, 1997
- Author and presenter, "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Family Law, But Were Afraid To Ask", Dallas Bar Association Small Firm Section, March 5, 1997
- Author, Family Law Section Predicate Manual 3.0
- Drafting Task Force State Bar of Texas Family Law Section/Family Law Foundation Annotated Family Code
Professional & Community Involvement
- State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section
- Family Law Council, 2011-2016
- Membership and Member Services Committee
- Pro Bono Committee
- Family Practice Manual Form Book Committee, 2008-2015
- College of the State Bar of Texas, Member, 1996-Present
- Dallas Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Director, 2000-2003
- Chairman / Media Relations Committee, 2003
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- Sustaining Life Member Texas Family Law Foundation
- American Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1981-Present
- American
Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Certified Arbitrator, 2007
- Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
- CLE Committee, 2002-2003
- Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists
- Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Annette Stewart American Inn of Court (Master), Founding Member
- Texas Academy of Family Law Specialist, Member of the Board of Directors, 2012-2015
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Legislative Committee, 2018-2020
- Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Family Law
- Baylor Law School’s Top Gun National Mock Trial Competition, Judge, June 2, 2017
