Marie Briner’s combination of multiple years as lead counsel in jury trials as a Dallas County assistant district attorney, along with her 19 years representing family law clients, make her an unmatched powerhouse. After leaving the criminal courts in 2004 with the trial skills, case analysis and negotiation expertise reserved exclusively for the few lawyers who have actually worked daily in the trenches of a courtroom, Marie immediately rose in the ranks of family law’s most elite attorneys – being named one of D Magazine’s Best Attorneys under 40. Within a mere three years, Marie was elevated to partner status at her boutique family law firm, placing her in the ranks of family law attorneys who had been practicing that discipline for years. Marie’s wisdom, strategic thinking, and expertise both inside and outside a courtroom give McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans’ Family Law Group the edge when empowering clients to progress to a better future.
Marie is one of a handful of attorneys in all of Dallas who hold the unique honor of being board certified in both family law and criminal law. Less than 8% of all attorneys in the entire state of Texas have met the stringent qualifications to become Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in even a single area of specialty. And even fewer have completed the specialized financial training offered by the American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators – a complement to Marie’s business degree, both of which make her especially proficient at handling the most complex property and business matters of divorce litigation.
Marie earned her law degree from Southern Methodist University in 1998, where she was inducted into the national honorary Order of the Barristers and received the highly coveted honor of being named SMU’s Excellence in Advocacy recipient of her graduating class. By the time she completed her tenure at the Dallas County District Attorney’s office, she was promoted to Deputy Chief of the Child Abuse Division, which allowed her to help families through criminal and family situations. She was lead counsel in several complex and high-profile cases, including capital murder and other felonies. Marie made Dallas County history when one of her criminal defendants stood and announced to the jurors immediately following Marie’s opening statement that he was “guilty.”
While Marie has touched in some capacity thousands of cases, it’s the more than 100 cases she has tried to final verdicts that make all the difference for her clients. Briner states: “Trying a case to final verdict means actually trying a case from beginning to end and all that that encompasses. It’s also of great importance to have tried jury trials. While most family law cases are tried before a judge, it’s the extensive and exceptional jury trial experience I’ve had that truly trained me for the courtroom and for understanding how to properly evaluate and handle the facts, good or bad, in a client’s case. There is no lawyering experience better than multiple years of being lead counsel in jury trials.”
Marie founded Briner Family Law Group in 2009, creating an highly sought after boutique firm of highly experienced and dynamic attorneys who guide clients through all aspects of family law litigation, offering calm in a sea of chaos. Marie’s profound reputation is what helped build the relationship between her and McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans, who would eventually acquire Briner Family Law Group in 2025.
While she negotiates settlements in virtually all of her cases, she is ready and able to vigorously represent her clients in the courtroom should that be the best course of resolution. She has been recognized as one of the top family law professionals in North Texas and across the state by satisfying rigorous standards and gaining the support of her peers. In addition to being selected as one of the Top Lawyers in Dallas under 40 and featured in D Magazine, Ms. Briner was honored on the list of Texas Rising Stars, was one of only 2.5% of Texas attorneys to be featured in Texas Monthly magazine, and most recently was again designated a Super Lawyer, an award given to top-rated practicing attorneys selected through extensive evaluation.
Honors, Awards & Associations
• Board Certified in Family Law and Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
• SuperLawyers 2022, 2023, 2024
• Best Lawyers under 40, D Magazine
• Texas Rising Stars
• Member, American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators
• Member, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists
• Recipient, The Order of Barristers
