Jenkins & Kamin and the National Family Law Trial Institute in Houston

 Jenkins & Kamin, LLP Partners Lynn Kamin, Aaron Reimer, Claudia Canales and Associate Jeanice Dawes were honored to take part in the 2023 National Family Law Trial Institute, a preeminent litigation skills course dedicated exclusively to family law.

The nationally renowned faculty of the National Family Law Trial Institute includes top family law litigators, jurists, and forensic experts from across the country. These faculty members are recognized authorities in the fields of evidence, family law advocacy, cross-examination, taxation, business valuation, psychological evaluation, and custody evaluation. They have held leadership positions in the American Bar Association, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers as well as state and local bar associations. Individual faculty members have been included among the Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and the Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers and are the recipients of numerous prestigious awards. Students of the National Family Law Trial Institute benefit from the extensive trial experience, scholarship, and teaching excellence of these faculty members in a unique setting that adapts the successful techniques developed by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy to the unique characteristics of family law litigation.

Jenkins & Kamin LLP is one of the most respected family law firms in Texas. The firm is noted for its “team” approach by pairing skilled attorneys, paralegals and other support staff with clients, so they feel fully supported through difficult life transitions.

In addition to the “team” approach, Jenkins & Kamin, LLP strives to personalize case strategies for each individual client, including identifying relevant legal issues and effective explanations of the law with respect to those issues.  The firm endeavors to achieve a resolution that is appropriate for each client, and aggressively advocating on their behalf when necessary. Having a dedicated and experienced team working with you in any family law matter is of utmost importance to achieve the best result possible.

Jenkins & Kamin LLP represents clients in the following aspects of family law practice: Marital Property Agreements, Divorce, Complex Property Issues, Child Custody & Visitation, Child Support, Parentage, Modifications, Family Law Appeals and Dispute Resolution Alternatives. To learn more about the firm, visit www.jenkinskamin.com or contact our office at 713-600-5500.

Tips for Moving on After a Divorce

 After you finalize a divorce, it is important to remember that there is no “one size fits all” approach to your self-healing. Every person is different, and they will recover differently. With that in mind, here are a few tips that are worth considering as you begin your journey toward a new life.

Prioritize Your Self-Care

This is a vulnerable time for you and it is vital that you take good care of yourself. Self-care comes in many forms, but it always means that you honor your mental, physical, and emotional needs. Focus on yourself by ensuring that you eat a nutritious diet, get plenty of exercise, adhere to a good sleep schedule, and engage in any hobbies that you are passionate about.

Remember What You Are Grateful For

It may feel as though everything around you is falling apart – which is why you must take care to remember the blessings you do have in your life. Research shows that focusing on your gratitude can have a profound impact on your overall happiness, self-esteem, and sense of compassion toward others.

Rediscover What Makes You Happy

Your life before marriage may have looked very different. It is natural for people to sacrifice some of their identities to meld better with their partner, and this is usually not done intentionally. However, this may leave you feeling discombobulated following a divorce.

Now is the perfect time for your self-discovery. Find what makes you feel happy and alive. Perhaps there are some hobbies you enjoyed before your marriage that you no longer engage in. Picking up interests from your single life before marriage can greatly help you move forward.

Avoid Numbing Behaviors

It is common to deal with stress by drinking, using drugs, overeating, or compulsively shopping. One of every six American adults binge drinks multiple times each month. Some of these habits may not inherently indicate a severe problem, but they should never be your only coping skills. Numbing your emotions is a temporary fix and do not take your pain away, rather they prolong it. While it is difficult to face your uncomfortable feelings, doing so will be one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

Set Communication Boundaries with Your Ex

Divorce will trigger messy feelings and continued conversations with your former spouse can exacerbate your stress. That is why it is important to consider how, when, and what you choose to communicate to your ex. There are no right-or-wrong answers. If you have children, you will inevitably need to communicate and co-parent with your former spouse. Still, it is rarely helpful to maintain a friendship in the immediate aftermath of a divorce. Set boundaries that allow you to fully process your emotions and allow yourself to heal.

Be Kind to Yourself

While it may sound cliché, it is important to provide compassion to yourself following a divorce. You need to be loving, forgiving, and patient with yourself. Practice internal kindness by engaging in positive affirmations each day, reducing toxic people or behaviors in your life, setting healthy boundaries, and reaching out for support when you need it.

Remember that self-compassion is not a destination, it is a journey that you take each day. Embarking on this journey will make you stronger, more in control of your emotions, and able to handle adversity.

Working with an experienced attorney can help guide you through the process of a divorce. Jenkins & Kamin LLP cares about its clients and wants every stage of a client’s divorce to go as smoothly and favorably as possible.

Jenkins & Kamin LLP is one of the most respected family law firms in Texas. The firm is noted for its “team” approach by pairing skilled attorneys, paralegals and other support staff to enhance each client’s experience in difficult life transitions.

In addition to the “team” approach, Jenkins & Kamin, LLP strives to personalize case strategies for each individual client, including identification of every particular legal issue and effective explanation of the law with respect to those issues.  The firm endeavors to achieve a resolution that is appropriate for each client, while aggressively advocating on their behalf when necessary. Having a dedicated and experienced team working with you in any family law matter is of utmost importance to achieve the best result possible.

Jenkins & Kamin LLP represents clients in the following aspects of family law practice: Marital Property Agreements, Divorce, Complex Property Issues, Child Custody & Visitation, Child Support, Parentage, Modifications, Family Law Appeals and Dispute Resolution Alternatives. To learn more about the firm, visit www.jenkinskamin.com or contact our office at 713-600-5500.

Jeanice Dawes: Family Law Attorney for Jenkins & Kamin

 Jenkins & Kamin LLP is one of the most respected family law firms in Texas. The firm is noted for their “team” approach to enhance the client experience by utilizing experienced attorneys, paralegals and other support staff to support their clients amidst difficult life transitions.

In addition to the “team” approach, Jenkins & Kamin, LLP strives to personalize case strategies for each individual client, including identification of every particular legal issue and effective explanation of the law with respect to those issues.  The firm endeavors to achieve a resolution that is appropriate for each client, while aggressively advocating on their behalf when necessary. Having a dedicated and experienced team working with you in any family law matter is of utmost importance to achieve the best result possible. 

Experience matters. Compassion counts.

Jeanice Dawes is a University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) graduate. Before joining Jenkins & Kamin, LLP, as an Associate Attorney, she was an Assistant County Attorney with the Harris County Attorney’s Office, representing the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (commonly called CPS). Jeanice is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Child Welfare law.

Jeanice has extensive experience litigating family law cases. She has tried numerous bench trials and has first and second-chair jury trial experience. Her family law experience includes handling divorce, child custody, modifications, paternity, adoption, and termination cases.   Additionally, Jeanice has juvenile law and civil litigation experience.

Jeanice Dawes was an Assistant District Attorney with the Galveston County District Attorney’s office representing CPS. For approximately four years, she was a private practice family law attorney representing clients across Texas, including Harris and surrounding counties. In her private practice, Jeanice represented parents as an Ad Litem attorney in Child Welfare cases and children as an Amicus and Ad Litem attorney. She also served as a Child Advocate during law school. She received the UHLC Distinguished Service Award for serving the community as a student attorney with the UHLC Civil Practice Clinic.

Before matriculating at the University of Houston Law Center, Jeanice Dawes was a Financial Managing Program (FMP) member at General Electric Company. After her stint at General Electric, Jeanice served as the Senior Financial Accountant for Imperial Homes, LTD. In 2002, Jeanice graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Jeanice Dawes is a proud Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated- Omicron Tau Omega chapter member. She volunteers with her church, Time of Celebration Ministries Church (TOCMC), with the teen youth group. Jeanice is a member of the State Bar of Texas Family Law and the Child Welfare Law sections. She is also a member of the Houston Bar Association and a past member of the Houston Lawyer’s Association. She is the proud aunt of four nieces and three nephews. Jeanice is a dog mom to a four-year-old boxer, Duchess Dawes, and a native Houstonian.

Jenkins & Kamin LLP represents clients in the following aspects of family law practice: Marital Property Agreements, Divorce, Complex Property Issues, Child Custody & Visitation, Child Support, Parentage, Modifications, Family Law Appeals and Dispute Resolution Alternatives. To learn more about the firm, visit www.jenkinskamin.com or contact one of our offices in the greater Houston area.