G. THOMAS VICK, JR.
- Practice Areas: Family Law
- Phone: 817-596-5533
- Email: contact us
- Fax: 817-596-8577
Overview
State Bar of Texas President, 2017-2018
G. Thomas Vick, Jr. is Board Certified in family law, he has published dozens of works on various aspects of the law and lectured widely. Vick chaired the Texas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees in 2013-2014. He served on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors from 2005 to 2008 and the Texas Access to Justice Commission from 2006 to 2009. A former mayor of Weatherford, Vick has served as president of both the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists and the Texas Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, as a chair of the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, and as chair of the Supreme Court Task Force to Expand Legal Services Delivery. Vick was named the 2008 State Bar of Texas Family Law Section Outstanding Family Lawyer, given the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Judge Sam Emison Award, and named the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers’ Fellow of the Year in 2009. He received presidential citations for service to the State Bar in 2008 and 2012. Vick received a bachelor’s degree from Austin College in Sherman in 1977 and his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1981.
Approach to the practice? Here are the rules I follow:
The idea is to solve problems, not simply try cases or make motions or draft pleadings. Litigation is usually not the answer to most problems, though no one in the firm is afraid of the courtroom. A courtroom is, under most circumstances, a bad place to resolve complex human problems. Alternative dispute resolution (mediation and, sometimes, arbitration) is a valid, viable alternative to trials and should be exploited if appropriate. The children come first, but parents almost always know what is in their child's best interest.
Nastiness does not equate with effectiveness.
I tell the whole truth and expect my clients to do the same. The firm will only make complete and full disclosure. We are not interested in game-playing, half-truths or in "hiding the ball." A half-truth is a whole lie. We will not abide being lied to by our own clients.
Be judicious about the litigation process. Cost is an important factor--you can put your kids through college...or mine. Some, often much, of the cost of a divorce is in your control.
I want to determine what is fair in any particular case and seek to reach agreement in that range; if that is not possible, the case should be tried after exploring mediation.
It is our job to get the case over with as quickly and inexpensively as possible, consistent with a fair result for my client. A divorce effectively brings life to a halt and the time it takes to resolve a case should be as short as possible.
Course Director
2007 New Frontiers in Marital Property, Memphis, TN
2002 Advanced Family Law Course, Dallas, TX
2000 Marriage Dissolution Institute, Fort Worth, TX
Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists 13th Annual Trial Institute (1999), Las Vegas, NV
Assistant Course Director, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists 11th and 12th Annual
Trial Institutes (1997, 1998), New Orleans, LA
Certified Legal Specialties
Board Certified -- Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Fellow, International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
Education
South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas J.D. - 1981
Austin College, Sherman, Texas B.A. - 1977
Published Works
- iPad for the Family Lawyer, Advanced Family Law Course, Houston, TX, 2012
- Proving Separate Property, Marriage Dissolution Institute, Dallas TX, 2012
- Direct Examination, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists 2012 Trial Institute, Las Vegas, NV, 2012
- Abuse, It?s Not Just Physical, Innovations-Breaking Boundaries in Custody Litigation, Houston, TX, 2012
- How to Fix Your Screw-ups, Marriage Dissolution Institute, Austin, TX, 2011
- Representing the Unsophisticated Client with Assets, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, 2010
- Managing Client Expectations, Marriage Dissolution Institute Boot Camp, San Antonio, TX, 2010
- Effective Presentation of Evidence, Advanced Family Law Course, Dallas, TX, 2009
- Managing Client Expectations, Family Law Basic Training, Dallas, TX, 2009
- Managing Client Expectations, Am. Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Mid-Year Meeting, Kauai, HI, 2009
- Spoliation, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, 2008
- Possession Orders, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, 2007
- Negotiation: You Can?t Try Them All, Marriage Dissolution Institute, El Paso, TX, 2007
- Managing Client Expectations; Trying the Property Case on a Shoestring; Top Ten Trial Tips, Nevada State Bar Family Law Course, Ely, NV, 2007
- International Child Issues and the Hague Convention, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, 2006
- When the Texas SPO Won?t Work, Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar, Addison, TX, 2006
- Direct and Cross Examination, Family Law Basic Training, Dallas, TX, 2005
- Legislative Update, Associate Judge?s Conference, Austin, TX, 2005
- Temporary Orders, Poverty Law Conference, Austin, TX, 2005
- Reforming Your Client's Expectations, Legal Assistant's University, Fort Worth, TX, 2004
- Life of a Grievance, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, 2004
- Managing Client Expectations, Marriage Dissolution Institute, Fort Worth, TX, 2004
- Dealing With the Client From Hell, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, 2003
- Setting and Getting Fees, Marriage Dissolution Institute, Houston, TX, 2003
- Spoliation, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, 2001
- Closing the File, Marriage Dissolution Institute, Corpus Christi, TX, 2001
- Getting the Most Out of Your Discovery, The Ultimate Trial Notebook: Family Law, New Orleans, LA, 2000
- Top Ten Things in a Family Law Practice, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, 2000
- Bankruptcy In Divorce, Advanced Family Law Course, Dallas, TX, 1999
- Bankruptcy Meets Family Law, Univ. of TX School of Law 2nd Annual TX Marital Property Inst., Austin, TX , 1998
- Divorce vs. Bankruptcy--When Worlds Collide, Farm, Ranch and Agri-business Bankruptcy Inst., Lubbock, TX, 1998
- Jurisdiction, Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, 1998
- Parent-Child Third Party Practice, Marriage Dissolution Institute, Austin, TX, 1998
- Recent Federal Legislation, Am. Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Mid-Year Meeting, San Juan, PR, 1998
- Creative Divisions of Property, Advanced Family Course, San Antonio, TX, 1997
- Trying a Property Case on a Shoestring, Marriage Dissolution Institute, Dallas, TX, 1997
- Recent Interesting Cases, College of Advanced Judicial Studies, Houston, TX, 1997
Classes/Seminars
Course Director, 2002 Advanced Family Law Course, Dallas, TX
Course Director, 2000 Marriage Dissolution Institute, Fort Worth, TX
Course Director, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists 13th Annual Trial Institute (1999), Las Vegas, NV
Assistant Course Director, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists 11th and 12th Annual Trial Institutes (1997, 1998), New Orleans, LA
New Frontiers in Marital Property (2007), Memphis, TN
Honors and Awards
Named in 2003 to current Texas Monthly as a SuperLawyer
Named in The Best Lawyers in America 1993 to current
Named 1993 Southwest High School (Fort Worth, Texas) Distinguished Graduate
Mayor, City of Weatherford, Texas 1982-1986
Trustee, Weatherford Independent School District, 1995 - 2001
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Fellow of the Year, 2009
Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Judge Sam Emison Award, For Significant Contributions to the Practice of Family Law in the State of Texas, 2009
Dan R. Price Award, 2008
State Bar of Texas Family Law Section Outstanding Family Lawyer, 2008
State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation for Service to the Bar, 2008
State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation for Service to the Bar, 2012
Professional Associations and Memberships
State Bar of Texas Task Force, Co-Chair, 2013 - Present
State Bar of Texas, Board of Directors, 2005 - 2008
Texas Access to Justice Commission, Commissioner, 2006 - 2009
Supreme Court Task Force to Expand Legal Services Delivery, Chair, 2006 - 2007
Family Law Section, Chair, 2004 - 2005
Family Law Section Council, Member, 1991 - 2006
Family Law Section Pro Bono Committee, Chair, 1997 - 1999
Texas Family Law Practice Manual,Editorial Committee, Member, 1991 - 1997
Texas Bar Foundation, Board of Directors, 2011 - Present
Texas Bar Foundation, Secretary-Treasurer, 2011 - 2012
Texas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow
Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, President, 2004 - 2005
Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, Board Member, 1994 - 2006
Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, Former Editor
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, National Officer: Treasurer, 2006 - 2011
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Secretary, 2003 - Present
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Parliamentarian, 2002 - Present
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Texas Chapter President, 2000 - 2001
American Bar Association, 1980 - 2008
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation, Life Fellow
Texas Family Law Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow
Tarrant County Family Bar Association
Parker County Bar Association, Past President
Texas Bar, President Elect, 2016