Attorneys

Keith M. Nelson

Keith M. Nelson

Partner, Attorney at Law
Offices: Dallas | Frisco
Tel: 214-273-2400 Email: Keith@ondafamilylaw.com LinkedIn:

Biography

As the proud father of six and grandfather of five children, the traits that make Keith Nelson such an effective and empathetic family law attorney—including problem-solver, crisis manager, communicator, mediator, and peacemaker—come naturally.

Keith uses these skills, honed over a 30-year career, to make a difference in clients’ lives, obtaining results that match their goals. Keith is responsive to his clients while guiding them through the legal process in an easy-to-understand and solution-oriented manner.

Impressively, Keith has been selected by Thomson Reuters to the Texas Super Lawyers list since its inception in 2003. He has been named among the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Texas in 2013, 2015, 2017 – 2023, and has been recognized among the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Dallas-Fort Worth eleven times: 2009, 2011 – 2015, 2017 – 2023. He also was named to D Magazine’s list of The Best Lawyers in Dallas in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023 and to the Best Lawyers in America by BL Rankings, LLC every year since 2006, based on peer review for his work in family law. Keith is also AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

With a keen interest in issues involving children, his practice includes a special emphasis on addressing the psychological impact of custody and divorce litigation on children and their parents. He also regularly provides pro bono representation for indigents in cases where serious issues regarding children exist.

Keith is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to excellence in this area of law. Board Certification requires continuing education and involvement in the issues of family law, including marriage, adoption, divorce, custody, support, and ownership of property acquired before and during marriage.

From an amicable divorce to a 9.5 on the Richter scale, Keith helps clients find a solution to their crisis so they can move on to the next chapter of life.

Areas of Practice

  • Divorce, Child Custody Modification, Support

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization – Family Law (1988 – present)

Bar Admissions

State of Texas, 1983

  • U.S. District Court – Northern District of Texas, 1983
  • U.S. Court of Appeals – Fifth Circuit, 1984

Education

  • J.D. from Baylor University School of Law in May, 1983
  • B.A. from Baylor University in December, 1979

Publications and Speeches

  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Forensic Psychiatric Evaluations: Reports and Legal Considerations,” UT Southwestern Medical Center Department on Psychiatry, March 8, 2022
  • Speaker and Co-Author with Lynne Corsi, J.D., LMSW. on “The Adventures of Deposing Mental Health Experts” North Texas FIT Biannual Workshop Conference, October 30, 2020.
  • Speaker and Co-Author, “Excluding Expert Witness Testimony in Texas Child Custody Litigation” as a panelist for the topic “The Witness You Don’t Want and How to Deal with Them,” The University of Texas School of Law AAML Texas Chapter, Innovations – Breaking Boundaries in Custody Litigation, June 5, 2015.
  • Speaker and Co-Author, “Client Engagement: When to “Just Say No!”“ Christian Legal Society, Dallas Chapter, Dallas, TX, October 16, 2014.
  • Co-Author, “Amicus Attorney: Protecting The Best Interest Of The Child,” State Bar of Texas 39th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, August 5-8, 2013.
  • Speaker and Co-Author, “Experts and Their Issues,” Annette Stewart American Inn of Court Meeting, April 15, 2013.
  • Speaker and Co-Author, “More than Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll: Evaluating Your Custody Case from a Psychiatric, Psychological and Legal Perspective,” The University of Texas School of Law AAML Texas Chapter, Innovations – Breaking Boundaries in Custody Litigation, January 20, 2012.
  • Speaker and Co-Author, “The Use, Misuse, and Abuse of Psychological Testing and Diagnosis in Evaluations,” State Bar of Texas 37th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, August 3, 2011.
  • Speaker and Co-Author, “Custody Evaluation Standards,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, November 5, 2010.
  • Speaker and Co-Author with Benjamin Albritton on “Talking to Children and Youth in Chambers,” Texas Judicial Summit, Fort Worth, TX, May 26, 2010.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “How Attorneys and Mental Health Personnel Can Work Together Ethically on Behalf of the Mental Health of Infants,” Texas Association for Infant Mental Health and Texas Parents as Teachers, Dallas, TX, January 9, 2010.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Reimbursements Revisited: Separate Property Companies; Jensen Claims; Alter Egos; Reverse Piercing; and Representing the Spouse Who Does Not Run the Company,” State Bar of Texas 35th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, August 5, 2009.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Effective Cross-Examination of Mental Health Experts: Re-Shrinking the Experts”; The University of Texas Law School; 2009 Family Law on the Front Lines Seminar, San Antonio, TX, June 18 – 19, 2009.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Working with the Psychologist”; State Bar of Texas 34th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, August 11, 2008.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Daubert / Experts,” Ultimate Trial Notebook: Family Law, New Orleans, Louisiana, December 7-8, 2006.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Parenting Plans (Who, What, When, Where & Why),” State Bar of Texas 32nd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, August 15, 2006.
  • Speaker with Honorable Debra Lehrmann: “Giving the Children a Voice in Court,” SMU Law School, Dallas, TX, October 12, 2005.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “How handle a Custody Case on an Unlimited Budget,” State Bar of Texas 31st Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, August 10, 2005.
  • Speaker on “Forensic Psychiatry: Pitfalls and Practices,” UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, February 15, 2005.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Rubbish or Rembrandt: The Art of Evaluating a Custody Case,” State Bar of Texas 30th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, August 11, 2004.
  • Speaker on “Forensic Psychiatry: Pitfalls and Practices,” UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, April 6, 2004.
  • Speaker on “Child Custody Evaluation Pitfalls, Including Daubert and Relocation Issues,” American College of Forensic Psychology, 20th Annual Symposium in Forensic Psychology, San Francisco, CA, April 1-4, 2004.
  • Expert Testimony, Final Hearing concerning common law marriage, State of Florida, Division of Administrative Hearings, Office of the Judge of Compensation Claims, District GNS, December 10, 2003.
  • Course Director, Texas Bar Continuing Legal Education Advanced Family Law Drafting and Advocacy: Art and Form, Austin, TX, December 4 – 5, 2003.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: A Complex Review of Psychological Testing in Custody Evaluations,” State Bar of Texas 29th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, August 19, 2003.
  • Speaker on “Attorney Perspectives on Family Law – Custody and Divorce,” Forensic Psychiatry Presentation, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, March 25, 2003.
  • Speaker on “Attorney Perspectives on Child and Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry,” Presentation to Forensic & Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residents, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, January 29, 2002.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Use and Abuse of Mental Health Professionals after Daubert,” 28th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, 2002.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Reliability and Validity of Psychological Testing for Custody Determination,” 26th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, San Antonio, TX, August 21 – 24, 2000.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Psychological Testing in Child Abuse Custody Cases: Risks and Precautions;” 16th Annual Symposium in Forensic Psychology, April 6-9, 2000, Newport Beach, California.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Promoting Infant Mental Health in the Family Court,” The Texas Association for Infant Mental Health, Dallas, TX, January 7 and 8, 2000.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Creative Decision Making in Custody Arrangements; Psychological Theories; Their Admissibility After Daubert; And Alternatives to Trial,” American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 1998; Annual Meeting, Chicago, November 12, 1998.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Creative Decision Making in Custody Arrangements,” 14th Annual Symposium in Forensic Psychology, American College of Forensic Psychology, San Francisco, California, May 2, 1998.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Common Law Marriage and the Putative Spouse,” Marriage Dissolution Seminar, 1997.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Favoring Unrestricted Relocation,” 11th Annual Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, January 29-31, 1997.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Using Depositions as a Discovery Tool,” Advanced Family Law Course For Legal Assistants, February 1995.
  • Panelist on “Cross-Examination of Mental Health Expert,” Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, January 1995.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Preparation of a Trial (and ADR) Notebook,” The Ultimate Trial Notebook – Family Law, State Bar of Texas, December 1994.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Effective Presentation of the Typical Property Case,” 4th Annual Advanced Family Law For the General Practitioner And Legal Assistant, 1994.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “New Developments in Family Law,” South Texas Judicial Conference, 1994.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Affirmative Pleadings,” 3rd Annual Advanced Family Law Drafting Course, 1993.
  • Panelist on two workshops during the 1993 Advanced Family Law Course; “Mental Health Experts (Part 3) Understanding: 16PF, Projective Drawings, Sentence Completion, Bricklin” and “Mental Health Experts Jury Profiles”.
  • Speaker and Co-Author, “Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements,” Marriage Dissolution Seminar, 1993.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Valuation of Small Businesses in Marital Dissolution,” American Association of Appraisers, 1993.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Jurisdiction,” National Business Institute, Inc., July, 1992.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Visitation – How to Deal With Children Under 3 and Over 15,” Marriage Dissolution Course, 1992.
  • Speaker and Co-Author on “Attorney/Ad Litem Fees,” Texas Center for the Judiciary West Texas Judicial Conference, April, 1990.
  • Co-author of “Strategies in Custody Cases,” State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course, 1990.

Honors and Awards

  • AV® Preeminent Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Top 100 Super Lawyers in Texas – Texas Monthly Magazine (2013, 2015, 2017-2023)
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Family Lawyers, 2024
  • Top 100 Super Lawyers in D/FW – Texas Monthly Magazine (2009 – Present)
  • Best Lawyers in America by Woodward White (2006 – Present)
  • Super Lawyers (2003 – Present)
  • “D” Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas – 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023
  • Dallas 500 – Most influential leaders in North Texas, 2015 and 2021 (D Magazine)

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Fellow – American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (1993 – Present)
  • Member of AAML’s Custody Evaluations Committee (2008 – 2011)
  • Member of the Collaborative Law Institute of Texas (2009 – Present)
  • Member of Special Concerns of Children Committee, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (1998 – 2001)
  • Member of Barrister, Annette Stewart American Inn of Court (2003 – 2005)
  • Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists (1988 – Present)
  • American Bar Association (Family Law Section)
  • State Bar of Texas (Family Law Section)
  • President, Irving Bar Association (1991 – 1992)
  • Dallas Bar Association (Family Law Section)
  • Board of Directors, Family Law Section, Dallas Bar Association (1992-1995)
  • Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Child Support and Visitation Guidelines
  • Board of Directors, Children’s Hope Chest (1999 – 2002)
  • Texas Trial Lawyers Association
  • National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC)
  • Consultant, Lawyers Against Domestic Violence (Past)

Professional Employment

  • Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, L.P., Partner
    5950 Sherry Lane, Suite 800
    Dallas, Texas 75225
    1992 to present
  • Koons, Fuller, McCurley & Vanden Eykel
    2311 Cedar Springs Road, Suite 300
    Dallas, Texas 75201
    1988 to 1992