Justine Daly

Justine M. Daly, a solo practitioner in San Antonio, Texas, has been providing clients with efficient and compassionate representation in the areas of family and immigration law since 1992. Ms. Daly is certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as a Family Law Specialist, and was named by SA Scene Magazine as one of San Antonio’s Best Family Law Lawyers and as one of San Antonio’s Best Immigration Lawyers since 2005. Ms. Daly also serves as an attorney and guardian ad litem on behalf of children and indigent parents for the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, and her legal experience includes working as a law clerk for retired Chief Justice Alma L. Lopez of the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals.

Since gaining her law license in 1992, Ms. Daly has handled a wide variety of family law matters, including divorce, custody, child support, paternity, adoption, and property division cases in a variety of different proceedings, including jury and non-jury trials, mediations, arbitrations, and appeals. Her immigration experience includes business visa preparation for individuals, entertainers, and corporations, and she has traveled internationally on behalf of her clients. She has also provided representation in deportation and removal proceedings, as well as family-related immigration visa preparation and naturalization proceedings.

Ms. Daly approaches the profession of law as not merely the pursuit of justice and equity for her clients, but also as an opportunity to provide public service to her state and country. Toward that end, she has pursued international and post-graduate study in the law, and has been actively engaged in advancing the professional standards of her legal practice.

Ms. Daly is a long-time San Antonio resident, and those roots, coupled with her fluency in Spanish, have enabled her to develop long-lasting relationships with all of the cultural constituencies that reside in the greater San Antonio area — relationships that have provided her with important insights into many of the issues that come before the Courts and the Immigration Service.

Publications and speaking engagements

• Author, “Has Mexico Crossed the Border on State Responsibility for Economic Injuries to Aliens? Foreign Investment and the Calvo Clause in Mexico after the NAFTA,” St. Mary’s University Law Journal, Spring 1994 [Cited by the Oregon Court of Appeals in Novich v. McClean, 172 Or App 241, 18 P3d 424 (2001)].
• Contributing Editor, American Immigration Lawyer’s Association INS Guide, 1997 to 2002.
• Speaker/Author, “Bad Facts Custody Cases, Techniques and Strategies for Trying a Custody Case on a Budget,” SABA Family Law Section Seminar, June 2003.
• Speaker, “Unique Child Possession Arrangements, Extreme Divorce Practice Makeover,” SABA Family Law Section Seminar, June, 2004.
• Speaker, “Obtaining Immigration Relief through Adoption,” USCRI’s National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children, October 2005.
• Speaker, “2005 Legislative Changes to the Family Code,” San Antonio Family Lawyer’s Association, Nov. 2005.
• Speaker, “2007 Legislative Changes to the Family Code,” San Antonio Family Lawyer’s Association, Nov. 2007.
• Speaker, “Representing Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in Removal Proceedings,” USCRI’s National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children, March 2008.

Published cases

• Zamorano v. State, 84 S.W.3d 643 (Tex. Crim. App. 2002) (reversed and rendered).
• Sturchio v. State, 136 S.W.3d 21 (Tex. App. 4th Dist. 2002) (reversed and remanded, and dismissed).
• In the Interest of B.T.T., 156 S.W.3rd 612 (Tex. App. 4th Dist. 2004) (affirmed).

Foreign language

• Fluent in Spanish (read, write, and speak).

Pro bono & civic activities

• Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES), Executive Board Member (President), 2006 – Present
• Call-A-Lawyer Program Volunteer, 1994 & 1995
• American Red Cross Volunteer, Hurricane Andrew, Fall 1992
• San Antonio Young Lawyer’s Association, Elf Louise Christmas Committee, 1993 & 1994
• Habitat for Humanity, Volunteer, Fall, 1993
• Alamo Area Big Brothers and Sisters, Fall Gala Prize Committee, 1995
• World Affairs Council of San Antonio, International Contemporaries, 1996 – 2000
• Blue Ribbon Task Force Against Child Abuse, Member, 2004
• Extreme Divorce Practice Makeover, Planning Committee, March 2005
• San Antonio Bead & Ornament Society, Member
• Jewelry Designer, Pradana Joyas, Owner, 2003 – Present