VOTED 2024 BEST FAMILY LAWYER AND BEST LAWYER UNDER 40 IN D MAGAZINE.VOTED BEST FAMILY LAWYER IN DALLAS IN D MAGAZINE SINCE 2017.VOTED BY HER PEERS AS A TEXAS RISING STAR IN SUPER LAWYERS AND TEXAS MONTHLY MAGAZINES SINCE 2016.Francesca Blackard is a partner at McClure Law Group, exclusively practicing family law since graduating from law school in 2012. Prior to law school (2007-2012), she worked for family law firms in Chicago, New York and Dallas as both a paralegal and law clerk.Francesca attended New York Law School, honing her strong work ethic as she balanced studies with a full-time job and volunteer work. As a courtroom advocate for the Domestic Violence Project at the Bronx Family Courthouse, Francesca’s volunteer service included obtaining protective orders for abused men and women. Preparation for hearings and trial is of utmost importance to Francesca. In her first month at McClure Law Group, Francesca assisted in a multi-million-dollar divorce case, drafting a brief on the character of her client’s community and separate property interests in the marriage. Her well-crafted, persuasive brief was one of the key elements in the extremely favorable outcome of the case. Her deep understanding of complex financial issues is an asset to many high-net-worth clients who need extra attention to their matters.Francesca has been successful in hearings where victory seemed impossible. Francesca prevailed in securing primary possession for a grandparent seeking custody of a grandchild, even though grandparents’ rights have become extremely limited following changes in the Texas Family Code.She has also recently had success in negotiating a 50/50 possession schedule for a parent who had previously signed away many rights to his children in the heat of a divorce. Her crafty negotiating tactics and ability to think outside the box led to an extremely favorable outcome for her client in a suit for modification of possession.