As reported in Texas Monthly magazine, James N. Higdon was selected by fellow attorneys across Texas as a SuperLawyer, one of the top 5% of Texas lawyers. Read more. Appellate Cases of James N. Higdon

B.A.(Math/Hist), University of Texas, Austin, TX (1967).

M.B.A.(Econ/Mgmt), University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL (1973).

J.D., St. Mary's University, School of Law, San Antonio, TX (1975).

Partner, Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P.
State Bar of Texas (1976- ): Member, Board of Directors (Small Sections Representative to Board - 2007-2009); Current Member, Sections on Family Law, Litigation, Civil Appellate, Military Law (Chair 2005-07) and ADR; Member, Texas Bar Journal Committee (1980-96).

Board Certified, Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization (1981; Recertified: 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006).

Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization (1996; Recertified: 2001, 2006).

San Antonio Bar Association: Member (1976- ); Director (1992-94); Founding Chair, SABA Family Law Section (1992- ); Chair, CLE Committee (1990-1992).

San Antonio Family Lawyers Association: Member (1982- ); President (2007-08;1988-89); Officer/ Director (2006-2009, 1986-1990).

Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists: Member (1982- ).

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fellow (1994- ).

San Antonio Bar Foundation, Life Fellow (1992- ).

Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow (1996- ).

Texas Family Law Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow (2007- ).

Bexar County Dispute Resolution Center, Member, Advisory Board (1997- ), Chair (2009- ), Vice-Chair (2006-2009).

Associate Member (Mediator), Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution (SPIDR)(1993-2000).

Member, Texas Association of Mediators (San Antonio Chapter) (2000- ).

Panel of Pre-Suit Mediators, San Antonio Bar Association (1992-1996).

Member, Panel of Settlement Week Mediators, State District Courts in San Antonio (1988-).

Marquis' Who's Who in American Law (1991-).

Marquis' Who's Who in America (2004-).

Marquis' Who's Who in the World (2004-).

Marquis' Who's Who in Finance and Business (2007-).

"AV" Rating, Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory (1992-).

Texas Monthly Magazine, "Texas Super Lawyers," 2003, 2004; 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 (Selected by peers).

Scene in SA Magazine "Best Family Lawyers in San Antonio," 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 (Selected by peers).

National Registry of Who's Who, Selected as a Life Member (#138952) (2001-).

National Register's Who's Who in Executive and Professionals, (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005).

International Directory of Distinguished Leadership, Tenth Edition, Distinguished Leader, American Biographical Institute, Inc. (2002). Global Directory of Who's Who, (2006).

Mediator and Arbitrator Training:
Matrimonial Arbitrator, AAML Trained & Certified (1995- ).
Settlement Consultants, Inc. —
Managing Commercial Conflicts Through Mediation (40 hrs., 9/92).
Family Dynamics (24 hrs., 10/93).
Bexar County Dispute Resolution Center —
Mediator Family Dynamics - Participant/Speaker (40 hrs., 8/07).

Author and Speaker: American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas; Naval Justice School, San Antonio, Travis County, Val Verde County and Victoria County Bar Associations; San Antonio Family Lawyers Association; San Antonio College; public school classes, military, civic and other groups, including the following:

Military Pension Division 2009: Pitfalls & Problems and Child Support and Service Members and Family Law Panelist, Speaker/presenter, September 2-4, 2009, Consumer and Family Law Course, Naval Justice School, Newport, Rhode Island.

Military Retirement and Divorce (part of Retirement Panel Discussion), 35th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 3-6, 2009, Dallas, Texas.

Texas Family Law, 20th Annual Community Property States Symposium, March 26-28, 2009 (Speaker/presenter of Article written by John Compere, Jo Chris Lopez and Charla M. Davies), State Bar Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Drafting Issues for Military Families and Spouses, Advanced Family Law Drafting Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, December 4-5, 2008, Austin, Texas.

Military Divorce and Deployment Family Law Issues, Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar, Paralegal Division of State Bar of Texas, September 17, 2008, San Antonio, Texas.

Military Divorce, SCRA and Related Military Family Law Issues, Texas Center for the Judiciary, September 16, 2008, Dallas, Texas.

Texas Family Law, 17th Biennial Institute on Texas Law for Military Attorneys, Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, April 24-25, 2008 (Speaker/presenter of Article written by John Compere, Jo Chris Lopez and Charla M. Davies), Sam Houston Club, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Military Retirement & Military Divorce — Things The Practitioner Should Be Aware Of, 31st Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, April 17-18, 2008, Galveston, Texas.

Military Pension Division 2009: Pitfalls & Problems and Child Support and Service Members, Speaker/presenter, Consumer and Family Law Course, April 1-2, 2008, Naval Justice School, Newport, Rhode Island.

Child Support and Service Members, (Speaker/presenter), Consumer and Family Law Course, April 1-2, 2008, Naval Justice School, Newport, Rhode Island.

A Primer on Drafting Military Retirement Division Orders, San Antonio Family Lawyers Association Monthly Meeting, October 2, 2007, San Antonio, Texas.

Military Retirement and Divorce (part of Retirement Panel Discussion), 33rd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 6-9, 2007, San Antonio, Texas.

When Parents Go To War with co-author, Stephanie J. Bandoske, 33rd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 6-9, 2007, San Antonio, Texas.

Pension Division Issues involving Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) and Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC), ABA Legal Assistance to Military Personnel (LAMP) Committee and Texas Military Law Section Joint CLE and Meeting, November 17-18, 2006, Sam Houston Club, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas; (no written work; oral presentation in conjunction with B.Gen. Michael W. McCarthy, USAF (Ret.) of Phoenix, AZ.

Military Issues in Family Law Cases, San Antonio Family Lawyers Association Monthly Meeting, November 2, 2006, San Antonio, Texas.

Military Issues in Family Law Cases, Lackland AFB Legal Assistance Attorneys' CLE Training, Lackland AFB, August 30, 2006, San Antonio, Texas.

War and Peace, Military Benefit Issues in War Time with co-author, Stephanie J. Bandoske, 32nd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 14--17, 2006, San Antonio, Texas. Selected by the College of the State Bar of Texas as its recipient of the Franklin Jones Outstanding CLE Article for 2006.

Military Divorces (part of Retirement QDROs Panel Discussion), 32nd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 14--17, 2006, San Antonio, Texas.

Child Support and Service Members, A Short Court on Military Family Law Issues, American Bar Association Family Law Section, May 3, 2006, Henderson Hall, Arlington, Virginia.

Texas Family Law, 16th Biennial Institute on Texas Law for Military Attorneys, Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, April 27-28, 2006 (Speaker/presenter of Article written by John Compere, Jo Chris Lopez and Charla M. Davies), Sam Houston Club, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Military Divorces, 29th Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, April 20-21, 2006, Austin, Texas.

Military Issues in Family Law Cases, Extreme Family Law Make Over IV, San Antonio Bar Association Family Law Section, March 3, 2006, San Antonio, Texas.

Should Your Next Expert Be a Licensed Private Investigator, San Antonio Family Lawyers Association Monthly Meeting, January 5, 2006, San Antonio, Texas.

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and Amended New Benefits, 31st Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 8-11, 2005, Dallas, Texas.

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and Amended New Benefits, State Bar College Summer School, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, July 21-23, 2005, Galveston, Texas.

Military Retirement-Temporary Orders, Types of Compensation, Collecting Child Support, Military Retirement Registration, and Survivor Benefit Registration Deadlines, 28th Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, April 21-22, 2005, Galveston, Texas.

The Law of Military Retirement and Military Retirement, Its Calculation and the Drafting of Orders Acceptable for Processing, Family Law and The Military Seminar, The University of Texas School of Law, El Paso Family Law Bar Association, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate and Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, February 24-25, 2005, Briggs Army Airfield, Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas.

Texas Family Law, 15th Biennial Institute on Texas Law for Military Attorneys, Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, April 22-23, 2004 (Speaker/presenter of Article written by John Compere, Jo Chris Lopez and Charla M. Davies), Fort Sam Houston NCO Club, San Antonio, Texas.

Soldiers, Sailors & Military Divorces, Family Law and The Military Seminar, El Paso Family Law Bar Association, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, El Paso Domestic Relations Office and El Paso County Family Court Judges, February 27-28, 2003, Briggs Army Airfield, Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas.

Soldiers, Sailors & Military Divorces, 28th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 5-8, 2002, Dallas, Texas.

Texas Family Law, 15th Biennial Institute on Texas Law for Military Attorneys, Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, April 25-26, 2002 (Speaker/presenter of Article written by John Compere and Jo Chris Lopez), Fort Sam Houston NCO Club, San Antonio, Texas.

Military Marriage Dissolution, Separation Pension Division and DFAS QDROS, ABA Standing Committee on Legal Assistance to Military Personnel (LAMP) and Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, November 8, 2001, San Antonio, Texas (at St. Mary's University Law School)

Handling the Federal Retirement Plans: Military Retirement and Civil Service Retirement, Including Survivor Benefits, 27th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 6-9, 2001, San Antonio, Texas.

The UCCJEA in Texas, Children's Records Law in Texas Seminar, Lorman Education Services, Inc., June 15, 2001, Austin, Texas; June 18, 2001, San Antonio, Texas.

Military and Civil Service Retirement Plans, Family Law for General Practitioners and Legal Assistants, Stromar Educational Services, Inc., September 27, 2000, San Antonio, Texas.

The UCCJEA in Texas, Children's Records Law in Texas Seminar, Lorman Education Services, Inc., June 8, 2000, San Antonio, Texas.

QDROS, Military, and Other Benefits, 23rd Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, May 11-12, 2000, Fort Worth, Texas.

Military and Civil Service Retirement Plans, Family Law for General Practitioners and Legal Assistants, Stromar Educational Services, Inc., January 26, 2000, San Antonio, Texas.

Military and Civil Service Retirement Plans, 25th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 16-19, 1999, Dallas, Texas.

Overview of Military Benefits, Basic Family Law Seminar, San Antonio Bar Association and SABA Family Law Section, June 19, 1997, San Antonio, Texas.

Military Retirement — An Update, 1997 20th Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, May 8-9, 1997, Dallas, Texas.

Military/Civil Service Family Law: Getting the QDRO's Right, American Bar Association 1997 Mid-Year Meeting, General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section, Military Law Committee, January 31, 1997, San Antonio, Texas.

Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act and Military Retirement, Val Verde County Bar Association, December 13, 1996, Del Rio, Texas.

Drafting To Incorporate Changes in Military and Federal QDRO's, 1995 Advanced Family Law Drafting Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, December 14-15, 1995, San Antonio, Texas.

Division of Military Retirement Benefits, San Antonio Bar Association Afternoon CLE, October 20, 1994, San Antonio, Texas.

Voluntary Separation Benefit Programs, San Antonio Bar Association Military Law Section, February 25, 1993, San Antonio, Texas; Travis County Bar Association, May 5, 1993, Austin, Texas; as revised, presented to Victoria County Bar Association, May 17, 1993, Victoria, Tx, and published in 21 The SALSA Summons No. 2 at 26 (June 1993) (Publication of San Antonio Legal Secretary's Association).

Using The Soldiers' And Sailors' Civil Relief Act To Stay Civil Proceedings, American Bar Association's Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP) Seminar, January 21, 1993, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

Survivor Benefit Plan And Other Military Benefits, San Antonio Family Lawyers Association, January 14, 1993, San Antonio, Texas; also published in 20 The SALSA Summons No. 9 at 9 (February 1993).

Military/Fringe Benefits, How Retirement/Employee Benefits Affect You and Your Clients Seminar, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, February 20-21, 1992, Austin/Dallas, Texas.

Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act, 17th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, August 19, 1991, Dallas, Texas.

Family Violence Protective Orders, Domestic Law in Texas Seminar, National Business Institute, Inc., May 16, 1991, San Antonio, Texas.

Military Retirement, Active and Reserve, Advanced Family Law Drafting Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program, December 14, 1990, San Antonio, Texas.

Military Retirement Notes, 1 Family Law Forum No. 3 (Dec. 1, 1988). (Method for calculation of Reserve Military Retirement.) (Publication of Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists).

Supreme Court of Texas (1976).

U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas (1978).

U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (1979).

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas (1979).

U.S. Supreme Court (1979).

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas (1980).

Captain, U. S. Naval Reserve (Ret.) - 24 years commissioned service (US Navy 1967-1973; US Naval Reserve 1973-1991); now drawing retired pay!.

Designated Naval Aviator No. V-27972 (February 20, 1969).

Last Billet before retirement: Commanding Officer, NR AVT-16 Lexington 1010, Naval Reserve Center and aboard USS Lexington (AVT-16), Pensacola, FL. (1990-1991).

Naval Reserve Association: Life Member (1977-); Alamo Chapter (President, 1981-83; Officer, Director 1978-1983); Eighth District (Vice-President JAG 1989-93; Vice-President Chapter Activities 1980-1982).

San Antonio Recruiting District Assistance Council (RDAC) (1980-1992), Chairman (1989-1991).

Navy League of the United States, Life Member (2000-); Alamo Council (1989-).

Military Officers Association of America, formerly The Retired Officers Association, Life Member (1992- ).

Military Officers Association of America, Alamo Chapter, formerly San Antonio Retired Officers Association, (1992-), Life Member (1993- ).

Military Awards: Navy Commendation Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/ 1 silver star (5 campaigns), National Defense Service Medal, Pistol Expert Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation (w/ 4 bronze stars), Navy Recruiting Ribbon, Rifle Sharpshooter Ribbon.

San Antonio, Texas Oak Hills Rotary Club: (01/05/1979- ); President (1991-92); Director (1986-93); Paul Harris Fellow (1987-); Paul Harris Benefactor (1991-).

Rotary International District 5840: District Secretary (1992-1993).

Alamo Masonic Cemetery Corporation: Member, Board of Directors (05/86- ): President (06/08- ); Vice-President (05/90-06/08); Treasurer (03/86-05/90).

City of San Antonio, Texas AIDS/HIV Commission: Commissioner (1990-1993).

San Antonio Public Library Foundation, Member, Board of Directors (1997-2001).

UT NROTC Alumni Foundation, Member, Board of Directors (10/2009- ).

The Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Texas: Sesquicentennial Grand Commander (State Presiding Officer) (2004-2005); Elected Progressive Grand Line Officer (1996-2005); Editor, Texas Page, Knight Templar Magazine (2004-2006, 2009-2010); Grand Prelate (2007-2008).

Scottish Rite Learning Center of South Texas [San Antonio], Member, Board of Directors (2000- ).

Lee Lockwood Scottish Rite Foundation of Texas, Member, Board of Directors (2000-2006).

San Antonio, Texas Masonic Bodies:

Past Presiding Officer of: Alamo Lodge #44, A.F.&A.M. (1980-81)(Treasurer: 1985-1989; 2005- ); Blue Bonnet Chapter #470, R.A.M. (1983-84, 1999-2001) (Treasurer: 1985-1989; 2004- ); Blue Bonnet Council #409, R.&S.M. (1984-85) (Treasurer: 1985-1989; 2004- ); San Antonio Commandery #7, K.T. (1992); Texian York Rite College #60 (1994-95); San Antonio Council #261, Allied Masonic Degrees (Charter Member) (1997-98); Alamo Camp, Heroes of '76, National Sojourners, Inc. (1999-2000); San Antonio Scottish Rite Bodies: San Antonio Consistory (2000-2001); Fort Sam Houston Chapter #17, National Sojourners, Inc. (2001-2002); St. Anthony Conclave #50, Order of the Red Cross of Constantine (2004-2005); Texas Council #45, Order of Knight Masons (Charter Member) (2005-2006).

Also member of Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of San Antonio, Southern Jurisdiction; Alzafar Shrine; Texas Priory #23 and Texian Priory #78, Knights York Cross of Honour (KYCH); Nazareth Tabernacle No. XXXIV, Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests (Elected Progressive Line Officer 2003-), and other appendant/related Masonic bodies.

Endowed member of Lodge, Chapter, Council, Commandery, College, Scottish Rite Bodies and National Sojourners, Inc.

Member, Woodland Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas (Mbr, Deacon Body 2000- ; Sanctuary Choir).

Born October 20, 1944, McAlester, Oklahoma.

Married to former Barbara Ann Downing of Eagle Pass, Texas and have two sons, Travis, an entrepreneur, owner of and recording producer for Peek-A-Boo Records (longest running independent record label in Austin, TX, now located in Los Angeles, CA) and webpage developer/designer for Sapient, Los Angeles, CA; and Andrew, a certified public accountant with Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO) of Denver, CO. All are graduates of The University of Texas at Austin. Grandfather of Ms. Riley Elliott Higdon (Aug 3, 2008) of Denver, CO; Mr. Park Barrett Higdon (Oct 27, 2009) of Los Angeles, CA.

©2009 Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht