Kristen Gavigan

With outstanding litigation skills, Associate Attorney Kristen Gavigan initially wanted to be a prosecutor. Then she worked for the Innocence Project of Texas and learned how many innocent people actually end up going to prison for crimes they didn’t commit. “I wanted to do something about it,” she says simply. So put her skills to work in criminal defense.

Like the rest of the team at Barbieri Law Firm, she believes that everyone is entitled to a rigorous defense, regardless of the circumstances. “I don’t think that people should be defined by the worst thing they’ve ever done,” she explains. “I think people deserve a chance at redemption.”

To defend clients in the most effective manner possible, Kristen takes the time to understand the critical details about their situation, and that’s one of the features that makes her stand out as a defense attorney. “I really do care about my clients—their lives, their families, and what’s going to happen to them. I’m willing to fight for them and find every piece of evidence that can help them and ensure they get the best defense.”

Her care, preparation, and skills enable her to advocate for clients in a way few defense attorneys can match. In fact, The National Trial Lawyers selected her for inclusion in their Top 40 Under 40 list for her success on behalf of clients in criminal defense.

Before embarking on her career as a defense attorney, she started by serving in the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office. Her tenure there provided insight into prosecution that allows her to anticipate the challenges her clients will face and prepare the right strategies to overcome those challenges. She then spent two years with a super-large defense firm. While she gained valuable experience, she realized that she was frustrated that she was not able to take the time to provide personal service to her clients.

As a member of the team at Barbieri Law, she now has the best of both worlds. She has the opportunity to team up with experienced defense advocates and the flexibility to serve clients on her own terms, delving deep to gain the key details others might miss.

“When people contact me, I want them to feel like they're supported no matter what they have to tell me, and that I'll figure out a way to get them through it,” she notes.

A member of the State Bar of Texas, Kristen also belongs to the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Dallas Bar Association, the Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Dallas County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. She was also invited to join the National Order of the Barristers because of her superior litigation skills.

Kristen graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M University, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Leadership and Development. She continued on to Texas Tech University School of Law where she was a five-time national, regional, and state advocacy champion and named the best oral advocate in Texas by the Texas Young Lawyers Association.

In addition to championing the cause of criminal defendants, she also supports causes aimed at protecting children and supporting human rights.