Elva C. Godwin is an experienced, solid attorney with strong ties to her church and community. Elva obtained her undergraduate degree from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas and graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1981. Elva served on the Alumni Board of Southwestern University, staying active within the educational community and presently serving on the Board of Trustees for First United Methodist Church in Houston.

Practicing probate, business, and oil and gas law, Elva spent her first 12 years in practice with the firm of Strong, Heyburn, and Cockrell. With her strong background in these areas, Elva joined Jenkins & Kamin in 1995 and has been an invaluable addition to the marital property team ever since. She is able to utilize her past experience in order to provide clients with a unique perspective that works to their advantage when resolving a case.

She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Texas Family Law Foundation, Collaborative Law Institute of Texas, and the College of the State Bar of Texas. Membership in the College of the State Bar is afforded only to those attorneys who complete additional continuing legal education beyond the minimum required by the Bar. She is also a member of the Burta Rhoads Raborn Inns of Court, the Houston Bar Association Family Law Section and the Collaborative Law Section of which she was a founding director and chair for the 2008-2009 year.

Elva has co-authored several articles with Joan F. Jenkins for various continuing legal education seminars including several articles for the Advanced Family Law Course presented by the State Bar of Texas as well as South Texas College of Law.

Elva has embraced the Collaborative Law process for resolution of the gamut of family law matters. She has participated in numerous training workshops and seminars and was actively involved in the planning committee for the 2007 University of Texas Collaborative Law Seminar in Austin. She has successfully resolved many complex family law cases over the past few years using the Collaborative Law process.

Elva is married to Ned Godwin and is the mother of two sons, Eddy and Charles and the proud grandmother of Steven and Grace.

Years Joined Organization:

• 1995

Areas of Practice:

• Family Law
• Divorce
• Child Custody
• Child Support
• General Civil

Bar Admissions:

• Texas, 1982

Education:

• South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, 1982, J.D.
• Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas, 1971, B.A.
  • Honors: Alumni Board, Southwestern University
  • Major:  Sociology

Classes and Seminars Taught:

• Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas
• Numerous Training Workshops and Seminars Involved in the Planning Committee, University of Texas Collaborative Law Seminar, Austin, 2007
• Advanced Family Law Course, South Texas College of Law

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• College of State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Burta Rhoads Raborn Family Law Inns of Court, Team Leader
• State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section
• Texas Family Law Foundation
• Southwestern University
• Houston Bar Association, Collaborative Law Section, 2007 - 2008, Treasurer
• Collaborative Law Institute of Texas, Member

Past Employment Positions:

• Strong, Heyburn and Cockrell

Fraternities/Sororities:

• Zeta Tau Alpha