What does a Houston police lieutenant know about divorce? Everything about staying calm when people are at their worst. In this episode, host Andy Goldstrom sits down with Daryl Longworth, who spent 28 years with the Houston Police Department and has run Longworth Law Firm in Houston for the last 16 years. They walk through what really happens in a Texas divorce, from temporary orders that can stay in place for 2 years to mediation agreements you can't take back. Daryl also shares the day opposing counsel got physical with his client in a packed courthouse hallway (yes, the other lawyer!) and the one rule he gives every client before they hit send. Tune in now.
📰 About Daryl Longworth:
Daryl Longworth is the founding attorney of Longworth Law Firm, P.C., a boutique family law practice helping Houston families through divorce, custody, and child support cases. He joined the Houston Police Department in 1989, rose to the rank of Lieutenant by 2002, and served 28 years on the force. While still working as a police officer, he went to law school at the University of Houston Law Center and has been licensed in Texas since 2010. Today he leads a tight team of an associate attorney, 3 paralegals, and an office manager, and he's hiring another lawyer so his firm can keep its service personal as the caseload grows.
👉 Andy and Daryl explore:
— How 28 years as a cop heavily influenced the way Daryl runs his family law practice
— The #1 warning he gives clients before they sign a binding mediated agreement
— How weighing a $25K to $50K custody trial against the offer on the table shapes his advice at mediation
— Why he keeps his firm boutique-sized, and how he takes cases from much bigger firms without directly competing with them
— How he scaled his boutique firm: once marketing filled his monthly caseload, he chose to add a lawyer to maintain the personal service his clients expect
— The warning sign Daryl missed with his old marketer: his firm, not the agency, was the one noticing when call volume dropped
👉 Main Takeaways from the Episode:
— Price out a trial before you reject a mediation offer. A custody battle can cost an extra 25K–50K per side.
— Give every client the “judge test” at intake: if they wouldn’t want a judge reading a text or email in court, they shouldn’t send it. Tell them to wait until they’ve calmed down.
— Send new clients a document checklist early: bank and credit card statements, titles, a monthly budget, and who handles the kids’ daily routine. The more organized, the better you can prepare.
— Hold your marketer to a schedule. If you only hear from them when calls drop, ask for monthly meetings that review the numbers.
If you enjoyed today's show, please leave a review and subscribe so you never miss an episode. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today's episode, visit https://growlaw.co/
📞 Connect with Daryl Longworth:
• Website: https://www.myhoustondivorce.lawyer/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daryllongworth/
📞 Connect with Andy Goldstrom:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grow-law/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grow_law/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@growlaw
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growlaw
• Email: info@growlaw.co
• Phone: (954) 620-5521
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