Fifth Court of Appeals
Place 5
For over 32 years, Justice Barbare has devoted her career to the practice of law, focusing primarily on state and federal criminal defense, as well as family law. As the founder and lead attorney of the Law Offices of Barbare & Associates, she built a powerhouse firm in the Dallas legal landscape. Alongside her dedicated team, she has fought tirelessly for justice, taking on complex and high profile cases that have tested the very fabric of our legal system.
One of the most defining moments of her career came with the Dallas fake drug scandal. This case was not only a pivotal moment for her as an attorney but also a crucial battle for the integrity of our justice system. Through relentless advocacy, she successfully overturned multiple wrongful convictions, exposing the systemic failures that had led to innocent people being imprisoned for possessing substances that turned out to be fake drugs. This case reinforced her belief that justice is not merely about enforcing laws-it is about ensuring that those laws are fair, impartial, and truly serve the people they are meant to protect.
Justice Barbara's legal expertise and dedication have earned her recognition both locally and nationally. She has appeared on Nightline, CNN, PBS, and Dateline, and her work has been featured in esteemed publications such as Texas Monthly, D Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, The Dallas Morning News, and WFAA. From 2013 to 2024, she was honored as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers-an accolade that reflects her unwavering commitment to excellence in the courtroom.
Beyond her legal practice, Justice Barbare remains deeply engaged in the legal community, upholding the highest ethical standards, and striving to advance the profession. She is an active member of the Dallas County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the State Bar of Texas, and the Dallas Bar Association. These affiliations provide her with opportunities to collaborate with fellow legal professionals, fostering growth, learning, and continuous improvement within the judicial system.
Justice Barbare earned her law degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law and was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1991. Over the years, she has expanded her qualifications to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Her extensive legal experience has allowed her to advocate effectively for her clients, ensuring that every individual's constitutional rights are protected and that the law is upheld with unwavering integrity.
Throughout her distinguished career, she has received numerous accolades. She has been recognized as a Super Lawyer, a Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth
Super Lawyer, and a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation-an honor bestowed upon only one-third of one percent of Texas attorneys each year. She has also been named among America's Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys from 2018 through 2024, and received the America's Top 100 Attorneys - Lifetime Achievement Award for Northern Texas. In 2023 and 2024, she was honored by Lawyers of Distinction for her excellence in criminal law. Additionally, she has been recognized as a member of Dallas' Super Lawyers, the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers, and a distinguished member of The Texas Bar College. Her contributions to criminal defense and her relentless pursuit of justice solidified her reputation as one of Americas Top Criminal Defense Attorneys.
Justice Barbara's mission is to strive to remind all that justice is not merely an abstract ideal, but a living, breathing force that demands vigilance, dedication, and an unwavering pursuit of truth. The law must serve all people, not just the privileged or the powerful. It must protect the innocent, hold the guilty accountable, and always remain a beacon of fairness in our society.
Lastly, Justice Barbare's quest has always been-and will continue to be-to uphold these principles. Whether in the courtroom, the community, or the Court of Appeals, she remains a warrior for justice, fighting to preserve the integrity of our legal system and protect the rights of every individual who stands before it.