ONDA Family Law Celebrates Legal Assistant Earning Board Certification

Melissa Hopkins’ achievement upholds firm’s dedication to legal excellence

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson, LLP (ONDA), one of the largest family law firms in Texas, is pleased to announce that legal assistant Melissa Hopkins has earned board certification as a family law paralegal from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

“Our firm strives for the highest standards, and Melissa’s achievement further strengthens the exceptional service we provide to our clients every day,” said managing partner Scott Downing. “We appreciate and admire her commitment to excellence and are proud to see more team members earning this important distinction.”

The paralegal certification process closely resembles the rigorous standards required for attorney certification. Candidates must have at least five years of experience as a paralegal, undergo a thorough evaluation of their work under the supervision of a licensed Texas attorney and demonstrate a strong record of continuing legal education in their practice area. The final step toward certification is passing a comprehensive half-day specialty examination.

Paralegal certification "recognizes and promotes the availability, quality, and utilization of the services of paralegals who, working under the supervision of duly licensed attorneys, have achieved a level of special knowledge in particular areas of law," according to the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Family law is one of only eight practice areas that qualify for paralegal board certification.

ONDA is widely known for having attorneys board certified in family law, a prestigious designation held by less than 1% of Texas attorneys. Ms. Hopkins is the second on the firm’s paralegal team to earn this certification. The most recent attorneys to do so include family lawyers Chris Konneker, Melissa Cowle, and Jacob Jeffries.

Ms. Hopkins has nearly 10 years of experience working as a paralegal. She also serves as president of the Denton County Paralegal Association for 2025.

About ONDA
Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson has served families for more than 30 years. With offices in Dallas, Frisco and San Antonio, ONDA is one of Texas’ largest family law firms. Each partner is board certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and each is a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists.