Christian Smith, Managing Partner at Smith & Bledsoe Family Law, has been named a 2026 Super Lawyers Rising Star. This marks her fourth year in a row on the list, following her selections in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The award recognizes younger attorneys who stand out for their skill and their work for clients.
For clients across Austin and Central Texas, this recognition points to something they already know. Christian brings real skill and real care to every case she takes on. Whether she works on a divorce, a custody dispute, or a child support case, she gives each client’s situation the same close attention.
What Does It Mean to Be a Super Lawyers Rising Star?
Super Lawyers uses a strict, multi-step process to build its lists each year. Attorneys cannot pay for a spot, and they cannot put their own name forward. Instead, a research team reviews peer nominations, independent research, and evaluations from other lawyers in the same practice area.
The Rising Stars list only includes attorneys age 40 or younger, or those who have practiced law for 10 years or less. Out of all the younger lawyers in Texas, only 2.5% make the Rising Stars list in a given year. That makes the list hard to join, and even harder to stay on year after year.
Christian first made the Rising Stars list in 2023. She has now held her spot for four straight years, through 2026. That kind of track record points to a steady level of skill and client trust, not just one strong year.
A few facts about the selection process:
- No self-nomination – other lawyers put forward candidates
- No paid placement – firms cannot buy a spot on the list
- Age or experience limits apply – the list is open only to newer attorneys
- Only 2.5% of Texas lawyers make the cut in a given year
This process gives clients a way to check an attorney’s standing among her peers before they hire her. A repeat selection, like Christian’s four straight years, tells clients that other lawyers in Texas keep pointing to her work.
This kind of recognition carries real weight across every type of case Christian handles. Families working through a divorce want a lawyer whose peers already view her work as strong. Parents in a child custody dispute want that same track record on their side, and so do parents sorting out child support. The same goes for LGBTQ+ family law clients working through adoption or parental rights matters. A four-year run on the Rising Stars list gives all of these clients one more reason to trust the work behind their case.
Talk to Smith & Bledsoe Family Law About Your Family Law Case
If you face a divorce, a custody dispute, or another family law matter in Austin or Central Texas, you deserve a lawyer with a strong track record. A fourth straight year on the Rising Stars list does not happen by accident. It comes from years of close work with clients and a record other lawyers respect. Christian Smith and the Smith & Bledsoe Family Law team offer free consultations to talk through your case and your options, no matter how large or small the matter feels right now.
Fill out our online contact form or call our office today at (512) 277-3166 to schedule your free consultation.