Sharon Ramage

BY JENELLE LANGFORD

Sharon Ramage, founder of The Ramage Law Group, represents clients in family law and special education matters. Ramage has always fought for the underdog and has built a name for herself doing so. Before graduating from Baylor University School of Law, Ramage helped child abuse victims as a social worker. She opened her Collin County law firm in 2000, focusing on family law while also working as a special education hearing officer for the state of Texas. In 2015, she recognized the shortage in family representation and added disability representation to her firm.

Ramage’s career has always focused on the stability of children and families. From prosecuting child abuse cases early in her career, to serving as a special education hearing officer and mediator, Ramage has experienced success for families while doing what she loves — advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves.

“I started representing families, and that’s when I started growing the firm. I first hired an associate around 2014 and then I just continued growing. From there, I shifted from being on my own to realizing I could have a bigger impact if I expanded my reach and brought in people with other strengths,” Ramage says.

Meet the Team

Although Ramage’s resume has proven successful on her own, she points to her team for the education, productivity, and creativity they bring to make The Ramage Law Group the dynamic firm that it is.

Gwen Rawls Williams

With a focus on family law and knowledge in business litigation, Williams helps families through family law litigation and trial strategy. Having previous experience in multiple areas of law allows Williams to focus on her clients’ needs, where they are in high-asset divorce, need to modify their child custody arrangement, or need a protective order due to family violence.

Marissa Balius

As a collaboratively trained attorney and mediator, Balius believes litigation does not have to be the first choice in family cases. She specializes in collaborative law, which allows both parties to collaborate together on best practices in family disputes without having to resort to a courtroom battle.

“I educate my clients on the options available and guide them through making the best decisions for their family,” Balius shares. She also works in the firm’s special education section. Her calm and practical approach to cases helps her secure great results for families and children.

Mary Barefield

Barefield graduated from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. After her academic career, Barefield worked at the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeals as the senior law clerk responsible for legal research and case law analysis. After moving to New York with her husband, where she passed the New York Bar exam, Barefield quickly found herself drawn to the nonprofit, The Center for Family Representation.

During that time, she represented indigent clients in family defense proceedings involving allegations of child neglect and abuse, domestic violence, as well as immigration and housing issues. After COVID shutdowns began, she and her husband moved to Texas, where she now works primarily in the firm’s family law section and provides support in the special education area.

“Now at The Ramage Law Group, I am continuing to learn and grow in an area of law that I thoroughly enjoy, surrounded by amazing attorneys and support staff,” Barefield shares. “Whether it be helping a client reach an agreement that works for all parties, or zealously advocating to defend their position, my goal in each case is to leave the client in a better position than the day they walked in the door. My passion for helping others is why I continue to do this work,” Barefield concludes.

When clients come to The Ramage Law Group in often difficult and trying circumstances, the client may want to focus on the finish line, whereas the attorneys take a proactive approach before the case even begins. The Ramage Law Group takes a team approach to cases, which helps lead to creative solutions for reaching clients’ objectives.

“We ask our clients what their true objectives are. We try to always remind them and focus them on how we are going to help them attain those objection, not just get them through their court case. Whether it is a divorce, custody case, or special education matter, their case is not just a transaction. The legal process will change their lives. We want them to leave the process in a better place than when they came to us,” Ramage says.

In each case clients can feel comforted during such a challenging season with the range of knowledge, experience, and expertise of the attorneys at The Ramage Law Group. “We take a proactive approach on cases. I want our clients to see into a crystal ball. I want them to see more than what it looks like right now when they make this decision. I want them to see what it’s going to look like 5-10 years from now, and that’s with our collective experience,” Ramage continues. “We’ve done this for so long we can see just about every path something can take, and so we really focus on letting our clients know what can be ahead so they’re prepared for the future.”

Outside the Firm

Among the daily duties of client representation that Sharon Ramage undertakes, she is in her fourth year of serving on the board for the Life Path Foundation. Life Path Foundation focuses on raising funds and awareness for Life Path Systems, which provides services for Collin County residents living with mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

At the end of the day, on or off the clock, whether working tiresome hours to successfully represent her client, or simply helping people find creative solutions to life circumstances, Ramage still enjoys the grind of putting in the hard work for her clients to find a comforting resolution and stand confidently in their next steps.

“My motto is we need to make sure when families leave us after we’ve worked with them that they are in a better place than when they came to us,” Ramage shares. “Also, as a firm owner, it’s rewarding to me to see the rest of my staff also embrace that and get excited, because that tells me that we’re living out our mission.”