Manassas Lawyers

Mr. Leahy is a former Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fauquier County. As a former prosecutor, he brings to the firm knowledge and experience from one of the local Commonwealth Attorney’s Offices.

Brett Callahan is a Litigation Associate at Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian. Her focus in approaching any case is to identify and work toward the solution that is tailored to best serve her client’s needs. That means approaching problems from different angles to come up with the most practical and cost effective way to achieve her client’s goals, either through traditional negotiations and litigation or use of alternative dispute resolution options. Brett takes a client driven big picture approach to her representation, working with clients to not only address current concerns but identify future vulnerabilities and fix them...

Martin Crim is a shareholder at Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, and has been practicing law for over twenty-five years, primarily for cities, towns, and other local governments. His practice areas include land use development, code enforcement, eminent domain, social services, tax valuation and collection, human resources, Freedom of Information Act, water and sewer, electric utilities, Virginia Public Procurement Act, and municipal franchises.

-Town Attorney, Culpeper, Occoquan, Haymarket, & Middleburg
-Assistant Town Attorney, Herndon
-City Attorney, Manassas 2011 – 2018
-Staff Attorney, Prince William County Schools, 1991 – 2007
-School Board Attorney, Manassas City, 1992 – 2009

Karen L. Cohen is a Shareholder with the law firm of Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C (VF&N). Her practice focuses on commercial real estate and business transactions, including real estate development, land use and zoning, commercial leasing, commercial lending, and purchase and sale contracts, as well as advising clients in negotiating a variety of business contracts such as operating agreements, supplier agreements, asset purchase and sale agreements, and shareholder agreements. As an attorney with a prior career in architecture and a master’s degree in Real Estate Development, Karen’s legal knowledge is enhanced by her understanding of the business...

Nicole Naum is an experienced criminal defense attorney in Virginia. Ms. Naum has handled a wide variety of criminal cases, including DUI defense, drug cases, assault cases, and reckless driving cases to name a few. Ms. Naum is licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. She is a member of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She attended the University of Michigan, and earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where she graduated in the top quarter of her class. Ms. Naum was also named the 2014...

John Irving brings a working knowledge of all aspects of the legal process to any case or client with his extensive and eclectic legal background. In 1997, John received his undergraduate bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Shortly after graduation he began work as a fraud investigator for the City of New York. John handled thousands of cases involving welfare and housing fraud. Following this position, he was recruited to and employed the Prince William County Police Department where he exhibited his superior abilities and received several commendations and awards. After a brief time with the police department, John decided to make...

In January 2011, Donna opened Donna Dougherty Law within a few blocks of the Prince William County Courthouse. Her firm focuses on Family Law issues and she represents children in custody and abuse and neglect situations. She and her staff work as a team to advocate for their clientâs interests and in moving on to the next stage of their lives. In 2005, Donna began practicing law in Virginia focusing on civil litigation to include family and real estate litigation. Donna has fine-tuned her practice and focuses on family issues where marriages and/or relationships are dissolving and legal assistance...

Retired U.S. Marine Corps judge advocate practicing family law, criminal law, military law and general litigation.

Ms. DeFede practices primarily in the areas of education law, family law, juvenile law and criminal defense. She has represented clients in all state courts in Northern Virginia, the Court of Appeals of Virginia, the Supreme Court of Virginia and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Ms. DeFede has extensive litigation experience in the areas of criminal law, ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies. Likewise, she has litigated nearly every facet of family law, such as protective orders, support, custody disputes and complex equitable distribution. Ms. DeFede has also represented clients...

I represent people charged with all types of offenses in the courts of Northern Virginia. I take great pride and joy in defending people from the government.

Samantha Lewis focuses her practice on all areas of family law and civil litigation, guiding her clients through the process with skill and empathy. She joined Manassas Law Group in August 2022 after her time as a law clerk for the Honorable Carroll A. Weimer, Jr. of the Prince William County Circuit Court. Born and raised in Northern New Jersey, Samantha moved to Virginia to attend George Mason University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Government and International Politics, she attended George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School, graduating...

Neal Knudsen is an experienced attorney at Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C. Over the course of many years of practicing law, Neal has exhibited a skill for working within the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts. Neal demonstrates a deep knowledge of the DSS system, and is able to work on sensitive child dependency cases with skill and attention to important time constraints.

Neil’s experience includes trial practice before the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts and Circuit Courts, as well as appellate practice before the Virginia Court of Appeals. Beginning in 2002, Mr Knudsen participated in, and presented before, statewide...

Rick Nishanian is a highly respected real estate attorney. He is well known for his ability to craft legal documents for complex situations, ranging from complicated loan documents to multi-faceted business transactions. Clients appreciate his responsiveness and his attention to detail.

Over thirty years active trial experience on all matters of personal injury or death. I have secured major settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Mr. Woolley has been a dedicated criminal defense attorney for over seven years. He believes in fighting for the rights of his clients and focusing on the individual concerns of each person. He understands that each client has different concerns and a different background.

Mr. Woolley has been named one of the Top 40 Under 40 and Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Association of Trial Lawyers. He is a member of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and has been a member of the Virginia State Bar since 2010. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado...

Chuck has practiced in Winchester and throughout northern Virginia since 2007. He is both a lawyer and a Certified Public Accountant (with an LL.M in Tax and Estate Planning) and worked in public accounting before attending law school. Chuck’s practice focuses on complex estate planning and administration matters, resolving tax disputes, business planning, choice of entity, conservation easements and other business matters. Chuck has extensive training in complex estate and business matters and his practice focuses primarily on business owners and families with more than $1 million in liquid assets. Chuck regularly works to resolve family disputes, establish business...

Casey R. Stevens With more than 34 years of experience practicing law, Casey R. Stevens is a leader in the Virginia criminal defense community. He is a skilled and dedicated defense lawyer who is focused on achieving a successful outcome for his clients in every case that he takes on. Prior to becoming a criminal defense attorney, Casey served as a prosecutor in the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, Prince William County, Virginia where he gained unique insight into how the government develops and prosecutes both felony and misdemeanor cases. Casey is well respected by attorneys and judges and...