Nelson County Family Lawyers

After a decade of serving the community through a career in law enforcement, I transitioned into the legal field with the hopes of helping the struggling families and individuals I saw in the courtroom. My sole focus is family law which includes custody, child support, divorce, protective orders, and more. I am certified as a guardian ad litem for juveniles and dedicated to making fair assessments for the benefit of the children I represent. I provide unique value to my clients in that I have seen many sides of the law and know when to defend, fight, and settle.

Laura Dove is an experienced Northern Virginia family law attorney who has exclusively focused her practice on domestic relations matters, including divorce, property distribution, child support and spousal support issues, custody and visitation, preparation of separation and property settlement agreements and all other aspects of family law. Her legal knowledge and experience spans a diverse range of complex family law issues, such as the valuation and distribution of business interests, military retirement benefits, financial investments, family trusts, imputation of income and spousal and child support matters involving unemployed or underemployed individuals, allegations of abuse, child custody evaluations, interstate...

Sean A. Sherlock is an award-winning trial attorney specializing in criminal defense, DUI/traffic defense, and civil litigation. A passionate and forceful advocate for his clients, Mr. Sherlock consistently achieves outstanding results through the application of his extensive trial experience and legal insight. Having tried hundreds of cases ranging from DUI/DWI, drug distribution, fraud, embezzlement, domestic violence, gang offenses, and murder, Mr. Sherlock's depth of experience as a former prosecutor for the City of Alexandria distinguishes him from other defense attorneys. Clients facing criminal or traffic charges benefit from his unique insights into how law enforcement and prosecutors build their cases and...

Anusce Sanai was born in Lucca, Italy. She moved to the United States in 2001, where she completed both her undergraduate studies and her law degree. Over the past four years, Attorney Sanai has gained experience in both criminal and civil areas of the law, including family law, immigration law, and criminal law. She has helped clients in a variety of matters, acquiring efficient strategy to achieve the best results for the client. In addition, Attorney Sanai’s successful clerkship provided her with invaluable understanding of courtroom practices and procedures. During her academic career, she was also Associate Editor...

Attorney and founding partner of National Capital Legal Services, Elizabeth Krukova, Esq. has been admitted to practice as an attorney in several jurisdictions, including New York, Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia.
Having completed her Masters Degree in Law from Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana, USA, Ms. Krukova has over fifteen years of experience as an attorney and over ten years as a head of a legal practice. She is a member of Circuit Courts for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 9th Circuits, and also of the Federal Courts of Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia. Ms....

Michael J. Seck, Esquire born Ann Arbor, Michigan; admitted to Virginia bar October 12, 2001, Supreme Court of Virginia, October 29, 2001, Supreme Court of New Jersey, December 7, 2002, United States District Court, District of New Jersey, December 31, 2001 Education: Elon College, North Carolina (B.A., Politics, August 1996); The Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Michigan, (Juris Doctor, January 2001) Practice Areas: Criminal Law; Adult and Juvenile Felonies and Misdemeanors; Driving While Intoxicated; Traffic Law; Divorce; Domestic Relations; Adoption; Civil Litigation; Landlord/Tenant; Business & Corporate Law; Wills and Estates; HOA Disputes; Consumer Protection; Products Liability; Personal Injury ...

Brian has been a divorce attorney litigating and settling cases in Northern Virginia since 1985, and is certified by the Virginia Supreme Court in Family Mediation. He is listed in "The Best Lawyers in America", Washingtonian magazine's Top Divorce Lawyers, Northern Virginia magazine’s Top Divorce Lawyers and Virginia Business magazine's "Legal Elite".

He is the editor of the Virginia Family Law Quarterly, the official publication of the Family Law Section of the Virginia State Bar. Brian is a past Chair of the Virginia State Bar Family Law Section Board of Governors. He has been a Fellow of the American Academy of...

Jessica L. Leischner is partner with Friedman, Grimes, Meinken & Leischner, PLLC. As an accomplished family law attorney and litigator serving Northern Virginia, Ms. Leischner represents clients in Fairfax County, Alexandria City, Arlington County, Loudoun County, and Prince William County. Ms. Leischner’s practice is exclusively in the area of family law, including divorce, child custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, equitable distribution, settlement agreements, property rights, post-divorce disputes, prenuptial agreements and other family law matters. With the proximity to Washington, D.C., Ms. Leischner has extensive experience in cases involving federal government employees, military personnel, Foreign Service employees, including complex retirement...

Adrienne Sakyi is an Associate Attorney with the law firm of Schempf & Ware, PLLC in Yorktown, Virginia. Her practice focuses on civil litigation, business disputes, and estate litigation. Schempf & Ware, PLLC represents both individuals and businesses in many forms of litigation ranging from business needs to personal injury to criminal matters, and we would be happy to assist you with any needs you may have.

Christopher Mays received his BS from Virginia Tech and JD from the George Washington University Law School. Chris has received various awards for his work as a family law attorney, including recognition as a “Top Lawyer” by Northern Virginia Magazine. He has lectured at Continuing Legal Education seminars for the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and local bar associations in Northern Virginia. He has also written for the Journal of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and co-authored written materials for Virginia CLE (Continuing Legal Education). As an attorney, Chris focuses his practice on representing individuals and families in matters relating...

Ms. Oram-Smith started practicing law in West Virginia in 1986. She practiced for two years there, and then moved back to Virginia in 1988 and has been practicing family law in Virginia ever since. She served the community as a staff attorney with the Virginia Beach office of the Tidewater Legal Aid Society for four years.

Ms. Oram-Smith is a veteran divorce Attorney in Virginia Beach, Virginia for over 30 years and currently represents clients in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia in her family law practice located near the Town Center of Virginia Beach.

Ms. Oram-Smith is committed to...

Going through a divorce or custody situation is one of the most stressful times in a person's life. I know first hand. I've been there, and I understand what you are going through.

It was awful for me, but having a competent, caring, empathetic, and responsive attorney on your side helps more than you can imagine. I'd love to help you in your difficult times to move forward to a happy "new normal."

Elizabeth Vaughan believes that everyone who walks into a family lawyer’s office needs three things: A good listener, an educated counselor, and a fierce advocate. By first getting to know her clients and understanding what is important to them, Elizabeth then works with clients to make a plan that achieves their goals and takes the anxiety out of the court process. Elizabeth has practiced law in Virginia for fourteen years.

Elizabeth is a graduate of Penn State University and William and Mary Law School. In addition to divorce, custody, and support matters, Elizabeth has a particular expertise in adoption and child...

I, Von L. Piersall, III, founded my law practice in 2001, which has since grown into a well-recognized firm handling personal injury, criminal law, and family law cases. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from East Carolina University, a Master of Science in Counseling from Longwood College, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Richmond. Before practicing law, I dedicated my efforts to assisting young individuals involved with the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice and worked at the Pines Treatment Center as well as a group home in Norfolk. Throughout my career, I have successfully had matters heard across...

For more than 40 years, ShounBach has continued to establish itself as one of the best family law firms in Northern Virginia. The firm’s extensive team of Northern Virginia family law attorneys has more than 200 years of combined experience and handles all kinds of family law and divorce matters, from child custody to domestic violence. More information can be found on the firm’s extensive website.

Priti founded Khanna Law in 2015 after moving to Virginia from Atlanta, Georgia, where she practiced family law, immigration law, and bankruptcy law. Priti’s primary fields of practice are family law, divorce and immigration law and she regularly handles complex custody, divorce, child support and family related immigration cases.

Priti decided to pursue a career in law in order to join a profession where she could directly and positively impact people and their lives. During law school Priti worked with various non-profit legal organizations assisting victims of domestic violence and immigrants with their legal issues. After graduating from law school Priti...

Deborah N. Arthur has built a long-standing reputation in the Fairfax County, Virginia community for being an attorney with a drive for success. Earning her B.S. in Business Administration from George Mason University in 1977, she continued her education, earning her J.D. from George Mason University in 1982, after spending two years at the Department of Justice. Since then, she has assisted those in need of legal representation in matters concerning divorce, bankruptcy, personal injury, family law, and estate matters. So, what separates Mrs. Arthur from the crowd? She understands that bad things sometimes happen to good people. That's why she...

Douglas J. Sanderson provides legal services in the multiple areas of commercial real estate, family law/domestic relations, and business organizations and transactions. In his family law/domestic relations practice, Doug counsels and represents people who seek legal assistance with, for example, separation agreements, divorces, and issues of child custody and visitation, equitable distribution, and support (spousal and child, as may apply), as well as, on a happier note, pre-nuptial agreements. Doug’s practice includes litigation as well as other methods of problem-solving, and he strives to assist clients in finding resolutions that avoid or minimize litigation, and to further that...

Joe DiPietro is the Founder of DiPietro Law Group, PLLC. He is experienced handling complex cases in state and federal courts involving international custody disputes under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction at the trial and appellate levels, international and domestic divorce, and complex cases involving spousal support, custody and visitation, child support, and enforcement of awards on behalf of clients. Joe’s philosophy and mission is to make family transitions and conflict a time for personal growth and powerful positive change, in addition to advocating for the best possible result for his client in...

Sakeena Farhath is a Managing Attorney at DiPietro Law Group, PLLC. She is a passionate advocate for our clients, helping them work to achieve the best possible outcomes for their cases. Sakeena is experienced in handling high-conflict custody and visitation cases, as well as cases with complex financial issues. Prior to joining DiPietro Law Group, PLLC, Sakeena served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Thomas P. Mann in the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. She also worked at the Office of the County Attorney in Fairfax, assisting on child custody issues collaboratively with the Fairfax County Department...

Mr. Nye is Senior Associate at Raheen Family Law, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. Jordan is an experienced and trusted litigator and family law practitioner. Jordan assists clients in all areas of family law, ranging from litigating contentious divorces and custody disputes, drafting prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, negotiating settlement agreements, mediating separations, drafting uncontested divorces documents, handling child and spousal support issues, adoptions, and advising clients on property division. Jordan's years of experience, extensive legal knowledge, and intimate understanding of the local courts make him uniquely situated to advocate zealously for his clients. From the first meeting until a matter...

Daniel B. Krisky of The Law Office of Daniel B. Krisky, P.C. has over 40 years of experience in the field of law primarily focusing on the practice areas of Criminal and Family Law.

Melanie Hubbard is a founding partner at Malinowski Hubbard and practices exclusively in family law. She has successfully litigated multiple cases involving child custody, property and asset division, grandparents’ rights, property settlement agreements, and more. An active member of the legal community, Attorney Hubbard helped author Chapter 3 – Support and Property Provisions in Separation and Support Agreements – of “Negotiating and Drafting Marital Agreements” handbook. She also contributed to the Virginia Family Law Coalition’s report to the Virginia Senate Rules Committee (October 2013) revolving matters of parental control and third party infringement. Her peers selected her for the 2016...

Robert D. Moreton is a Partner at WhitbeckBennett, focused primarily on family law and bankruptcy. Prior to joining the firm, Robert co-founded a small law firm in 2012 where he gained invaluable litigation experience representing clients throughout Northern Virginia. In more than a decade of practice, Robert gained particular familiarity with the complex interplay of divorce and bankruptcy and possesses unique experience practicing in bankruptcy and state court. Robert spent his early years moving across the country until his family settled in the D.C. area where he completed high school. A “black sheep” in a family of engineers he began his...

Timolyn Whitney Tillman is licensed to practice law in Virginia, New Jersey, and Georgia, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Texas. Attorney Tillman received her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Howard University in 1988 and her Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1992. She has been in private practice for over twenty-five years and has also served as an Assistant Public Defender for the City of Virginia Beach. Attorney Tillman is a Member of the American Bar Association and the...

Whether your spouse served you with a divorce, or you need to serve your spouse with one, it pays to take immediate action. Sometimes it's difficult to make a decision, and things feel uncertain, and that's ok.For many clients, custody of children is the primary concern above all else. We understand prioritizing custody, and can work with you to achieve the result you desire. But it is critical not to wait. As soon as you realize a custody issue is brewing, you must take immediate action to protect your children. A proactive family law attorney will drive your case forward,...

Tracy Ford, a native of South Carolina, graduated from Columbia University School of Law in 2008. During law school, Tracy was a member of the Public Interest Law Foundation, a Moot Court Student Editor, and a member of the Journal of Gender and Law. She spent the summer following her first year of law school as a legal intern for Equality Now, a women’s human rights organization, in Nairobi, Kenya. Her work in Nairobi centered around researching and documenting the work of international nongovernmental organizations in the campaign to ratify the Protocol on the Rights of Women...

Michael L. Eisner is a founding member of Northern Virginia Law Group, PLLC. Mr. Eisner represents the firm's diverse client base in a variety of legal matters. His practice includes transactional-based matters, such as residential and commercial real estate transactions; corporate formations, organizations, mergers and acquisitions, and various contractual matters. Mr. Eisner regularly litigates in the state and federal courts of Virginia for both civil and criminal matters, with an emphasis on bankruptcy law, landlord and tenant law, civil business litigation and family law. He is licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. Mr....

John P. Lavinus IV is a Senior Associate at the DiPietro Law Group, PLLC in the Fairfax office, where he works with individuals who are dealing with divorce, custody, support, and other significant family law issues throughout Northern Virginia. John believes that every client’s case is unique and requires special consideration and works to provide each and every one of his clients with a strategy that is tailored to their specific needs. John is a Virginia native, hailing from Richmond where he attended the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies, before going on to receive a...

Attorney Rachel Fierro received her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Maine and her Juris Doctorate from the New England School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts. Her primary practice areas are Family Law, Traffic and Criminal Law. She has been practicing for over 20 years. She is admitted to practice in Virginia, U.S. District Court and the Supreme Court of the United States.