Freeman Lawyers

James Livesay is a founding partner at Livesay & Myers, P.C. He leads the firm’s team of family law attorneys across offices in Fairfax, Arlington, Ashburn, Manassas and Fredericksburg-Stafford, Virginia. After graduating from Virginia Tech in 1995 and the University of Virginia School of Law in 1998, Mr. Livesay served three years in the U.S. Navy JAG Corps. He entered civilian practice as a family law attorney in 2001, and joined with partner Kevin Myers to found Livesay & Myers, P.C. in 2003. Drawing on his experience as a Navy JAG officer, Mr. Livesay established the military divorce section of the firm...

Michael Poe is a lead senior associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. Mr. Poe works in the firm’s Fairfax office, and represent clients in Fairfax County and all across Northern Virginia. Mr. Poe earned his J.D. from William & Mary Law School in 2011, after earning his B.A. from Miami University in 2006. After law school, Mr. Poe clerked for the Circuit Court in Montgomery County, Maryland before serving as a Policy Fellow for an institute in Washington, D.C. He entered private practice for a law firm in Alexandria, Virginia in 2012. Mr. Poe practiced...

Matthew Smith is a managing partner at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. He is experienced in handling every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody and support cases. Mr. Smith works in the firm’s Fairfax office, and represents clients in Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington and all across Northern Virginia. An attorney since 2005, Mr. Smith has litigated every type of family law case in the courts of Northern Virginia, including high value equitable distribution cases, custody, support, and military divorce cases. He is the attorney in the firm most experienced in navigating the Fairfax County...

Andrew Tank is a partner at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. Mr. Tank works in the firm’s offices in Fairfax and Arlington, and represents clients all across Northern Virginia. Mr. Tank is experienced in handling every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, equitable distribution, custody, visitation and support cases. An attorney since 2007, Mr. Tank has firmly established himself as a leader in the Northern Virginia legal community. He has been an active member of the Virginia State Bar’s Young Lawyers Conference, serving as Program Chair for the Bar’s annual meeting from 2009 to 2012,...

Mike brings over a decade of experience to his litigation practice and is rated a top lawyer by Northern Virginia Magazine, Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers. Mike advocates aggressively but compassionately for his clients with a keen sense for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of both sides of every case. Having personally experienced how tragedy impacts a family, Mike truly understands how hard it is to move forward when trust has been broken and justice feels out of reach. That’s why he dedicated his career to helping people in situations like yours. Mike is here to carry the legal burden so...

Sonja Aoun represents family law clients in all aspects of separation and divorce, including divorce planning/premarital agreements, collaborative divorces, negotiated settlements, and trials. Her estate planning practice ranges from the preparation of powers of attorney and advance medical directives to wills and complex trusts and special needs planning. Sonja obtained her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center after graduating cum laude with a B.S. in Languages (Spanish) from Georgetown University. Starting in 2014, she has been named to the Virginia SuperLawyers list in the field of family law; she has been listed in the Washington,...

Catherine "Kate" Reese focuses her practice on the full spectrum of family law matters in the Northern Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland regions. She has extensive trial experience in contested divorces, child custody and visitation matters, equitable distribution of assets, child and spousal support, and the negotiation and preparation of prenuptial and marital agreements. When Ms. Reese identifies matters that can be resolved more amicably and without the costs of litigation, she highly recommends alternate dispute resolution options such as mediation, arbitration and collaborative law. Ms. Reese is a Virginia Supreme Court Certified Family Law mediator and an experienced collaborative...

Lee E. Berlik is the founder and managing member of BerlikLaw, LLC. Based in Northern Virginia, BerlikLaw concentrates its practice in the areas of defamation law (libel and slander), business disputes, and intellectual property litigation. Formerly with Troutman Sanders and Mintz Levin, Lee brings his big-firm background and experience to offer clients top-notch legal services at drastically reduced rates. Lee is listed among Virginia's "Legal Elite" by Virginia Business Magazine and is rated "AV" by Martindale-Hubbell.

Melannie Dino is a Lead Family Law Attorney at Steven Krieger Law, PLLC practicing exclusively family law. Ms. Dino works remotely from her Ashburn home office, and represents clients in Loudoun, Prince William and Fairfax Counties and across Northern Virginia. Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, Ms. Dino earned her Bachelor of Science in Communications in 1996 from nearby Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She proceeded to earn her J.D. from Widener University Law School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1999. Ms. Dino then returned to Erie to work in the law practice of her father, a prominent bankruptcy lawyer in Erie for decades. It was...

Maria Zamayar is an associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. Her practice covers every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody and support cases. Ms. Zamayar works in the firm’s offices in Fairfax and Arlington, and represents clients in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria and all across Northern Virginia. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Zamayar graduated from Georgia State University before earning her law degree from American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. During law school, Ms. Zamayar earned a great deal of experience geared toward making her a successful family law attorney....

Benjamin has always stood up for what’s right – he finds real meaning in helping the good guys win! He’s always been guided by a clear sense of right and wrong, from his time in the U.S. Army to his time as a Commonwealth Attorney (prosecutor), to his current position at J. Madison PLC.
Before starting at J. Madison PLC, Benjamin worked at the Arlington Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for five years. As a Commonwealth Attorney, he helped the victims of violent, non-violent, and financial crimes find justice. He also tried hundreds of traffic cases and specialized in DUI cases. ...

Joe Whitcomb, a former United States Army Ranger, is a veteran of both the United States Army and Air Force. After his military career, Joe attended law school at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. From there, he went on to work as staff attorney for the Social Security Administration where he learned the nuances of administrative law generally and Social Security disability law specifically. He has dedicated his legal career helping individuals and businesses with their interactions with federal and state governments.

Ms. Moses has over 20 years of experience in handling workers’ compensation cases, having spent time looking at claims from both sides of the case. Early in her career she worked as a workers’ compensation claim adjuster for an insurance company and later, after attending law school, she represented insurance carriers in workers’ compensation cases. Her early career experiences convinced her that she wanted to work for the “other side” and represent the injured worker.

Ms. Moses strongly believes in the rights of injured workers, and she represents ONLY injured workers. She and her staff...

Gobind Sethi has been litigating civil cases for over a decade. He is a skilled personal injury lawyer in Reston and is passionate about helping injury victims obtain the justice they deserve. He is known for his in-depth knowledge of the field, his professionalism, and his ability to get positive results. He started his career at Georgetown University, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He went on to receive a Master of Arts for International Affairs from American University and his Jurist Doctorate from American University, Washington College of Law. To learn how Attorney Sethi can help you with your...

Samantha has been practicing exclusively in personal injury litigation ever since graduating in the top of her class in 2011. She is a tireless and dedicated client advocate who works hard to attain justice for her clients. Her work ethic and attention to detail have led to successful results in even the most challenging of cases. Samantha has litigated in many trial courts throughout Virginia and also obtained multiple successful results from the Supreme Court of Virginia. She is not afraid to push for success on her clients' behalf, whether it means bringing a case to trial or appealing an...

Reston injury lawyer Douglas B. Wessel, Esquire is a trial attorney who has practiced personal injury law in the federal and state courtrooms of Virginia for over 40 years. Potential clients who contact Wessel Law Offices should know that, while Wessel Law Offices accepts only serious cases with merit: 1) you should speak with Mr. Wessel before deciding that your case is not sufficiently "serious;" 2) Mr. Wessel expects and embraces challenging cases; 3) once the case is accepted, he can and will fight for his client to the finish -- both in spite of and because of powerful opposing...

Jeffrey Weaver is the founder of Prenup Pros, the first law firm in Virginia to only specialize in marital agreements (prenuptial agreements and post-nuptial agreements). Jeff has prepared contracts for clients since 1999 and through Prenup Pros he applies his expertise and experience to prepare prenuptial agreements for clients located in Texas, Virginia, Florida, New York, Nevada and New Jersey. Jeff formed Prenup Pros to provide marrying couples access to affordable, easy-to-understand prenuptial agreements because he believes that all couples should at least consider a prenup. His belief derives from the fact the he personally experienced the...

I represent small, medium, national and international businesses, non-profits and individuals on a wide variety of corporate and business matters, including forming companies, drafting and negotiating contracts, dealing with employment matters, handling real estate and land use issues, collecting receivables, and defending and prosecuting litigation. I also assist many clients with their elder care, estate planning and estate administration needs, including drafting wills and trusts, assisting with the appointment of guardians and conservators, and the Virginia probate process. I strongly believe that clients receive the best legal services from an attorney who is intimately familiar with their businesses and goals....

Amanda Stone Swart is a lead senior associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. She is experienced in handling every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody and support cases. Ms. Stone Swart works in the firm’s Ashburn office, and represents clients in Ashburn, Leesburg, Loudoun County, and all across Northern Virginia. Ms. Stone Swart is originally from Boone, Iowa. She graduated summa cum laude from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska in 2004, with Bachelor’s of Arts degrees in both Political Science and Journalism. Upon graduation, Ms. Stone Swart worked in politics in...

Ariel Baniowski is a managing partner at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. She is experienced in handling every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody and support cases. Ms. Baniowski works in the firm’s Ashburn office, and represents clients in Ashburn, Leesburg, Loudoun County, and all across Northern Virginia. Ms. Baniowski is known as one of the more aggressive attorneys at Livesay & Myers, P.C., and has litigated every type of family law matter in Virginia, including custody, support, separation and high asset divorce cases. Ms. Baniowski's work ethic and drive are unmatched. To say...

Amy Harber has a wealth of experience in both criminal and civil litigation and advocates smartly and effectively for her clients in personal injury, criminal and traffic, and civil matters. Amy served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the City of Hampton from 2008-2012 and Loudoun County from 2012-2020. In that time, she prosecuted cases ranging in severity from traffic tickets to murder and everything in between. In 2020, Amy joined Allstate Insurance Company’s Fairfax, Virginia legal office as a Senior Attorney and handled litigation involving bodily injury, property damage suits, automobile diminished value claims, wrongful death and infant settlements,...

Ed handles all kinds of criminal cases in state courts in Virginia and in the District of Columbia and in federal courts nationwide, particularly the DC, Virginia, and Maryland federal district courts. Ed has practiced as a criminal defense attorney for almost 25 years since graduating Yale Law School in 1993.

During law school, Ed worked for two large DC law firms, Jenner & Block and Akin, Gump. When his federal appellate clerkship ended, Ed continued to focus on criminal appeals and state and federal post-conviction habeas appeals at public service law offices in Tempe, Arizona and New York City....

J. Douglas McCarthy is a founding partner of McCarthy & Akers, PLC. His practice focuses on transactional law dealing with Estate Planning, Real Estate and Corporate matters. Prior to founding McCarthy & Akers, PLC, Mr. McCarthy was a partner in the Winchester, Virginia law firm of Groves and McCarthy.

Mr. McCarthy received his J.D. from the Keller School of Law at The University of Dayton, in Dayton, Ohio, where he earned honors in the fields of Taxation, Wills and Trusts. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where he majored in Political Science.

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Peter Greenspun graduated from LaSalle College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1975 and obtained his Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law in 1978. Widely considered by his peers as an expert litigator, Peter has advocated for the rights of his clients in criminal and civil matters ranging from the simplest to the most complex. With over 30 years of experience trying countless cases, Peter has obtained exceptional results in local, state, and federal trial and appellate courts. Since 1997 Peter has repeatedly been recognized by the Washingtonian Magazine as being among the...

Life often presents unexpected twists and turns, and family dynamics are no exception. Growing up under the care of adopted parents, I quickly grasped the profound impact that family law can have on individuals navigating through challenging life phases. Today, as a family law attorney and the sole practitioner holding the distinction of being an Attorney and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® professional in Southwest Virginia, I am dedicated to assisting my clients through every phase of their journey, guiding them toward a fresh chapter in their lives.

I am a first generation Greek American born and raised in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Although I work as an attorney in Virginia , I am a Maryland girl at heart. I am a proud graduate of the University of Maryland in College Park, as well as Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

I am honored to work for two of the very best lawyers in Virginia, and am passionate about my job. I happily spend hours in the office with my hard-working colleagues, fighting for our clients. Outside the office, I'm dedicated to...

Edward is an accomplished litigator and talented personal injury attorney who has tried and won cases in both state and federal courts. He wants clients to be treated fairly in the legal system, so he strives to serve as a compassionate advocate on their behalf. Edward currently serves as the President of the Allen Law Firm.

Edward helped spearhead the firm’s expansion to Northern Virginia and has been the managing partner of the Fredericksburg office since it opened in 1994. He joined Allen & Allen in 1987 after graduating from Washington and Lee University School of Law. He is proud to...

John graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English before attending law school at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. John was still a student when he tried his first case as a member of the Criminal Defense Clinic. He also attempted to free the wrongly convicted, working with the Innocence Project. John gained invaluable experience as a research assistant for a member of the law school's faculty and as an intern for the North Carolina's Office of the Attorney General. John has always practiced criminal defense. He began his...

JD, Washington and Lee Law School
BA, University of Virginia (English and Mathematics)

Echols Scholar
Washington Scholar
National Moot Court Team
Big Brother of the Year

Recognized expert in consumer law and consumer rights litigation and has testified as an expert witness in the Virginia Circuit Courts

Cary Powell Moseley, Esquire
Attorney at Law
Moseley Law, PLLC
401 Otey Street
Bedford, Virginia 24523
540.583.5362 (office)
434.546.3774 (cell)
cary@carymoseley.com (email)
carymoseley.com (web)

Sarah Patras is a lead senior associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C. She practices exclusively family law, representing clients in separation, divorce, custody, visitation and support cases, including a large number of contested cases. Ms. Patras works in the firm’s Fredericksburg-Stafford office, and represents clients in Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and surrounding areas. Born in Nebraska, Ms. Patras grew up in Iowa and earned double B.A. degrees from Iowa State University. She then relocated to Virginia, and graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law in 2016. After law school, Ms. Patras clerked for one year for a Virginia Circuit Court...

Lindsay Connolly is a lead senior associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. She is experienced in handling every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody and support cases. Ms. Connolly works in the firm’s Fredericksburg office, and represents clients in Stafford, Spotsylvania, Fredericksburg and surrounding areas. Originally from Milford, Massachusetts, Ms. Connolly graduated magna cum laude from Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. She then earned her law degree from David A. Clarke Law School in Washington, D.C., graduating summa cum laude and the top female in her class. Ms. Connolly was...

I focus on personal injury claims involving Tractor Trailer and Automobile collisions and Social Security Administration disability claims. I am a civil lawyer and consumer advocate who has litigated hundreds of personal injury and social security disability cases and obtained jury trial verdicts after trial. I have extensive experience in obtaining money compensation for injured parties who have suffered substantial losses and damages from many of the world’s largest insurance companies and corporations.

I also help persons who are injured by negligent motorists who do not have automobile insurance. I will look into available sources of insurance coverage for your...

Owner of an aggressive Virginia traffic and criminal defense firm who is a former state, federal and military prosecutor. The firm concentrates on providing powerful legal protections to clients in DUI, traffic, reckless driving, assault, sex crimes, Internet crimes, drugs, homicide and other cases. I have represented White House personnel, politicians, celebrities, generals, CEOs, military, federal agents, executives, students, defense contractors, television stars, professional athletes, police and other lawyers who demand the very finest in legal protection. With over 27 years of courtroom experience, Drewniak Nicks Legal Defense provides a powerful shield to protect your legal rights while examining every...

David is an experienced and compassionate personal injury attorney who manages the Stafford, Virginia office of Allen & Allen. His legal career has focused almost exclusively on personal injury law, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, and slip and fall cases. He dedicates himself to shielding injured people from unfair and unsympathetic treatment from insurance companies.

David has an “AV Preeminent” rating (the highest available) from the Martindale-Hubbell attorney listing service. He has litigated a broad range of matters in various areas of personal injury law in both state and federal court, and he has even successfully argued cases before...

I help those who have been hurt by others. When individuals and families suffer from medical malpractice, dangerous premises, defective products, negligent driving, or other instances of carelessness, it's my job to guide my clients from the case’s initial evaluation in the office to its closing argument at trial.

Michelle Derrico is a Roanoke criminal defense lawyer with years of experience defending clients against the Commonwealth. She has successfully represented clients accused of serious criminal charges such as murder and rape. At Copenhaver, Ellett & Derrico, you will work directly with Michelle to ensure that your questions are answered and you know exactly how the criminal process works in southwest Virginia.

I am a seasoned trial attorney who has been providing legal advice throughout Roanoke County, Roanoke City, the City of Salem, Franklin County, Bedford County, Botetourt County and courts throughout Southwest Virginia for more than a decade. But, I have been protecting citizen’s rights for even longer. Prior to becoming a criminal defense attorney, I served in the U.S. Marine Corps and earned the rank of Sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington D.C. Then, I worked as a prosecutor in Roanoke City before finally becoming a criminal defense attorney in the greater Roanoke area, where I tried cases in...

Christopher J. Toepp dedicates his practice of to helping clients and making his community a safer place. Although still early in his career, he has earned a reputation as an exceptional litigator in the courtroom. His expansive trial experience includes hundreds of bench and jury trials. This background gives Chris an understanding of jurors' expectations when they evaluate a case. He knows how to present evidence so that the jury comprehends his client's hardships and the impact their injuries have had on their lives.

Chris works on a wide range of personal injury cases including car crashes, truck accidents and motorcycle...

My practice area focus is primarily criminal defense, traffic defense, and civil litigation in Southwest Virginia. I am also admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., the United States Eastern District of Virginia and the United States Western District Court of Virginia. When I'm not in the courtroom, I enjoy horseback riding and am often found trail riding on the weekends. If you have any questions and would like to speak with me, feel free to call the office at 540-339-7775.