The Plains Lawyers

Founded in 2015 by managing partner Glenn B. Manishin, ParadigmShift Law LLP represents the premiere application of Internet technology to the practice of sophisticated business law. In today’s complex environment, validating business models and navigating the labyrinth of regulatory barriers impacting innovation takes a lawyer who can see an issue from all angles and understands the bigger business picture. Our focus is on expertise, not legalese. On demand, real-time advice is our watchword — no "it depends" or memos here. We bleed for our clients and we love startups!

Attorney David J. Dischley earned his Juris Doctor from the George Mason School of Law, where he took the lead in over 100 bench trials under the supervision of licensed attorneys. Before founding his firm, Attorney Dischley enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, worked as a prosecutor for the Loudon County Commonwealth, and served as an advisor to the U.S. intelligence community. This unique blend of experience informs Attorney Dischley’s criminal defense practice, where he assists clients throughout Virginia in both state and federal courts. He was profiled by the New York Times in 2011 and has been recognized...

Mr. Fox is senior partner in the real estate practice group at Fox & Moghul who has over two decades of experience successfully representing developers, real estate brokers, community association boards, title companies, and commercial landlords as well as tenants on a full range of complex real estate matters. Mr. Fox’s sophistication in this subject matter is reflected in the fact that he has handled more than 3,000 commercial real estate transactions for multi-national entities like Exxon Mobil Corporation. Mr. Fox also has noted expertise in title disputes, and his Continuing Legal Education Seminars (CLEs) on curing complex title defects...

Robert Weed is one of Northern Virginia’s most experienced, and top rated bankruptcy attorneys. He has offices in Annandale, Stafford, Sterling-Herndon and Woodbridge. Nationally Known During the debate in Congress on the 2005 bankruptcy reform, Robert Weed was interviewed on local and national TV and quoted in newspapers across the country. His top rated bankruptcy layer blog on is seen by hundreds of people around the country! Bankruptcy Lawyer: Nationally Recognized In May 2019, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys presented Robert Weed with the Hammes-Schulman Award. Previously, Robert Weed was named Bankruptcy Lawyer of the Month by the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys...

Jean Humbrecht is the founding attorney at Humbrecht Law, P.L.L.C. She is admitted to practice law in all courts in the Commonwealth of Virginia and in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Born and raised in Northern Virginia, Ms. Humbrecht handles primarily criminal and traffic cases throughout Northern Virginia. Prior to opening her own practice, Jean Humbrecht worked for a criminal defense firm in Fairfax, VA. Ms. Humbrecht received her Master's in Litigation at The George Washington University Law School, graduating Magna Cum Laude. This additional degree she...

A former Virginia prosecutor who knows the state’s strategies—and how to fight them. Moreover, he’s a second-generation criminal defense lawyer who is dedicated to protecting the rights of people in Virginia.

Born and raised in Fairfax County, Faraji stayed close to home to study at the prestigious Georgetown University Law Center. Then he spent four years prosecuting cases as part of the Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, where he gained deep experience in every area of criminal law and, most importantly, learned how prosecutors think.

Faraji began his criminal defense work in 2009, using his prosecuting experience to build strong cases...

THOMAS SOLDAN is a personal injury and criminal defense attorney practicing in Virginia. Thomas has spent his entire career fighting for the rights of those injured due to the negligence of another and those facing serious consequences as a result of criminal charges.

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: Thomas also regularly represents those charged with serious criminal offenses. Mr. Soldan has handled a wide variety of criminal cases including, DUI offenses and Reckless Driving, drug charges, assault charges, larceny offenses, as well as domestic violence and sex offense charges.

PERSONAL INJURY: Common types of personal injury he regularly handles include car...

A self-described advocate for healthy conflict resolution, Brenda Waugh is a Attorney/Mediator/Facilitator and Consultant who is committed to collaborating with clients and organizations to empower them to find answers to their legal problems. She has spent the last Twenty years with her firm, Waugh Law & Mediation and is currently most passionate about the work she is doing to bring restorative justice and mediation processes to her communities in Virginia and West Virginia. As a Hollywood costume designer turned lawyer turned mediator, Brenda Waugh has developed a unique perspective when it comes to resolving legal conflicts including divorce, civil litigation, workplace...

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...

John Whitbeck is the founder and partner of WhitbeckBennett. His practice focuses on family law, more specifically divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, domestic violence and protective orders, adoption, special education law, and mental health law.

He is a professor of law at George Mason University Law School, and the former Director of the George Mason University Law and Mental Illness Clinic.

John uses his expert knowledge of the law to advocate for his clients and their families.

C.J. has represented individuals and businesses all over the Commonwealth of Virginia in a variety of criminal, DUI, traffic, and civil matters. C.J.’s criminal, DUI, and traffic experience includes low-level traffic citations, more serious traffic matters like Reckless Driving and DUI, misdemeanor criminal offenses such as simple assault and battery, domestic violence, and shoplifting offenses, to the most serious felony crimes including violent crime, drug possession and distribution, homicide, and sexually-based offenses. It is C.J.’s mission to provide affordable, aggressive, and effective representation to those accused of a criminal or traffic offense in his native home of Northern Virginia and...

Adriana was born and raised in New York, and attended both college and law school in Washington, D.C. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs, Philosophy, and Political Science from The George Washington University in 2009, and her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 2013.

Throughout law school, Adriana worked for various nonprofit organizations in Virginia and Washington, D.C., focusing on immigration issues related to domestic violence victims, victims of crime, children, and family matters.

Upon graduation, Adriana moved to Virginia where she earned her license to...

Jonathan McHugh is a lead senior associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. He is experienced in handling every type of family law matter in Virginia, including high asset divorce cases. Mr. McHugh works in the firm’s offices in Manassas and Arlington, and represents clients all across Northern Virginia. As one of the leading military divorce lawyers in the firm, Mr. McHugh is intimately familiar with issues of military retirement, the Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act, the Survivor Benefit Plan, disability pay, and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Mr. McHugh is also experienced in the division...

Damon Miller is a long-term disability and ERISA attorney. He represents disabled claimants against insurance companies that have wrongfully denied benefits. He understands that insurance companies sometimes ignore the advice of your doctors and deny valid claims without listening to your voice. Damon is here to listen to you and help you be heard loud and clear by your insurance company. In one way or another, Damon has been fighting for disabled clients since he was in college. He was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he worked full-time as a paralegal while simultaneously taking a full-time college course load. In-between riding...

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, Leesburg, Manassas and Fredericksburg, 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 in 2003...

I am a partner at Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig PLLC. My practice focuses primarily on civil litigation in the areas of patent, trademark, copyright, internet / domain names, commercial transactions, government contracts, community associations, and bankruptcy law / creditor's rights, as well as trademark and copyright prosecution. I have represented local and national clients in federal and state court litigation matters, as well as in bankruptcy proceedings. I have represented manufacturing companies in complex patent infringement matters, technology companies in trademark infringement matters, and copyright holders in infringement actions against the likes of Disney and ABC. In 2012, I made...

Heather is admitted to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. She represents businesses and individuals and helps to resolve their disputes through litigation, mediation, and negotiation of agreements. Heather handles small business representation, including contract reviews, contract drafting, entity formation (corporations, LLCs), corporate transactions (buy/sell, mergers, acquisitions), demand letters, business litigation and collections. Ms. Steele also represents homeowners associations (HOAs) and condominium associations (condos) with regard to general legal advice, drafting of resolutions, supervision and certification of elections, registration with the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation...

As a partner at Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas, I specialize in personal injury and workers compensation law. I practice out of both the Warrenton and Front Royal, Virginia offices. I'm an active member of the community and proud father of three.

I wrote the book, "The Truth About Bankruptcy in Virginia" as a consumer guide to the very basics of bankruptcy, and to assist people with making informed choices about their financial future. Many people who would benefit from filing choose not to because of preconceived notions or bad advice. The book recently received the Literary Distinction Award for Literary Excellence and was featured on the cover of Attorney Magazine. Whether you are an attorney or a potential client, call our offices to get your questions answered. We are always looking for a new one!

Ryan M. Schmalzle is a principal and founder of the firm. His practice focuses on family law, civil litigation, and criminal law. Ryan regularly practices in several jurisdictions in Northern Virginia including Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Clarke County, Frederick County and the City of Winchester. He also practices in the Maryland Courts, including Frederick County and Montgomery County. Ryan is an adjunct professor of law at George Mason University School of Law where he teaches appellate writing. Ryan also serves as a Special Justice in Loudoun County and he presides over civil commitment hearings. Although Ryan’s primary love...

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.

Sarah Collins is a partner at The Manassas Law Group, P.C., practicing family law and criminal law. She is experienced in handling every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody, and support cases. Ms. Collins represents clients in Manassas, Prince William County, and all across Northern Virginia. Before entering private practice, Ms. Collins served for two years as a law clerk in the Prince William County Circuit Court.

Mr. Moghul’s accomplishments in the areas of real estate and business litigation are varied and many, including his selection into the elite group of America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators (2021), the Virginia Lawyers Weekly “Go-To” Business Litigation Lawyers (2023), Lawyers of Distinction (2023), and the prestigious Super Lawyers Rising Stars shortlist every year since 2016. Mr. Moghul is a widely published author whose works have received critical acclaim in both state and national media. As a regular contributor to premier legal publications like Lexis Nexis and the American Law Institute, Mr. Moghul frequently publishes practical guidance notes to educate other...

Vishrut Shelat, Esq. is a D.C. Barred Attorney, who specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, and Business Law & Entity Formation. Vishrut has 3 years of professional experience in the legal field, with cases involving both transactional and litigation work. After working with companies such as Thompson Reuters, Robert Half, and Wolters Kluwer, Vishrut decided to use his accumulated legal experience and contacts to forge his own law firm to better serve his clients with his vision. This desire led him to create TheBajLawGroup PLLC, the premier boutique law firm specializing in Immigration Law, Criminal Law, and Business Law & Entity...

Attorney Robert “Bob” McClain has dedicated most of his 18 year career in law to public service and the criminal justice system. After graduating from Georgetown University Law Center in 2004, he began his legal career as a prosecutor in the Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. In 2011, he was promoted to Deputy Commonwealth Attorney and served in that position until 2020 when he moved to the Prince William Commonwealth Attorney’s Office as Senior Assistant in the Homicide/ Violent Crimes section of that office. Bob brings with him over 15 years of experience litigating in the criminal justice systems of Northern Virginia....

For over a decade, lawyer Sarah Bruns has been aggressively protecting the rights of her clients in Northern Virginia. As a seasoned trial attorney, Sarah has defended individuals charged with Murder, Rape, Robbery, Theft, and Drug Possession/Distribution. Sarah also has extensive experience in representing clients charged with traffic offenses such as Driving While Intoxicated (DWI/DUI) and Hit and Run. While some crimes carry more severe penalties than others, Sarah handles every client’s case knowing that it is the most important one for that client. She believes that no client should be treated as if their issue is of little consequence. Sarah’s...

Experienced Divorce Attorney and Mediator

Kerri Castellini is primarily a DC-based attorney with a focus on estate and trust administration, guardianship for incapacitated adults and minors, and estate planning. She brings her legal experience to the Trusts and Estates Practice Group and is currently admitted to practice law in Washington DC, Maryland, and before the supreme court. She is passionate about providing a high level of attention to her clients to come up with a plan that is best for their unique circumstances.

I practice primarily family law, guiding clients through divorce, custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, and protective orders. Prior to joining The Manassas Law Group, I had the honor of serving as the judicial law clerk to the Honorable Carroll A. Weimer, Jr. in the Prince William Circuit Court. My clerking experience has provided me with intricate knowledge of the court system as well as unique problem solving experience. My approach to family law is to provide clients with the requisite information and guidance to reach a resolution. Family law issues tend to be personal and highly emotional, and I...

After completing his undergrad with honors at the University of Toronto in Canada, Mr. Raheen moved to New York and attained his Juris Doctorate Law Degree (J.D.) and Master of Laws Degree (LL.M.) at the New York Law School and Fordham University School of Law, respectively. Following his post-doctorate graduation, Mr. Raheen worked with the prestigious NY law firm of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, where he gained and reflected their successful motto of attention to detail in high quality work product. Mr. Raheen and his family moved closer to family in the DC...

Kate Beurmann-O'Neill is an associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. She works in the firm’s Manassas office, and represents clients throughout Manassas and Prince William County. An attorney for 19 years, Ms. Beurmann-O'Neill began her legal career by working as an estate planning attorney at a law firm in Fairfax from 2004–2006. She then worked as an attorney in the health care field for almost 15 years, at companies based in Virginia, Tennessee and then Florida. In 2021, Ms. Beurmann-O'Neill began practicing exclusively family law, at a law firm in Manassas. She then joined Livesay...

Buta Biberaj was born in Montenegro and is of Albanian parentage. She was raised in the Bronx borough of New York City. She graduated from George Mason University with a B.S. in Education in 1987 and received her Juris Doctorate (JD) from the George Mason University School of Law in 1993. Buta is licensed to practice in the State Courts for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Maryland and New York. She is also admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. Buta’s involvement in the community is evidenced by her participation and service which include being a mentor for...