Wake Lawyers

Ed has practiced law since 2004, when he graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law. Ed spent the early part of his career practicing criminal law, including service as a Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Virginia Beach, where he handled serious criminal prosecutions, including homicide. After leaving prosecution, Ed began practicing plaintiff’s personal injury and medical malpractice law. He believes that, while it is impossible to alter what happened to cause an injury, it is possible to improve a client’s life by obtaining the maximum settlement or verdict. Ed now dedicates his practice exclusively...

Gilbert Carey is an attorney and certified public accountant with the McDowell Law Group. He practices in the areas of Taxation, Tax Resolution and Controversy and Estate Planning, solving tax, business, and legal challenges for individuals, privately held businesses and their owners. He has an Avvo rating of 10 (Superb) and has been recognized as a Top Lawyer of Coastal Virginia by Coastal Virginia Magazine. Mr. Carey regularly advises clients on tax matters and represents clients in tax disputes with the IRS, state tax agencies and in U.S. Tax Court. He provides income tax planning and compliance advice to individuals, trusts,...

Letha Sgritta McDowell is a highly accomplished attorney and shareholder at McDowell Law Group, specializing in various areas of elder law, including estate planning, special needs planning, estate and trust administration, asset protection planning, long-term care planning, personal injury settlement consulting, guardianships & conservatorships, and tax law. Her expertise ranges from assisting clients with complex estate planning for high-net-worth individuals with assets over $75 million to developing simple plans for families with limited assets. Ms. McDowell has a distinguished professional background. She served as the President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a notable position within the field....

Areas of Practice:
Business and Consumer Bankruptcy, Business Planning, Commercial Litigation, and Creditors’ Rights.

Education:
J.D., Washington & Lee University School of Law, 2005
B.A., University of Michigan, Honors College, Double Major in Political Science and History, 1999

Honors:
Selected by Super Lawyers in 2012 – 2016 as a Virginia Rising Star in the Practice Area of Bankruptcy
Rated 10 out of 10 by Avvo.com, 2015 – 2018 Avvo Clients’ Choice Award

Professional Affiliations:
Virginia State Bar
District of Columbia Bar
Board of Governors, Virginia State Bar General Practice Section (2013 – Present) (Chair 2018 – Present)
Richmond Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section
American Bankruptcy Institute
Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Conference, Chair First Day...

John M. Cooper is one of the founding partners at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers and a veteran of Virginia personal injury law practice. A native Virginian, he was raised in Norfolk and Virginia Beach by parents who practiced law. After graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1988, John returned home to work for a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division, which launched his passion for and career in personal injury law. For over 30 years, John has worked closely with injured victims and their families and knows the...

Brianna Salerno is a lead senior associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. Ms. Salerno works in the firm’s office in Arlington, and represents clients in Arlington, Alexandria and all across Northern Virginia. An attorney since 2010, Ms. Salerno has litigated every type of family law case in the courts of Northern Virginia, including divorce, custody, support and high value equitable distribution cases. She also is one of the firm’s leading authorities on the division of federal or military retirement benefits in divorce. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Ms. Salerno graduated magna cum laude from The George Washington University...

Sharif Gray works as a personal injury trial lawyer at Broughton Injury Law. He tried cases as a United States Army JAG Officer and as a Drug and Vice Prosecutor, served as a Federal Judicial Law Clerk at a trial court, and now takes cases to trial as a personal injury lawyer. Sharif cares deeply about his work and the people he represents. His record is evidence of this: in the Army, he successfully defended hundreds of soldiers at trial, in adverse administrative proceedings, and under investigation; as a prosecutor, he pursued justice for victims and earned a reputation among judges...

Daniel Renfro is a founding partner of Renfro & Renfro, PLLC, in Midlothian, Virginia. Mr. Renfro represents clients throughout Virginia in workers' compensation and personal injury cases. He has represented the injured in workers compensation and personal injury claims for over a decade, and has co-counseled multi-million dollar settlements for his clients.

Mr. Renfro earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Indiana State University and went on to graduate from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. He has been admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia since 2007 and is also licensed before the U.S. District...

Ben Carafiol dedicates his practice to making a difference in someone's life. He has represented clients throughout Northern Virginia for the past twelve years. Former clients and other attorneys alike remark on his steady counsel and expansive knowledge. Ben has litigated, mediated, or settled every type of family law matter in Virginia. Those efforts have earned him a Superb rating from Avvo and a perfect 10.0 from Justia. He is also recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star, and has been every year since 2016.

Born in St. Louis, Ben attended The College of William & Mary, where he graduated...

Danielle joined Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen in 2015. She practices out of Allen & Allen's Fredericksburg office, and she focuses on personal injury cases, including accidents involving cars, trucks or motorcycles. Danielle has a rich theater background, and she brings this confidence and poise to her role as an advocate for her clients. She has also been a victim of a motor vehicle accident herself. This experience provides her with a high level of empathy for her clients, and a passion to bring about a successful outcome for them, including the compensation they deserve.

A native of New Jersey, Danielle...

Carolyn Grimes is a partner in the firm, practicing in all areas of family law including divorce, spousal support, child custody, child support, equitable distribution, retirement issues, and prenuptial agreements, among other areas. She practices in all of the Circuit and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts in Northern Virginia and has argued before the Court of Appeals. She has lectured on family law topics ranging from custody to retirement issues, including military, federal, civilian and Foreign Service divorce and retirement issues, for various organizations in the Commonwealth. In addition to traditional litigation, Ms. Grimes practices law in the collaborative law...

Commercial real estate transactions, litigation and bankruptcy, and trade secrets, including Chapters 7's and 11's, single asset real estate cases, loan and lease workouts, foreclosure defenses, eviction defenses, refinancings, sale-leasebacks, LLC operating agreements, and LLC member disputes. Focusing in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Mr. Powers is an experienced litigator as well as a transactional attorney. Mr. Powers serves as outside general counsel to over 100 businesses located through the United States at any given time. Counsel ranges from compliance and mitigation issues to prevent litigation, drafting and negotiating contracts, and litigation as a last resort. He has negotiated and drafted several multi-million dollar contracts involving IP licensing and assignments, business acquisitions, asset purchases, and employment-related contracts. Mr. Powers has litigated matters involving business disputes before Virginia Circuit and Federal Courts; trademark disputes before Virginia and District of Columbia Federal Courts as well as...

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...

We understand that finding the right attorney is critical and would welcome the opportunity to assess your situation, answer your questions, and explain our ability to help -- even if that means helping you find an attorney with more expertise related to your legal matter. We believe that everyone should have access to legal counsel. We specialize in Residential Zoning, Consumer Protection Law, H-1B visa wage disputes, and Guardianship matters, but would be delighted to speak with you about any legal matter. Each legal matter is unique and requires an individualized approach, specialized expertise, and an ability to adapt to external...

Joshua Erlich's practice includes transactional and litigation projects for both individuals and small businesses. Prior to forming The Erlich Law Office, Mr. Erlich was an associate at McTigue & Veis, LLP. In that position, he worked on complex class action litigation, representing participants in employee benefit plans. Mr. Erlich also served as a legal intern at the Department of Labor, Plan Benefits Security Division and in the Department of the Treasury’s Office of the Assistant General Counsel for General Law, Ethics, and Regulation. He worked at private firms during law school and held a summer associate position at O’Donoghue &...

Christopher G. Hill is a LEED AP, Virginia Supreme Court certified General District Court mediator, and construction attorney in Richmond, Virginia. Chris has been nominated and elected by his peers to Virginia’s Legal Elite for the Construction Law category on multiple occasions and has twice been named to the Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2011 and 2012) and to the Virginia Super Lawyers in Construction Litigation for the years 2017 through 2024. He is in his second term as a member of the Board of Governors of the Virginia State Bar Construction Law and Public Contracts Section and is a...

Erik is all about energy, whether he’s representing clients, addressing workshop or conference goers, volunteering with Falls Church City’s Economic Development Authority, testing his mettle in a triathlon, drumming up support for charity, or wrangling kids on Bike to School Day. His superpower is making complicated subjects clear, using real-world examples to illustrate his points in an engaging—sometimes-hilarious—way. And as an early-adopter gadget freak, the exploding world of technology and associated intellectual property laws is to Erik familiar and fun rather than intimidating. Erik got his start as a trademark examiner for the USPTO and, in the years since, has...

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...

When you speak with Ben for even a few minutes, it’s impossible to ignore his energy. His enthusiasm comes both from his roles as Attorney, Chief Executive Officer, and Owner at CHASENBOSCOLO, and, more importantly, his passion for people. When it comes to his clients, he is a trial lawyer whose sole focus is on fighting for his client’s rights. Ben cannot tolerate a world where working men and women are not treated fairly by the legal system. Ben and the CHASENBOSCOLO team believe in better. They work tirelessly to hold wrongdoers accountable and help their clients overcome troubles.

Ben was...

As a TOP 40 UNDER 40 lawyer by National Trial Lawyers, Abraham has represented clients in a wide variety of criminal matters from DUI/DWIs, drugs, white collar, and computer crimes throughout Virginia and the federal U.S. District Court for the Eastern District.

As former Virginia magistrate, Abraham Del Rio III has protected 4th Amendment rights while conducting hundreds of hearings involving arrest warrants, search warrants, and bail determinations and uses this experience to get the best results for his clients.

Abraham is a certified criminal defense attorney by the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission for both felonies and misdemeanors.

Courtney, a partner with the firm, concentrates her practice on personal injury, brain injury cases and wrongful death claims. She works in the firm's Richmond office and serves clients in Short Pump, Midlothian, Mechanicsville and across the state of Virginia. She is a tireless, compassionate advocate for her clients. Since joining the firm in 1990, Courtney has obtained numerous victories in the courtroom. Courtney's compassion extends beyond the courtroom as she works closely with her clients to resolve their cases. Although Courtney is proud of her courtroom results, she is most passionate about the people she represents. "I'm a...

If you have been arrested for a serious offense, and the fate of your liberties and livelihood depends on the outcome of negotiations with prosecutors, or a trial in criminal courts — when experience matters in the defense attorney you select — Invictus Law, aggressively defends your rights. Attorney Eric Leckie is an experienced trial lawyer in both state and federal criminal law. As an active duty Marine Officer, he spent nearly 12 years as a Judge Advocate. During that time, Eric Leckie served as a prosecutor, operational law advisor, and staff judge advocate for numerous commands in...

While Shelly has had great success with her own law firm, the opportunity to become the Manager Partner of a Chesapeake office for Parks Zeigler was enticing. The merging of the two firms allows Shelly to offer a wide variety of services to her clients while maintaining her Chesapeake roots. She is looking forward to many more years of successful practice with Parks Zeigler.

Shelly attended Regent University School of Law and graduated in 2001. In law school, she competed on the mock trial team and served as an officer for the American Bar Association. In her third year, Shelly...

Robert Reed is a personal injury attorney in the Richmond, Virginia office of Allen & Allen. His practice is devoted exclusively to protecting the interests of seriously injured clients and their families in personal injury cases including car accidents, trucking accidents, product liability cases, and premises cases. He has a reputation for working hard for his clients, and fights for fair and just outcomes for them.

Prior to joining the Allen Law Firm, Robert was an attorney with an insurance defense firm. This experience gave him insight on how insurance companies and their lawyers evaluate claims and handle cases.

Robert has been...

John is passionate about entrepreneurship and business development. Like many entrepreneurs, he has launched both successful and failed businesses. A true believer in “failing forward”, John looks for new opportunities in every situation. This mentality allows him to connect with entrepreneurs and business owners in a meaningful way to help them navigate difficulties and grow their success. “I find joy in helping business owners make better decisions to build on their success and protect their business.” Outside of his practice of law, John serves as Chairman of the Board for Roc Solid Foundation, a local non-profit that builds hope for...

Griffin O’Hanlon joined Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers as an attorney in the fall of 2015. He attended Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake for his freshman and sophomore years, before his parents relocated to Illinois. He returned to Virginia to attend Virginia Tech, where he majored in history. Griff obtained his J.D. from the Saint Louis University School of Law with a concentration in civil litigation.

After law school, Griff returned to Hampton Roads, where he practiced criminal law at the Norfolk Public Defender’s Office and a local private firm before joining Cooper Hurley and has extensive in-court litigation experience. Griff...

Attorney Richard Serpe is a distinguished Virginia personal injury lawyer with a reputation for meticulous trial preparation and presentation, and has a track record of success in obtaining favorable jury verdicts and settlements for his clients. As a personal injury attorney, Richard Serpe advocates for those who have been injured due to the negligence of another person, dangerous product, or company. A substantial portion of his legal career has been devoted to the representation of injured children. Mr. Serpe is frequently associated with complex litigation, managing cases with difficult scientific and medical issues. He has experience managing large case cohorts, including the...

At 7 Cities Law I specialize in Criminal Defense and Juvenile Law. I started my legal career eight years ago as a prosecutor in Virginia Beach where I tried hundreds of criminal cases. My experience extends from the most serious of violent felonies like Murder or Sexual Assault to misdemeanors such as Traffic Offenses, Domestic Violence and School Disciplinary Hearings. I was recently selected by the National Trial Lawyers as one of their Top 40 Under 40. I pride myself on being prepared and working with my clients as a team to get the best result in our...

I work as a principal attorney at Poole Brooke Plumlee PC. I have a passion for helping people navigate the most challenging family situations they have ever faced in their lifetimes, whether that includes a divorce, a child custody dispute, or other family law matter. Each case is unique and deserves a specialized plan. When I meet with clients, I help them set reasonable goals and formulate a strategy and roadmap that we can follow together to maximize the chance of achieving those goals. I take pride in being accessible to my clients and keeping them informed about...

Taite has devoted his entire legal career to the practice of criminal defense. Prior to co-founding Westendorf & Khalaf, Taite worked as a supervising attorney in the largest Public Defender's office in the state (Virginia Beach). His career has been defined by taking on a variety of tough high stakes cases. In a state where a fraction of felony cases go to trial (and less than 1% go to jury trial), Taite has taken over one hundred felony cases to trial and has won not guilty verdicts following jury trials for murder, rape, robbery, abduction, use of a...

Bailey Gifford joined Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers in late 2020. Born in Nebraska and raised in Kentucky, she graduated with honors from Central Hardin High School.

After high school, Bailey graduated magna cum laude from Morehead State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in Business in 2016.

Bailey went on to the Appalachian School of Law, in Grundy, VA, where she obtained her J.D. in 2020. During her time there, she served as president of the Student Bar Association. Bailey also served as a Student Ambassador and participated as a member of both the Mock Trial and...

The son of a government official, Andy grew up in various parts of the country, including Ohio, Colorado, and Texas. He attended the College of William and Mary and graduated in 1988 with a B.A. with honors in Government. Andy then went to the University of Richmond Law School, obtaining his J.D. in 1991. While in law school, he won the moot court competition, the trial competition (twice), and the writing competition. After passing the Virginia bar exam in 1991, Andy worked in one of the largest law firms in the country in its Norfolk office, primarily defending large...

I am Shannon Laymon-Pecoraro, a Certified Elder Law Attorney and the Founder of East Coast Elder Law, PLLC. My practice focuses on elder law, special needs planning, estate and trust administration, estate planning, asset protection, financial planning, guardianships, and conservatorships. I have a deep passion for special needs planning, which has made me a trusted resource for personal injury attorneys seeking guidance on public benefits and the protection of their clients' funds. Over the years, I have handled hundreds of personal injury cases, creating settlement trusts that often include special needs trust provisions and Medicare set-asides. I hold a certification as an...

Dan Miller was raised in Chesapeake, Virginia. He graduated from Norfolk Collegiate School in 1985, and graduated from Oxford College in 1987 with an Associate of Arts degree. Dan went on to graduate from Emory University in Atlanta in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Philosophy and Sociology. From 1989 to 1995 Dan played drums in a band based in Atlanta Georgia where he toured the College Circuit throughout the Southeastern United States. Dan graduated a semester early and was admitted to practice law in Virginia in November 1998. In 1998, Dan was hired by Michael...

As founder of Lawrence & Associates, Ms. Lawrence has practiced employment law exclusively throughout her career, and is well-known for her work in the employment law field. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of Virginia with honors and earned her law degree from the Marshall Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary. Admitted to practice in 1992, she has represented employees and employers in the public and private sectors. Clients are “impressed” by Ms. Lawrence’s “poise and command of the law,” adding that she is also “very helpful, detailed and patient.”

David J. Pierce is a partner with the law firm of Pierce & Thornton, PLC. David has 40 years of trial experience in medical malpractice and general personal injury litigation including motor vehicle accidents. Prior to co-founding Pierce & Thornton in 1997, Mr. Pierce was a partner in the largest law firm in eastern Virginia where he defended physicians, nurses and hospitals in malpractice litigation. He also conducted a general insurance defense practice including auto accident claims. This defense experience gives David a unique and distinct advantage in his plaintiff's practice. David has obtained numerous substantial verdicts and settlements in a...

Dominic P. Lascara is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia. He graduated in 1986 from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary after receiving his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, in Business Administration in 1981 from Old Dominion University. Dominic P. Lascara joined the law firm of Roy, Forehand, Laine and Dale, P.C. as an associate in the fall of 1986 after being admitted to the Virginia State Bar. He was admitted to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in 1987. He became a partner...

Aaron Pomeranz is a Virginia criminal defense attorney at Parks Zeigler, PLLC who formerly served with the Norfolk Police Department for almost 25 years. He brings unique knowledge and insight into how law enforcement and prosecutors build a case against his clients.

I assist clients with legal problems in the areas of bankruptcy, divorce, wills and trusts, and probate or estate administration. I am an experienced trial lawyer and have been a member of the Virginia State Bar since 1987. While I am glad to help clients settle their legal matters expeditiously and at the lowest costs to their satisfaction, I welcome the opportunity to litigate contested matters when settlement is not an acceptable option. I particularly enjoy the interplay between different practice areas, and have helped clients with both marital or divorce problems and financial problems such as...