Donna Dougherty

Donna Dougherty is a passionate family law attorney with over 20 years of experience guiding clients through some of life’s most challenging transitions. She is widely respected for her fearless approach to high-conflict, emotionally complex cases and her ability to balance legal precision with deep empathy. Both in and out of the courtroom, Donna is known for her strength, generosity of spirit, innovativeness, leadership, and desire to advocate for those in need.

At The Geller Law Group, Donna focuses on family law, including divorce, custody and visitation, support, equitable distribution, and adoption. Her practice includes complex litigation involving families, including same-sex divorces, contested adoptions, and high-asset divorces. She has also handled international custody cases involving the Hague Convention.

Before joining GLG, Donna ran two successful law firms, The Family Law Group and Donna Dougherty Law, for a combined 15 years. She has become a go-to resource for fellow attorneys who refer complex and challenging family law matters, particularly those requiring sharp litigation instincts and creative legal thinking. 

Widely respected for her courtroom skills, Donna has handled cases involving high-conflict custody, post-decree enforcement, and emotionally nuanced issues such as mental abuse. Rather than defaulting to aggressive litigation, she encourages practical, tailored solutions, often presenting innovative legal arguments that have shaped the family law landscape in Virginia. 

Donna also serves as a Guardian ad Litem for children in Prince William County. She has served in this role since she began practicing law and finds that being an advocate for children in family law and abuse and neglect matters is one of the most important things she does as an attorney. Donna’s advocacy has been recognized in legal annotations and case law for its impact on child welfare in contested custody matters. 

Outside the courtroom, Donna is a respected mentor and bar leader. She was a Past-President of the Prince William County Bar Association and has held leadership positions with the Virginia Women’s Attorneys Association and the Family Law Section of the Prince William Bar. She frequently coordinates and presents CLEs, and she is especially committed to supporting the next generation of family law practitioners.

Originally from Ohio, Donna received her law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and her undergraduate degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She currently lives in Gainesville, Virginia, with her two teenage daughters and is an active member of her community.