Top Rated Family Law Attorney in Fairfax, VA

Principal attorney at McCandlish Lillard, Douglas J. Sanderson handles cases in the areas of family law, including mediation and collaborative law; real estate, and business and corporate law in the northern Virginia area. In his family law practice, Mr. Sanderson counsels and represents people who need legal assistance relating to divorces, separation agreements, child custody and visitation, equitable distribution, and support (spousal and child, as needed), as well as, on a happier note, pre-nuptial agreements.  His practice includes litigation, though he strives to employ other methods of problem-solving for his clients that avoid or minimize litigation, including mediation and collaborative divorce. He consistently has been named a Legal Elite in Family Law by Virginia Business Magazine, as well as a SuperLawyer.

Mr. Sanderson earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics in 1974 from Trinity College. He then attended George Washington University’s National Law Center, where he obtained a Juris Doctor in 1977. For his high ethical standards and long list of successful results, he holds the highest peer rating possible of AV Preeminent* from Martindale-Hubbell.

For over two decades Mr. Sanderson has served ARTSFAIRFAX (formerly the Arts Council of Fairfax County, Inc.) as volunteer legal counsel. For his 29+ years of service to ARTSFAIRFAX), he was recognized in 2016 with a Certificate of Merit from the Fairfax Federation of Citizens Association. He also has been involved with Communities of Faith United for Housing, Habitat for Humanity, Legal Services of Northern Virginia, Inc. (including 2 terms as its President), Temple Rodef Shalom and the then-Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce. 

A frequent writer, Mr. Sanderson has published articles on topics related to, most recently, software programs used to facilitate problems that divorced or separated couples face with coordinating times and expenses for their children, as well as, previously, issues involving limited liability companies, real estate, loan documentation, and commercial lending. The software piece was published in the national Family Advocate magazine of the American Bar Association's Family Law Section.

* AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.