Top Rated Family Law Attorney in Richmond, VA

Honors/Awards:

• Voted a Super Lawyer, The Richmond Magazine, 1 of the top 50 Attorneys in the Area (2014-2017)
• Legal Elite, Virginia Business, Appellate Law, 2012
• Legal Elite, Virginia Business, Vol. 17-19, 21, No. 12, "Family/Domestic Relations", 2006
• Voted a Super Lawyer, The Richmond Magazine, Best Family Lawyer in the Richmond Area (2009)
• Listed Attorney, The Richmond Magazine, "Top Lawyers" - Listed as one of the top 4 Family Law Attorneys in the Richmond area (1999)
• Voted a Super Lawyer, The Richmond Magazine, "Family Law" (2006-2017)
• Voted a Super Lawyer, The Richmond Magazine, 1 of the top 50 Attorneys in the Area, 2008
• Legal Elite, Virginia Business, Vol. 17-19, 21, No. 12, "Family/Domestic Relations" (2002-2004)
• Best Lawyer's of America, Richmond Area Family "Lawyer of the Year" (2010)
• Recipient, Gardener G. DeMallie, Jr. CLE Award, 2001
• Listed Attorney, The Richmond Style Weekly, "Richmond's Best and Brightest Attorneys" (1991)
• Listed Attorney, The Best Lawyers in America, "Family Law" (1991-Present)
• Legal Elite, Virginia Business, Appellate Law, 2015
• Legal Elite, Virginia Business, Vol. 17-19, 21, No. 12, "Family/Domestic Relations" (2008-2011)
• Leader of the Law Award, Virginia Lawyers' Weekly (2009)
• Recipient, Lifetime Achievement Award, 2000

Bar/Professional Activity:

• Chairman, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (1993-2000)
• Board of Directors, Virginia Poverty Law Center, Inc. (1985-1991)
• Member, Metro Richmond Family Law Bar Association (1992-Present)
• President, Metro Richmond Family Law Bar Association (1997-1998)
• Member, ABA Family Law Section, Federal Legislative Task Force Committee (1994-1998)
• President, Virginia Poverty Law Center, Inc. (1987-1990)
• Member, Virginia Family Law Bar Coalition, Virginia Bar Association (2000-Present)
• President, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Virginia Chapter (1999-2001)
• Secretary/Treasurer, Metro Richmond Family Law Bar Association (1995-1996)
• Member, Board of Governors, Family Law Section, Virginia State Bar (1988-1995)
• Virginia, 1974  
• Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (1991-Present)
• Vice-President, Metro Richmond Family Law Bar Association (1996-1997)

Pro bono/Community Service:

• Conference Member, Boyd-Graves Conference (1990-Present)
• Board of Directors, Southside Virginia Legal Service, Inc. (1974-1998)
• President, Southside Virginia Legal Service, Inc. (1978-1987)

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

• "Legislative Update: 2008 General Assembly Session," VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2008)
• "Giving Your Client Some Credit: Attributing Child Tax Benefits," Vol. 23, No. 2 Family Advocate, p.38-41 (Fall, 2000)
• "Motions Practice, Attorneys Fee Awards, Effective Techniques of Oral Argument and Remedies on Appeal," 2008 VA CLE/AAML (January 2008)
• "1989 Annual Survey Of Virginia Law," University of Richmond Law Review, Domestic Relations (1989)
• "Jurisdictional Issues: Where Do I File This Case?," Virginia State Bar Annual Seminar (October 2007)
• "Jumping Into The New Marital Pool: Transmutation, Discovery and Tracing Under the 1990 Amendments," 1990 - VTLA Family Law Seminar (July, 1990)
• "Legislative Update: 1992 Session," Vol. 12, No. 2, Family Law News, p. 3 (Spring, 1992)
• "Legislative Update: 2007 General Assembly Session," VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2007)
• "1992-1993 Legislative Survey and Analysis," Vol. 12, No. 4, Family Law News, p. 15 (Fall, 1992)
• "Legislative Update: 2006 General Assembly Session," 2006 VTLA Family Law Seminar (July 2006)
• "Family Law Issues in the 1993 Legislative Session," Vol. 42, No. 5, Virginia Lawyer, p. 24 (November, 1993)
• "Legislative Update: 2006 General Assembly Session," VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2006)
• "Child Support: Using the Colorado Methodology to Deviate For New or Other Children of the Payor," Vol. 13, No. 1, Family Law News, p. 4 (Winter, 1993)
• "Valuation of Professional Practices," Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, Annual Meeting (March 2006)
• "UIFSA: Virginia's Adoption of the New Interstate Support Act," Vol. 34, No. 5, Virginia Lawyer, p. 26 (December, 1994)
• "Legislative Update: 2005 General Assembly Session", VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (May 2005)
• "Recent Tax Law Changes and Their Impact on Divorce Practioners," Vol. 10, No. 4, Divorce Litigation, p.57 (April, 1998)
• "The Burden of Proof in Equitable Distribution Cases," VBA/CLE Seminar (August 2004)
• "Defending a UIFSA Wage Intercept in Virginia: A Case Example," Vol. 16, No. 2 Family Law News, p. 10 (Summer, 1996)
• "Legislative Update: 2004 General Assembly Session," 2004 VTLA Family Law Seminar (July 2004)
• "Calculating and Obtaining Alimony and Child Support," Virginia Family Law Practice For Paralegals, HMS (February 2004)
• "Interim Virginia Legislation Report," and "Federal Legislation Report," Vol. 14, No. 4, Family Law News, p. 28-30, 32-34 (Winter, 1994-1995)
• "Who Has The Burden of Proof and For How Long? Issues In Equitable Distribution," 2004 Annual Meeting, Virginia Bar Association (January 2004)
• "Uniform Interstate Family Support Act: A Practical Update," Vol. 49, No. 7 Virginia Lawyer, p. 24 (February, 2001)
• "Sullivan v. Knick - Relocation Case Analysis," VA State Bar Annual Meeting (June 2003)
• "Legislative Update: 2014 General Assembly Session," Vol. 34, No. 1, Virginia Family Law Quarterly (Spring, 2014)
• "Legislative Update: 2003 General Assembly Session," Nineteenth Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar (May 2003)
• "Legislative Update: 2017 Genreal Assembly Session," Vol. 37, No. 1, Virginia Family Law Quarterly (Spring 2017)
• "Update on Relocation Cases," VA Chapter AAML Seminar (January 2003)
• "To Retire or Not to Retire: That is the Question," Vol. 66, No. 1, Virginia Lawyer, p.30 (June 2017)
• "Legislative Update: 2002 General Assembly Session," VTLA Family Law Seminar (June 2002)
• "Update on Transmutation: Analysis of the Lassen and Taylor Cases," Vol. 38, No. 7, Virginia Lawyer, p.30 (January, 1990)
• "Legislative Update: 2014 General Assembly Session," 2015 VTLA Family Law Seminar (September 2015)
• "Presenting the Argument and Reviewing the Decision," 32nd Annual Family Law Seminar: Appealing Your Case, Virginia State Bar (October 2013)
• "Recent Judicial Decisions in Virginia Family Law," Vol. 10, No. 3, Family Law News, p. 14 (Fall, 1989)
• "David v. David: A Goliath in the Burden of Proof," 2015 VTLA Family Law Seminar (September 2015)
• "Divorce and Equitable Distribution: Is a Non-Injured Spouse Entitled to a Portion of Your client's Settlement?," 2002 VTLA Family Law Seminar (May 2002)
• "Legislative Update: 2014 General Assembly Session," VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2015)
• "1989 Virginia Family Law Legislative Update," Vol. 10, No. 1, Family Law News, p. 4 (Spring-Summer, 1989)
• "Legislative and Case Update: 2001 General Assembly Session," Eighteenth Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2002)
• "Legislative Update: 2014 General Assembly Session," 2014 VTLA Family Law Seminar (September 2014)
• "Use of Commissioners in Chancery For Equitable Distribution Issues: Results Of 1988 Family Law Survey," Vol. 9, No. 3, Family Law News, p. 23 (Winter 1988-1989)
• "UCCJEA/UIFSA," 13th Annual Cutting Edge Seminar, Lynchburg Bar Association (February 2002)
• "Legislative Update: 2014 General Assembly Session," VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2014)
• Legislative Update: 2016 General Assembly Session, VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2016)
• "Obtaining and Evaluating Financial Information," Virginia Family Law Practice For Paralegals (February 2002)
• "Legislative Update: 2013 General Assembly Session," VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2013)
• "The Imputator Navigating a Support Issue That Will Always Be Back", Richmond Bar Association, Bench-Bar Conference (October 22, 2015)
• "New Rules Under The UCCJEA", VA Chapter AAML CLE Seminar (January 2002)
• "Legislative Update: 2012 General Assembly Session," 2012 VTLA Family Law Seminar (2012)
• Legislative Update: 2016 General Assembly Session, 2016 VTLA Family Law Seminar (September 2016)
• "Coping With The New UCCJEA," Judicial Conference of Virginia For District Court Judges (August 2001)
• "Legislative Update: 2012 General Assembly Session," VBA Family Law Seminar (April 2012)
• "Legislative Update: 2011 General Assembly Session," 2011 VTLA Family Law Seminar (May 2011)
• Legislative Update: 2017 General Assembly Session, VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2017)
• "Legislative Update: 2001 General Assembly Session," 2000 VTLA Family Law Seminar (June 2001)
• "Legislative Update: 2011 General Assembly Session," VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2011)
• "The Law of Transmutation in Virginia," co-author, Seventh Annual Family Law Seminar (November, 1988)  
• "Legislative Update: 2001 General Assembly Session," Seventeenth Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar, Virginia CLE (April 2001)
• "The CPA Expert in Divorce: Business Valuations," Virginia Society of CPAs, Annual Seminar (September 2010)
• "1988 Survey: The Use of Commissioners in Chancery in Family Law Matters," Vol. 9, No. 2, Family Law News, p. 29 (Fall, 1988)
• "Negative Non-Monetary Contributions Under O'Loughlin," VA Chapter AAML CLE (October 2000)
• "Legislative Update: 2010 General Assembly Session, 2009 VTLA Family Law Seminar," (July 2010)
• "Family Law Section Legislative Subcommittee Report on 1988-89 Pending Legislative Agenda," Vol. 9, No. 3, Family Law News, p. 13 (Winter, 1988-1989)
• "Legislative Update: 2000 General Assembly Session," 2000 VTLA Family Law Seminar (July 2000)
• "Legislative Update: 2010 General Assembly Session," VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2010)
• "Transmutation in Virginia: Legislative Approaches in Response To Smoot," Vol. 9, No. 3, Family Law News, p. 4 (Winter 1988-1989)
• "Legislative Update: 2000 General Assembly Session," Sixteenth Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar, Virginia CLE (May 2000)
• "Legislative Update: 2009 General Assembly Session," 2009 VTLA Family Law Seminar (July 2009)
• "Analysis of the Ellington Case," Family Law News Alert, No. 1 (April, 1989)
• "Hot Topics In Child Support," 12th Annual Cutting Edge Seminar, Lynchburg Bar Association (February 2000)
• "Legislative Update: 2009 General Assembly Session," VBA Advanced Family Law Seminar (April 2009)
• "Analysis of Mansell v. Mansell Case," Family Law News Alert, No. 2 (July, 1989)
• Member, Child Support Quadrennial Guideline Review Panel, Appointed by Governor Terry McCauliffe (2014-2017)
• Member, Child Support Quadrennial Guideline Review Panel, Appointed by Governor Mark Warner (2005-2008)
• "Current Issues on Equitable Distribution," Arlington Bar Association (October 2008)
• "The Equitable Distribution of Transmuted Property in Virginia," 1989 VTLA Family Law Seminar (July, 1989)
• Member, Virginia State Professionalism Course Faculty, Virginia State Bar (2001-2004)
• "Legislative Update: 2008 General Assembly Session," 2008 VTLA Family Law Seminar (July 2008)
• "Transmutation: Are We Drowning in the Pool of Marital Assets?," The Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2, VTLA Publication (September, 1989)

Educational Background:

• Bucknell University, B.A., Political Science & Russian, 1971