Columbia Lawyers

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.

Jeremy Flachs is the owner and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Jeremy Flachs. Jeremy is a 1975 graduate of Wake Forest University and a 1978 graduate of Wake Forest University School of Law. He restricts his cases to plaintiff's personal injury. The firm accepts cases in Northern Virginia (licensed since 1979) and the District of Columbia (licensed since 1980). Jeremy Flachs has litigated cases involving truck, bus and car crashes, pedestrian injuries, premises liability cases, falls on public sidewalks and other slip and fall injuries, bicycle crashes, ski accidents, police brutality/excessive force,...

Catherine "Kate" Reese focuses her practice on the full spectrum of family law matters in the Northern Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland regions. She has extensive trial experience in contested divorces, child custody and visitation matters, equitable distribution of assets, child and spousal support, and the negotiation and preparation of prenuptial and marital agreements. When Ms. Reese identifies matters that can be resolved more amicably and without the costs of litigation, she highly recommends alternate dispute resolution options such as mediation, arbitration and collaborative law. Ms. Reese is a Virginia Supreme Court Certified Family Law mediator and an experienced collaborative...

Sheri R. Abrams, Attorney at Law, has been practicing Social Security Disability Law, Estate Planning, Elder Law and Special Needs Planning for more than 20 years. Sheri is rated “AV Preeminent”, the highest rating possible by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, and was named a “Super Lawyer,” one of the “Best Lawyers in America,” one of Virginia’s “Top Rated Lawyers” and one of Virginia’s “Legal Elite.” Sheri is active in many different professional organizations including the Virginia State Bar, District of Columbia Bar, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (VAELA),...

Mariah Latimer is an associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. Her practice covers every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody, visitation and support cases. Ms. Latimer works in the firm’s Fairfax office, and represents clients in Fairfax County and all across Northern Virginia. Originally from Arizona, Ms. Latimer graduated cum laude from the University of Arizona, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Honors College, before earning her law degree from George Mason University Law School. Ms. Latimer was included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for her work...

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Peter Greenspun graduated from LaSalle College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1975 and obtained his Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law in 1978. Widely considered by his peers as an expert litigator, Peter has advocated for the rights of his clients in criminal and civil matters ranging from the simplest to the most complex. With over 30 years of experience trying countless cases, Peter has obtained exceptional results in local, state, and federal trial and appellate courts. Since 1997 Peter has repeatedly been recognized by the Washingtonian Magazine as being among the...

I am a first generation Greek American born and raised in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Although I work as an attorney in Virginia , I am a Maryland girl at heart. I am a proud graduate of the University of Maryland in College Park, as well as Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

I am honored to work for two of the very best lawyers in Virginia, and am passionate about my job. I happily spend hours in the office with my hard-working colleagues, fighting for our clients. Outside the office, I'm dedicated to...

Attorney Seth Peritz has been a practicing Criminal Defense Attorney since 2016. Moving to the Northern Virginia Area after graduating from prestigious William and Mary Law School, he began his career working in a highly sought-after position with the Loudoun County Public Defender’s Office. In 2017, he left to become a private Criminal Defense Attorney at a small criminal defense and immigration firm. While representing criminal defendants on all types of charges, many of whom were noncitizen immigrants, he learned the importance of taking a holistic approach to representation, including understanding a client’s background, career, goals, family, community, and how...

Bernard Crane graduated from George Washington University, and earned his law degree from Catholic University. He's been practicing criminal and business law in the Washington area since 1985. For over 30 years, he's zealously fought for clients accused of all types of crimes - from marijuana to murder and carjacking. There's almost nothing he's not already seen and learned to deal with, both in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. He's helped thousands of people get through some of the worst times in their lives. He can help you, too.

INVESTIGATIVE BACKGROUND
Before becoming an attorney, he was a private investigator,...

Carly Jehlen Hart focuses her practice in the areas of criminal and traffic defense, domestic law, and specializes in domestic abuse/violence. Ms. Jehlen Hart has been practicing law since 2010 and joined the Firm as a Partner in 2019. As a lawyer, Carly appreciates being able to help her clients, and getting to know them, during what is usually a very difficult situation, and the opportunity to advocate for them not just in their litigation, but for them in their lives.
Ms. Jehlen Hart graduated from the University of South Florida with two Bachelors of the Arts degrees in Literature and...

Rex focuses his practice primarily in the criminal and family arenas. He firmly believes client-centered representation. As such, the client’s needs are the primary driver of the course of litigation. Once the client’s needs and wishes are established, Rex Flynn will zealously work (with integrity) to obtain the desired result, often with innovative solutions.

A graduate of George Mason University’s School of Law, Mr. Flynn served multiple terms in student government, the Black Law Students Association (regional and local), the American Bar Association (the 11th Circuit Lt. Governor of Diversity), the Honor Committee and as an editor for the Journal of...

Samantha has been practicing exclusively in personal injury litigation ever since graduating in the top of her class in 2011. She is a tireless and dedicated client advocate who works hard to attain justice for her clients. Her work ethic and attention to detail have led to successful results in even the most challenging of cases. Samantha has litigated in many trial courts throughout Virginia and also obtained multiple successful results from the Supreme Court of Virginia. She is not afraid to push for success on her clients' behalf, whether it means bringing a case to trial or appealing an...

Gobind Sethi has been litigating civil cases for over a decade. He is a skilled personal injury lawyer in Reston and is passionate about helping injury victims obtain the justice they deserve. He is known for his in-depth knowledge of the field, his professionalism, and his ability to get positive results. He started his career at Georgetown University, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He went on to receive a Master of Arts for International Affairs from American University and his Jurist Doctorate from American University, Washington College of Law. To learn how Attorney Sethi can help you with your...

I represent small, medium, national and international businesses, non-profits and individuals on a wide variety of corporate and business matters, including forming companies, drafting and negotiating contracts, dealing with employment matters, handling real estate and land use issues, collecting receivables, and defending and prosecuting litigation. I also assist many clients with their elder care, estate planning and estate administration needs, including drafting wills and trusts, assisting with the appointment of guardians and conservators, and the Virginia probate process. I strongly believe that clients receive the best legal services from an attorney who is intimately familiar with their businesses and goals....

MEDVIN LAW Criminal Defense & DWI Law Firm, located in Alexandria, Virginia, provides award-winning, top-rated Virginia criminal defense lawyer services. Experienced criminal attorneys & DUI lawyers offer representation for Northern Virginia Felony and Misdemeanor criminal charges and arrests in Alexandria, Fairfax, and Arlington. Experienced in Federal Criminal Defense, we also specialize in Federal criminal attorney services in Alexandria VA for Federal criminal charges, Federal indictments and investigations, White Collar cases, and Federal traffic Misdemeanors in the US District Court in Alexandria.

MEDVIN LAW was founded by attorney Marina Medvin, a highly sought-after and nationally revered criminal trial lawyer who has defended FBI's 10 Most Wanted, WikiLeaks and Anonymous hacker...

Mike brings over a decade of experience to his litigation practice and is rated a top lawyer by Northern Virginia Magazine, Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers. Mike advocates aggressively but compassionately for his clients with a keen sense for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of both sides of every case. Having personally experienced how tragedy impacts a family, Mike truly understands how hard it is to move forward when trust has been broken and justice feels out of reach. That’s why he dedicated his career to helping people in situations like yours. Mike is here to carry the legal burden so...

Frank R. Kearney is a Nationally Recognized, Board-Certified civil trial lawyer, author, and advocate for injured workers, serious car accident victims, and people with long term disability claims. This means he represents people who have been seriously injured and families who have lost a loved one due to medical malpractice, car accidents, construction site accidents and other serious work accidents, and denials of ERISA long term disability benefits based on injuries and serious medical conditions. Early in his career, Mr. Kearney represented insurance companies and other corporations, defending personal injury lawsuits. He now uses this experience to his clients’ advantage in...

David Hagan is an associate at Friedman, Grimes, Meinken & Leischner PLLC, where he focuses on family law and criminal defense. He handles litigation across all areas of domestic relations, including adoptions, divorce, child custody and support, spousal support, equitable distribution, settlement agreements, property rights, prenuptial agreements, and post-divorce disputes. Additionally, he represents clients in protective order cases and misdemeanor criminal defense matters, such as traffic violations and assault/battery cases. Mr. Hagan also assists with estate litigation and other civil matters. He earned his J.D. from George Mason University School of Law, where he served as a student advisor in the...

Sonja Aoun represents family law clients in all aspects of separation and divorce, including divorce planning/premarital agreements, collaborative divorces, negotiated settlements, and trials. Her estate planning practice ranges from the preparation of powers of attorney and advance medical directives to wills and complex trusts and special needs planning. Sonja obtained her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center after graduating cum laude with a B.S. in Languages (Spanish) from Georgetown University. Starting in 2014, she has been named to the Virginia SuperLawyers list in the field of family law; she has been listed in the Washington,...

At the Bushman Law Group, our motto is simple: "Let our attorneys deal with your legal problems while you get back to what is truly important . . . the rest of your life." We know that facing a legal problem is stressful, that is why our attorneys guide you through each step of the legal process with prompt, personal service you can trust. Our goal is to build a long-term, relationship with our clients, and we want our clients to trust us with all of their legal work. To this end, we work hard on every case,...

Benjamin has always stood up for what’s right – he finds real meaning in helping the good guys win! He’s always been guided by a clear sense of right and wrong, from his time in the U.S. Army to his time as a Commonwealth Attorney (prosecutor), to his current position at J. Madison PLC.
Before starting at J. Madison PLC, Benjamin worked at the Arlington Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for five years. As a Commonwealth Attorney, he helped the victims of violent, non-violent, and financial crimes find justice. He also tried hundreds of traffic cases and specialized in DUI cases. ...

Melannie Dino is a Lead Family Law Attorney at Steven Krieger Law, PLLC practicing exclusively family law. Ms. Dino works remotely from her Ashburn home office, and represents clients in Loudoun, Prince William and Fairfax Counties and across Northern Virginia. Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, Ms. Dino earned her Bachelor of Science in Communications in 1996 from nearby Clarion University of Pennsylvania. She proceeded to earn her J.D. from Widener University Law School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1999. Ms. Dino then returned to Erie to work in the law practice of her father, a prominent bankruptcy lawyer in Erie for decades. It was...

Jeffrey Weaver is the founder of Prenup Pros, the first law firm in Virginia to only specialize in marital agreements (prenuptial agreements and post-nuptial agreements). Jeff has prepared contracts for clients since 1999 and through Prenup Pros he applies his expertise and experience to prepare prenuptial agreements for clients located in Texas, Virginia, Florida, New York, Nevada and New Jersey. Jeff formed Prenup Pros to provide marrying couples access to affordable, easy-to-understand prenuptial agreements because he believes that all couples should at least consider a prenup. His belief derives from the fact the he personally experienced the...

Maria Zamayar is an associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. Her practice covers every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody and support cases. Ms. Zamayar works in the firm’s offices in Fairfax and Arlington, and represents clients in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria and all across Northern Virginia. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Zamayar graduated from Georgia State University before earning her law degree from American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. During law school, Ms. Zamayar earned a great deal of experience geared toward making her a successful family law attorney....

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...

Ariel Baniowski is a managing partner 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. Baniowski works in the firm’s Ashburn office, and represents clients in Ashburn, Leesburg, Loudoun County, and all across Northern Virginia. Ms. Baniowski is known as one of the more aggressive attorneys at Livesay & Myers, P.C., and has litigated every type of family law matter in Virginia, including custody, support, separation and high asset divorce cases. Ms. Baniowski's work ethic and drive are unmatched. To say...

Amy Harber has a wealth of experience in both criminal and civil litigation and advocates smartly and effectively for her clients in personal injury, criminal and traffic, and civil matters. Amy served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the City of Hampton from 2008-2012 and Loudoun County from 2012-2020. In that time, she prosecuted cases ranging in severity from traffic tickets to murder and everything in between. In 2020, Amy joined Allstate Insurance Company’s Fairfax, Virginia legal office as a Senior Attorney and handled litigation involving bodily injury, property damage suits, automobile diminished value claims, wrongful death and infant settlements,...

Christian Campbell is an associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. Mr. Campbell handles every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody and support cases. Mr. Campbell earned his J.D. from American University - Washington College of Law in 2021, after graduating cum laude from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2015. While attending law school, Mr. Campbell worked as a legal assistant at a law firm in Washington, DC. In that position, he supported attorneys in a wide range of fields, including antitrust, securities regulation, and white collar criminal defense. After law school, Mr. Campbell worked...

Ed handles all kinds of criminal cases in state courts in Virginia and in the District of Columbia and in federal courts nationwide, particularly the DC, Virginia, and Maryland federal district courts. Ed has practiced as a criminal defense attorney for almost 25 years since graduating Yale Law School in 1993.

During law school, Ed worked for two large DC law firms, Jenner & Block and Akin, Gump. When his federal appellate clerkship ended, Ed continued to focus on criminal appeals and state and federal post-conviction habeas appeals at public service law offices in Tempe, Arizona and New York City....

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, Ashburn, Manassas and Fredericksburg-Stafford, 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...

Christopher J. Toepp dedicates his practice of to helping clients and making his community a safer place. Although still early in his career, he has earned a reputation as an exceptional litigator in the courtroom. His expansive trial experience includes hundreds of bench and jury trials. This background gives Chris an understanding of jurors' expectations when they evaluate a case. He knows how to present evidence so that the jury comprehends his client's hardships and the impact their injuries have had on their lives.

Chris works on a wide range of personal injury cases including car crashes, truck accidents and motorcycle...

Michael Poe is a lead senior associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. Mr. Poe works in the firm’s Fairfax office, and represent clients in Fairfax County and all across Northern Virginia. Mr. Poe earned his J.D. from William & Mary Law School in 2011, after earning his B.A. from Miami University in 2006. After law school, Mr. Poe clerked for the Circuit Court in Montgomery County, Maryland before serving as a Policy Fellow for an institute in Washington, D.C. He entered private practice for a law firm in Alexandria, Virginia in 2012. Mr. Poe practiced...

Accomplished and result-focused with 24 years of experience in Family Law, Bankruptcy and Administrative Law specializing in Security Clearance Defense and Medical License Defense.

John graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English before attending law school at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. John was still a student when he tried his first case as a member of the Criminal Defense Clinic. He also attempted to free the wrongly convicted, working with the Innocence Project. John gained invaluable experience as a research assistant for a member of the law school's faculty and as an intern for the North Carolina's Office of the Attorney General. John has always practiced criminal defense. He began his...

Sarah Patras is a lead senior associate attorney at Livesay & Myers, P.C. She practices exclusively family law, representing clients in separation, divorce, custody, visitation and support cases, including a large number of contested cases. Ms. Patras works in the firm’s Fredericksburg-Stafford office, and represents clients in Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and surrounding areas. Born in Nebraska, Ms. Patras grew up in Iowa and earned double B.A. degrees from Iowa State University. She then relocated to Virginia, and graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law in 2016. After law school, Ms. Patras clerked for one year for a Virginia Circuit Court...

Lindsay Connolly 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. Connolly works in the firm’s Fredericksburg office, and represents clients in Stafford, Spotsylvania, Fredericksburg and surrounding areas. Originally from Milford, Massachusetts, Ms. Connolly graduated magna cum laude from Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. She then earned her law degree from David A. Clarke Law School in Washington, D.C., graduating summa cum laude and the top female in her class. Ms. Connolly was...

Van’s practice is dedicated to criminal traffic defense. He has been an outspoken critic of Reckless Driving by Speed laws as applied in Virginia, and he stridently opposes the imposition of any “mandatory minimum” prison time for alcohol-related and other substance offenses. With his experience as a JAG officer, professor of law at VMI, and federal prosecutor who has tried numerous speeding and DUI cases, Van Hardenbergh brings a sharp set of skills and a history of tenacious defense to the table.

David is an experienced and compassionate personal injury attorney who manages the Stafford, Virginia office of Allen & Allen. His legal career has focused almost exclusively on personal injury law, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, and slip and fall cases. He dedicates himself to shielding injured people from unfair and unsympathetic treatment from insurance companies.

David has an “AV Preeminent” rating (the highest available) from the Martindale-Hubbell attorney listing service. He has litigated a broad range of matters in various areas of personal injury law in both state and federal court, and he has even successfully argued cases before...

I am Brandon Osterbind, an attorney and co-founder of Osterbind Law, PLLC. My practice is dedicated to assisting injured individuals in reclaiming their health, dignity, and the financial losses incurred from their injuries. Through my years of experience in central Virginia and the greater Lynchburg area, I have come to understand that while tragedy can strike unexpectedly, recovery is always within reach. I established Osterbind Law alongside my wife, Kelly, driven by my passion for aiding those who have been injured and the profound satisfaction I derive from delivering compensation to them. I was born and raised in Richmond, where my interest...