Leesburg Divorce Lawyers

John Whitbeck is the founder and partner of WhitbeckBennett. His practice focuses on family law, more specifically divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, domestic violence and protective orders, adoption, special education law, and mental health law.

He is a professor of law at George Mason University Law School, and the former Director of the George Mason University Law and Mental Illness Clinic.

John uses his expert knowledge of the law to advocate for his clients and their families.

Experienced Divorce Attorney and Mediator

Growing up, Alanna’s parents heard primarily one complaint from her teachers: she talks too much. In high school, she had an English teacher sit down and explain to her that she needed to develop her listening skills and taught her that she would learn a lot more by listening than by talking. Alanna is a product of LA Law, and in her youth, the television show glamorized being a lawyer. Being active in debate and public speaking in high school and college, law school was a natural progression. She found that the two important qualities in being a family...

Name and co-founding partner Michele L. Burton was born and raised in Portsmouth, Virginia. She attended the University of Virginia where she obtained Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Anthropology. Shortly thereafter, Michele graduated from Old Dominion University with a Master of Arts in Humanities with a focus on Race and Law. In May 2012, she graduated from the College of William and Mary School of Law with a Juris Doctorate and passed the bar in October of that year. Upon graduation, Michele worked as a magistrate in Norfolk, Virginia for two years where she conducted probable cause...

For over a decade, lawyer Sarah Bruns has been aggressively protecting the rights of her clients in Northern Virginia. As a seasoned trial attorney, Sarah has defended individuals charged with Murder, Rape, Robbery, Theft, and Drug Possession/Distribution. Sarah also has extensive experience in representing clients charged with traffic offenses such as Driving While Intoxicated (DWI/DUI) and Hit and Run. While some crimes carry more severe penalties than others, Sarah handles every client’s case knowing that it is the most important one for that client. She believes that no client should be treated as if their issue is of little consequence. Sarah’s...

Ryan M. Schmalzle is a principal and founder of the firm. His practice focuses on family law, civil litigation, and criminal law. Ryan regularly practices in several jurisdictions in Northern Virginia including Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Clarke County, Frederick County and the City of Winchester. He also practices in the Maryland Courts, including Frederick County and Montgomery County. Ryan is an adjunct professor of law at George Mason University School of Law where he teaches appellate writing. Ryan also serves as a Special Justice in Loudoun County and he presides over civil commitment hearings. Although Ryan’s primary love...

Douglas J. Sanderson provides legal services in the multiple areas of commercial real estate, family law/domestic relations, and business organizations and transactions. In his family law/domestic relations practice, Doug counsels and represents people who seek legal assistance with, for example, separation agreements, divorces, and issues of child custody and visitation, equitable distribution, and support (spousal and child, as may apply), as well as, on a happier note, pre-nuptial agreements. Doug’s practice includes litigation as well as other methods of problem-solving, and he strives to assist clients in finding resolutions that avoid or minimize litigation, and to further that...

I graduated from Washington College of Law at American University in Washington, D.C. in 2001. I received my undergraduate degree in psychology at Arizona State University in 1991. I was admitted to the Virginia State Bar in 2001. Since then, I have been practicing law in Virginia with an emphasis on family law matters, including divorce, custody & visitation, child and spousal support, and domestic violence.

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...

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 Leesburg, Ashburn, 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 Leesburg, Ashburn, 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...

Alyssa Grzesiak (pronounced “Gray-Shock”) is an 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. Grzesiak works in the firm’s Ashburn office, and represents clients in Leesburg, Ashburn, Loudoun County, and all across Northern Virginia. Ms. Grzesiak graduated from William & Mary Law School in 2023. During law school, she worked at the Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Juvenile and Domestic Relations Office, the Virginia Office of the Attorney General and the Human Trafficking Institute. Ms. Grzesiak also held positions as Executive...

Camellia Safi is a partner with Safi, Duran & Chim, PLLC, in Fairfax, Virginia. Camellia has over a decade of experience practicing family law in the Northern Virginia area. Camellia understands that good results require compassion, hard work and an ability to connect with the client. Family law is a unique area of law that requires the attorney and the client to be on the same page and have similar values and goals to achieve success. Camellia serves as an advocate for her clients and alleviates their concerns and fears but believes that to achieve the best results, the client...

Mr. Kales is an experienced Fairfax, Va. divorce mediator and collaborative divorce attorney. After practicing family law for years and concluding trials and court serve divorcing spouses poorly, making already difficult cases harder and more painful, Mr. Kales focuses his practice on helping his clients avoid litigation and to reach negotiated separation and divorce settlement agreements and prenuptial agreements. He wishes to provide his clients with the assistance needed to reach optimal solutions for themselves and their families, sympathetically, individually, and cost-effectively.

After completing his undergrad with honors at the University of Toronto in Canada, Mr. Raheen moved to New York and attained his Juris Doctorate Law Degree (J.D.) and Master of Laws Degree (LL.M.) at the New York Law School and Fordham University School of Law, respectively. Following his post-doctorate graduation, Mr. Raheen worked with the prestigious NY law firm of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, where he gained and reflected their successful motto of attention to detail in high quality work product. Mr. Raheen and his family moved closer to family in the DC...

Joseph H. Beale has been providing exceptional legal services for individuals and families in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia for more than twenty years. Every client is important and with you he will develop a client centered strategy that fits your unique circumstances in order to meet your goals and achieve the best possible outcome for you in a cost effective, ethical and efficient manner. He believes in building strong and lasting relationships with clients based on trust, open communication and delivering results. He has a solid reputation as a skilled litigator and negotiator, earning a perfect 10...

Brian has been a divorce attorney litigating and settling cases in Northern Virginia since 1985, and is certified by the Virginia Supreme Court in Family Mediation. He is listed in "The Best Lawyers in America", Washingtonian magazine's Top Divorce Lawyers, Northern Virginia magazine’s Top Divorce Lawyers and Virginia Business magazine's "Legal Elite".

He is the editor of the Virginia Family Law Quarterly, the official publication of the Family Law Section of the Virginia State Bar. Brian is a past Chair of the Virginia State Bar Family Law Section Board of Governors. He has been a Fellow of the American Academy of...

For more than 40 years, ShounBach has continued to establish itself as one of the best family law firms in Northern Virginia. The firm’s extensive team of Northern Virginia family law attorneys has more than 200 years of combined experience and handles all kinds of family law and divorce matters, from child custody to domestic violence. More information can be found on the firm’s extensive website.

Robert D. Moreton is a Partner at WhitbeckBennett, focused primarily on family law and bankruptcy. Prior to joining the firm, Robert co-founded a small law firm in 2012 where he gained invaluable litigation experience representing clients throughout Northern Virginia. In more than a decade of practice, Robert gained particular familiarity with the complex interplay of divorce and bankruptcy and possesses unique experience practicing in bankruptcy and state court. Robert spent his early years moving across the country until his family settled in the D.C. area where he completed high school. A “black sheep” in a family of engineers he began his...

Priti founded Khanna Law in 2015 after moving to Virginia from Atlanta, Georgia, where she practiced family law, immigration law, and bankruptcy law. Priti’s primary fields of practice are family law, divorce and immigration law and she regularly handles complex custody, divorce, child support and family related immigration cases.

Priti decided to pursue a career in law in order to join a profession where she could directly and positively impact people and their lives. During law school Priti worked with various non-profit legal organizations assisting victims of domestic violence and immigrants with their legal issues. After graduating from law school Priti...

Attorney Rachel Fierro received her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Maine and her Juris Doctorate from the New England School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts. Her primary practice areas are Family Law, Traffic and Criminal Law. She has been practicing for over 20 years. She is admitted to practice in Virginia, U.S. District Court and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Shirley Chim is an attorney with a solid foundation of professional experience in the areas of Family Law matters. Shirley has worked with families and individuals in Northern Virginia to help them understand the processes and complexities that are often presented in divorce, child custody, support, equitable distribution, adoption, and protective orders. Not only is Shirley a nationally ranked, skillful, and aggressive litigator, but she's also an effective negotiator and believes in empowering her clients in settlement and mediation where appropriate. Shirley is flexible and creative in her approach to law and works side by side with her clients...

Cherise Dyann Loy, formerly Cuevas is an attorney handling Collaborative, Family & Personal Injury Law. Our firm helps with Consent & Step-Parent Adoptions, International Adoptions, Re adoption, Special Immigrant Juvenile Petitions, Abuse & Neglect, CPS/Department of Family/Child Protective Services Cases, Child Custody, Divorce, Support, Alimony, Separation Agreements, Uncontested Divorce, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Prenuptial Agreements, Post-Nuptial Agreements, Name Changes, Birth Certificate Corrections.