Top best E Lawyers in Fredericksburg | 116 available

While I practice in several areas of law, I really enjoy working with visionaries and entrepeneurs as they strive to create or manage their businesses. I'm licensed to practice law in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC, and I love having the opportunity to work in all 3 jurisdictions. When I'm not practicing law, I spend time working with and volunteering at the international non-profit I helped to found.

Welcome! I am honored that you decided to find out more about me. I am passionate about what I do & enjoy helping people. My goal is to protect your interest & to provide you with objective, legal advice so that you can make sound decisions. I will handle your case with the respect, the integrity, and the care you deserve.

Steven M. duBois, Managing Partner with the firm of Patent Portfolio Builders PLLC, practices in the areas of patent monetization, patent preparation and prosecution, patent opinions and patent licensing in the electrical and computer technologies. He has more than twenty-five years of experience in the patent field including corporate, law firm and government positions.. Prior to founding Patent Portfolio Builders, previously, Potomac Patent Group of Fredericksburg, he was the Chief Patent Counsel for a start-up optical networking company. In this capacity, Steve expanded the company’s patent portfolio by over fifty applications within one year.. Steve was previously affiliated with a large patent boutique for many years, most recently as an equity partner. He has drafted hundreds of original patent applications and authored numerous patent opinions and studies related to the scope and validity of patents. Steve has negotiated and drafted license agreements for corporations and individuals. He served as co-lead counsel in district court patent infringement litigation and was a member of a litigation team before the International Trade Commission (ITC). Steve has also mentored and trained numerous attorneys and patent agents.. Steve received his B.S.E.E. from Virginia Tech and was awarded his J.D. from George Mason University School of Law.. Prior to law school, Steve was a Patent Examiner at the United States Patent Office. Steve is admitted to practice law in Virginia and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.. EducationJuris Doctor, George Mason School of Law (Patent Track), 1993B.S.E.E., Virginia Tech, 1986. Bar AdmissionsUnited States Patent OfficeVirginia State Bar. Professional Associations and MembershipsAmerican Intellectual Property Law Association

Sarah Raymond graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University in 1999. She developed an interest in the law while she worked as a laboratory technician with Water & Waste Services in Genesee County, Michigan. Her work with DEQ and EPA regulations helped her to graduate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School with a concentration in Administrative Law in 2005. After Sarah relocated to Virginia, she began her legal career in 2007 as an Assistant Public Defender in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Over the years, Sarah has represented clients charged with everything from murder to littering. She is an experienced advocate protecting a client’s due process rights at all stages, whether it be at jury trial, suppression motion, plea negotiation, or appeal. Some of her appeals have even created case law. See Hunter v. Commonwealth, 6 Va. App. 50, 690 S.E.2d 792 (2010) and Moter v. Commonwealth, 61 Va. App. 471, 737 S.E.2d 538 (2013).. After 8 years of serving only the indigent that were charged with crimes, Sarah decided to move forward with her legal career in 2015 and open a general practice firm focusing on criminal defense and family law.

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 judge, gaining valuable insight into the inner workings of the Virginia judicial system. She then joined Livesay & Myers, P.C. and relocated to the Fredericksburg area in 2017.. Ms. Patras is known for her commitment to her clients, and is a zealous advocate for their interests both inside and outside the courtroom. Her satisfied clients have written some truly exceptional and heartfelt reviews expressing their thanks for her work on their behalf (see Client Reviews below).. Ms. Patras was included in the 2024–2026 editions of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for her work in Family Law. She has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year since 2019. Ms. Patras currently holds a perfect 10.0 rating from both Avvo and Justia.

Sara is a dedicated estate planning lawyer who represents clients throughout Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a native of Kentucky, but she spent much of her childhood in Raleigh, North Carolina. Sara attended North Carolina State University for her undergraduate education. At NC State, Sara majored in political science with minors in history and French. She graduated from NC State summa cum laude after only three years and went on to attend Campbell Law School in North Carolina.. At Campbell Law School, Sara participated in moot court and worked for several firms in the Raleigh-Durham area. Sara graduated from law school in 2012 after spending her summers working for Rappahannock Legal Services and Kurylo Gold & Josey, PLC. Upon graduation, Sara moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia to join her husband, who worked for the U.S. Navy. In 2020, Sara relocated with her family to Charlotte, NC.. When Sara is not zealously representing clients, she enjoys spending her free time with her husband, daughter, and twin sons. She also enjoys hiking, running, and biking.

Sandy is an experienced litigator whose practice is dedicated to standing up for the rights of clients who have been seriously injured through no fault of their own. She practices out of Allen & Allen's Fredericksburg office in the areas of personal injury litigation, including automobile and trucking accident litigation, product liability, and premises liability in both state and federal courts.  Prior to joining Allen & Allen, Sandy practiced law with a Richmond insurance defense firm where she gained valuable knowledge of how insurance companies and their attorneys evaluate claims and handle cases. She uses this understanding combined with her litigation experience to successfully advocate on behalf of her clients.. Sandy graduated magna cum laude from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia and then obtained a graduate degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.  Her early employment included working with the homeless population in Fredericksburg and with neglected and abused children in Stafford County, Virginia.  After graduate school, she was employed as a juvenile probation officer at Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and as a middle school counselor in Richmond Public Schools.  In 2001 Sandy received her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, first working as a commercial litigator at McGuireWoods, LLP and then practicing personal injury defense at Morris & Morris, P.C. in Richmond.. Sandy was listed as a "Rising Star" by Virginia Super Lawyers Magazine for three years. She is committed to advancing the profession of law and is a member of the Virginia Women's Attorney Association, the Richmond Bar Association, where she served on the continuing legal education committee, and the Fredericksburg Area Bar Association. She also served as the Chairperson of the Professional Liability Section of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys and is a current member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice.

Philip Wilson “Wil” Van Winkle is an associate attorney for Allen & Allen in the Fredericksburg office specializing in car accident and personal injury cases. A fourth-generation Allen, Wil believes that personal injury is an area of the law where the lawyer can do a lot of good.. Wil received his B.A. in History and Political Science from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. There, he was a member of Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society, and made the Dean’s List from 2012 to 2014. Wil received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he competed on the Extramural Moot Court Team and worked at the Legal Aid Justice Center.. Before joining Allen & Allen, Wil served as a law clerk at the National Association of Attorneys General in Washington, D.C. Wil has also worked as a writer and marketing intern, as well as a Summer Associate at Allen & Allen.. In his spare time, Wil enjoys traveling and backpacking, road and trail biking, and playing disc golf. Most recently, he completed a backpacking trip to Peru.

Nicole O’Neal is a partner at Butler Moss O'Neal, P.L.C. She practices exclusively family law, representing clients in family law matters, including a significant number of complex and contested cases.  Nicole is a New England native, but after enlisting in the United States Navy in 2008, she was stationed in Gulfport, Mississippi and transferred to Hampton Roads, Virginia. She completed two combat tours to Afghanistan, as well as an additional deployment to Japan focusing on humanitarian relief after the tsunami in 2011.. She became interested in family law when she was promoted to a non-commissioned officer and her junior troops began approaching her with their family problems such as divorce, child custody and visitation, and the division of marital property (including military retired pay) upon divorce. She familiarized herself with Virginia family law, as well as the federal laws governing military divorce cases. She found the material challenging yet rewarding—which led her to pursue a career as a family law seven years of active duty service, she attended the University of Richmond School of Law, where she received her Juris Doctor, graduating with the Family Law Certificate “with Distinction.”. Nicole’s practice is focused solely on domestic relations: she is experienced in handling every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody, and support cases. Nicole is known for her commitment to her clients, and is an aggressive and zealous advocate for their interests both inside and outside the courtroom. She represents clients in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford and surrounding areas.

Nathanael Buczek is an accomplished attorney dedicated to criminal defense and family law in Northern Virginia. While pursuing his law degree, he honed his legal skills as a Prosecutor for both the City of Toledo, Ohio, and Stafford County, VA. Upon graduation, Mr. Buczek established himself in private practice, taking on diverse cases that range from divorce and custody/support issues to trusts and estate matters. He has effectively represented clients facing a broad spectrum of criminal charges, including DUI, traffic offenses, assault and battery, felony drug offenses, and unlawful wounding. With a reputation for hard work and passionate advocacy, Mr. Buczek is dedicated to ensuring the protection of your legal rights in all aspects of criminal and family law.

My practice focus is personal injury with an emphasis in traumatic brain injury.  I'm a graduate of Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyer College in Dubois WY and have trained in brain dissection and neuroanatomy.

Mr. Carter is an experienced AV® rated lawyer practicing in the field of intellectual property law, including all aspects of patent law, such as patent licensing, patent litigation, patent preparation, patent prosecution, patent portfolio management and all related counseling. Although having a technical background primarily in the electrical, electronic and computer-related arts, Mr. Carter’s extensive legal and business experience and diverse technical interests make him particularly well-suited to assist clients with licensing and litigating patents in any field of technology, including biotechnology and pharmacology.

Matt began his legal career as a legal services specialist in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1998, then as an attorney in Fredericksburg in 2007. He is the founding partner of Select Law Partners, PLLC, a full service family and estate law firm serving clients in Virginia and North Carolina. In addition to providing assistance to clients, Matt serves as managing partner of the firm.. Matt received his B.S. from Campbell University and his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law. He grew up in Dumfries, Virginia and spent all of his childhood in the Dumfries/Woodbridge area. During his tour with the Marines, Matt worked with the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and Quantico, Virginia.. Matt’s primary focus is on family law (divorce, military divorce, custody, support, property division). The lawyers in his firm also focus their practice areas on estate planning, criminal and traffic defense, and general civil and business matters.. Matt is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Virginia, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Virginia and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Virginia.. Matt is also an active member of the Virginia State Bar, the American Bar Association, the Virginia Bar Association, the Fredericksburg Area Bar Association, the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the Virginia State Bar Sections on Family Law, Military Law, and Trusts and Estates.. Locally, Matt is active with Friends of the Rappahannock and the Fredericksburg Area Chamber of Commerce.. Military awards and commendations:Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, November, 1, 2002;Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, August 8, 2001;Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, November 16, 2004;National Defense Service Medal (Bronze Star in Lieu of Second Award), February 18, 2003;Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with “M” device), February 18, 2003.

Margaret Byers 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. Byers works in the firm’s Fredericksburg-Stafford office, and represents clients in Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and surrounding areas.. Ms. Byers graduated from William & Mary Law School in 2023. During law school, she worked at two different law firms in Williamsburg and the City of Richmond Attorney’s Office. Ms. Byers also served as an Ombudsman and as a Staff Member for the Journal of Race, Gender and Social Justice.. Prior to law school, Ms. Byers earned her undergraduate degree from Christopher Newport University, graduating magna cum laude and finishing on the Dean’s List in 8 of 8 semesters.. Ms. Byers currently holds a perfect 10.0 rating from Justia.

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 included in the 2021 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for her work in Family Law. She currently holds a perfect 10.0 rating from Justia.. Ms. Connolly is a qualified and experienced guardian ad litem in Virginia.. Lindsay Connolly resides in Fredericksburg.

Like most family law attorneys, I chose this practice area because I care deeply about children and families. Unlike many family law attorneys, however, I understand on a personal level how to navigate the emotional and financial struggles facing clients.  I have literally been in their shoes and those of their children. Having experienced these challenges personally, I am uniquely qualified to balance strategy and practicality while providing my clients with long term, positive life changing results.. My philosophy is that the best victories are those is which you win without having to fight. My job is to guide, support, and navigate my clients through the complexities of both the legal system and life, fighting the battles which are necessary and avoiding those which are not, with a focus of rebuilding and laying a solid foundation for the future.

Levi Norton is a graduate of The George Washington University and Regent University School of Law. He is a member of the Virginia Bar and former prosecutor. Early in his career, Levi spent two decades working throughout the tropics and polar regions, but his true passion is helping families, businesses and property owners with their legal needs here in Virginia.. Levi is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys hunting, fishing and cross country motorcycle racing with his wife and 2 children.. Levi’s areas of practice include:

Kristin devotes her practice entirely to litigation, and has extensive experience in both criminal and civil court. She is trained as a mediator, qualified as a Guardian ad Litem for children, and speaks fluent Russian (as well as some Czech, Ukrainian, and Spanish). Kristin graduated with a degree in philosophy from the prestigious University of Chicago, studied Eurasian Affairs at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Richmond's T.C. Williams School of Law. During law school, she had the distinction of being selected for a judicial placement with the Honorable Judge Melvin Hughes in Richmond Circuit Court and of earning a staff position on the Richmond Law Review. Kristin's interests include studying the psychology of addiction and advocating for the welfare of children and animals. She is known as an effective, passionate, and zealous advocate for her clients.

Junior Ndlovu has a passion for helping clients when they are most in need. After taking on a pro bono case to help a disadvantaged family, he decided to become a plaintiff’s trial attorney in personal injury. He establishes trust with his clients, building stronger relationships.. Advocacy competitions have given Junior an edge when it comes to the courtroom. He brings to the table a strong confidence that comes from debating law and winning oral advocacy competitions. He primarily works out of the Fredericksburg office.. In his free time, Junior loves to play chess, take long walks, and listen to audiobooks. He grew up in Zimbabwe and came to the U.S. to attend college and law school. In law school, Junior met his wife, Natey. Her experience coming to the U.S. as a refugee from the Congo has inspired Junior to help build stronger support systems within immigrant communities. Junior and Natey enjoy traveling and entertaining friends.

Joseph M. Kirchgessner, a Fredericksburg area native, joined the team at Woehrle Dahlberg Jones Yao PLLC in the Spring of 2015.. After graduating from Courtland High School in 2005, Mr. Kirchgessner went on to attend Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA.  He graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in History.  Following a sixth summer of coaching a local swim team, he then worked for a small law firm in Fredericksburg, VA that focused on workers’ compensation cases for about two years before attending law school.. Mr. Kirchgessner attended St. Louis University School of Law and graduated in the Spring of 2014 with a concentration in Labor and Employment Studies.. His legal studies concluded with a full-time, semester-long externship in Washington, D.C. working at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  While there, Mr. Kirchgessner filled many roles, but mostly wrote appellate decisions for the Office of Federal Operations, a section of the EEOC that exclusively handles claims of employment discrimination in the federal sector.. Upon passing the Virginia bar, Mr. Kirchgessner immediately began working at a boutique employment law firm in Washington, D.C. that advised and represented federal and District of Columbia employees throughout the EEO process and other employment matters.. After about eight months in D.C., Mr. Kirchgessner returned to his roots in Fredericksburg, VA to join the Woehrle Dahlberg Jones Yao team as an advocate for his clients in a variety of matters.  His practice areas cover, among other things, Domestic Relations, Employment, Personal Injury, Disability, Business, and Wills, Trusts, and Estates.

It's hard to think about life after you're gone - but with my help, you can ensure that your loved ones will be taken care of. With eight years of experience as an estate planning and administration attorney, I have the resources and knowledge necessary to create a plan that can fully avoid probate and many of the other complexities of estate administration that most people miss, minimize the taxes on assets after you pass, and protect your beneficiaries to ensure your legacy lasts.. No matter what kind of estate planning assistance you need: establishing a guardian for minor children or dependent adults, creating business succession plans for your small business, utilizing the many benefits of revocable living trust and other advanced trust planning strategies...my team and I are here so together we can provide peace-of-mind knowing that everyone you love is safe now & later on down the line!. Get the ball rolling and call today and schedule your intial planning session.

I strive to help families resolve their disputes in the easiest and most cost-effective manner possible.

I have practiced criminal defense law for over 28 years and pride myself on my aggressive defense of clients.

I have devoted my career to the practice of criminal law.  From my early days in law school, when I clerked at one of the most prestigious criminal defense law firms in Richmond, to the present day.  When I graduated law school I accepted a position with that same firm — the first offer extended to a law clerk in over fourteen years.  I learned a great deal from those lawyers and enjoyed success in matters ranging from traffic infractions to serious felonies such as aggravated malicious wounding and attempted murder.  I got around, too, representing clients in the courts of over thirty Virginia jurisdictions, as well as in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.. Feeling the call to public service, I took a job as prosecutor for the City of Fredericksburg in 2006. During my time with the City I prosecuted nearly every imaginable type of case and I routinely advised and trained the police officers with whom I worked.  I also served as a special prosecutor in Hanover, Spotsylvania, and Stafford Counties in certain matters.  In February 2009, I completed a course of in-depth training in the prosecution of online crimes against children.  I was only one of eighty or so prosecutors selected nationwide for that course of study.. I am admitted to practice in the state courts of Virginia and in the United States District Courts of the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, as well as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. I am a member of the Fredericksburg Area Bar Association, and serve on the Judicial Selection Committee and the By-Laws Committee.  I also serve as Chair of the Sixth District Committee of the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board.. I represent defendants in criminal trials and appeals throughout Virginia.. Email me at  or call me at to discuss your case.

I have been practicing Criminal Defense since 2004.  My firm and I are dedicated to the defense of anyone who has been charged with a crime, be it a relatively minor traffic offense to serious felonies.  It is my deep pleasure to help people and to protect thier rights in and out of the courtroom.  Though I have been in many courtrooms in central and northern Virginia, primarily I practice in Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, King George County, and the City of Fredericksburg.. When not in the courtroom, my intersts include, spending time with my family, reading, rooting for my favorite sports teams, and playing with our two dogs.