Top Best Family Lawyers | 14010 Available

Mary G. McLaurin earned her law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law, where she graduated cum laude. Mary focused her studies in law school in the area of family law, where she participated in the Jeanette Lipman Family Law Clinic, and received a Certificate of Concentration in Family Law. After graduation, she served as clerk to the Honorable Stephen R. McCullough of the Virginia Court of Appeals. Following her clerkship, Mary returned to her passion for family law, joining the respected family law firm, DeFazio Bal, P.C.. With an impressive background, she has established herself in the field of divorce law at DeFazio Bal. She is known not only for her ability to resolve cases, but for her tenacity in fighting for her clients.. Mary enjoys spending her free time giving back to those in the community. She has participated in the Chesterfield Bar’s Wills for Heroes program, and is an active member of the Richmond Junior League.. Mary is also a proud Tar Heel, hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina and having received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. But she is delighted to now call Richmond home.

I am an attorney practicing law in the Central Virginia area for the past ten years.  The four most important things in my life are my family, my job, golf and the Duke Blue Devils.  I have always strived to be a good lawyer and each and every day I continue to work toward gaining more knowledge and perfecting my craft.

As a team we are the most willing to discuss fair and reasonable settlements, but we are also the last to back down from what we believe is the best solution.

Allison Coppage has 15 years of legal experience.  Born in Hampton, Virginia, Allison has been at Walker Jones since 2001.. Practice Areas. Admitted to the Ohio bar in 1999 and the Virginia bar in 2001.. Education. Professional Affiliations/Recognitions

Kim Luckey exclusively practices civil litigation focusing on family law and tortious claims such as defamation, malicious prosecution, and interference in business relations. Mrs. Luckey has deep experience negotiatng complex contracts and has succesfully litigated hundreds of matters related to family law and has succefully pursued and defended numerous defamation and malicious prosecution claims.. Kim is recognized for her analytical style, attention to detail, and her calm but stern demeanor. The litigation process often involves intense emotional disputes and Kim provides competent, effective representation while at the same time striving to limit the emotional toll on her clients. Kim listens to her clients' goals and works with them to develop a personalized strategic action plan tailored to meet those goals.. Kim previously worked at The Daugherty Law Firm for 12 years before establishing her own practice Daugherty Luckey, PLLC with her law partner Michael Daugherty.. Kim graduated cum laude from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2010. In law school, Ms. Luckey was selected as a member of the Moot Court Honor Board where she refined her oral advocacy. While a member of the Honor Board, Kim represented her law school in various oral advocacy competitions, earning a National Award for “Best Oral Advocate” from the Cincinnati School of Law’s August A. Rendigs, Jr. National Products Liability Moot Court Competition. Prior to entering law school, Kim graduated from Longwood University in 2008 with a B.S. in Political Science, concentrating in pre-law, and a minor in English.. Kim is a wife and mother of three – twins, William and Nellie and little sister, Scottie. Kim’s hobbies include gardening, long distance running, and winter sports

David D. Armistead III is a respected member of the Virginia State Bar who concentrates his practice in the areas of civil litigation, business law, contract disputes, complex family law, and personal injury cases involving catastrophic injury or death. Mr. Armistead began his career by negotiating bodily injury insurance claims for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Liberty Mutual found Mr. Armistead’s negotiations so effective it elected to record them for use in Liberty Mutual’s personal injury claims adjuster training program. Mr. Armistead was eventually promoted to Regional Analyst of Personal Markets for Liberty Mutual’s Northeast Region, which includes the states of New York and Pennsylvania. By working for Liberty Mutual, Mr. Armistead was able to witness the thought process, management style, and approach big insurance takes towards personal injury cases, as well as the ins and outs of business contracts, negotiations, and litigation. Mr. Armistead’s insurance background greatly assists his clients, as he not only understands the law behind those clients’ cases but also understands the business practices of those clients’ opponents.. Mr. Armistead began his legal career in law school by providing free legal service to indigent clients in housing law litigation and property disputes. Since that time, Mr. Armistead has successfully managed cases in state and federal courts. His cases involve trade secret litigation, government contracting, insurance fraud, administrative law, and complex divorce disputes involving high value asset distribution. His primary focus is getting his clients the legal results that can be achieved. Mr. Armistead believes each of his clients’ needs is unique. He, therefore, gives each client an exceptional level of personal attention, regardless of their case’s value.. Mr. Armistead received his undergraduate degree from The Pennsylvania State University, graduating with high honors. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from The Michigan State University College of Law, graduating Cum Laude.

Caitlyn S. Stubbs is an Associate Attorney at Rinehart Bryant, PLLC. Her career initially began defending clients against criminal charges in Northern Virginia. Family law ultimately became her passion, primarily focusing on military divorce and guardianship casework. She tirelessly pursues the best possible results for each client, either through negotiation or, when necessary, litigation.. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog Luca. In her free time, Caitlyn also enjoys cooking, reading, and traveling.

Martha graduated from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School in December 2001, and has been licensed with the Virginia State Bar since 2002. For nearly two decades she has been practicing in the Fredericksburg Area. She has been both a prosecutor and defense attorney and that experience has helped her fine-tune her trial skills. Her favorite place is in the courtroom. She takes great pride in not just being an excellent trial attorney, but also in providing her clients with the information & support they need to face their legal hurdles with confidence.. Martha’s areas of practice include:. When she isn’t in the courtroom, Martha enjoys spending time with her husband and children doing anything outdoors.

I am licensed to practice law in all courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our firm maintains an office in Prince George, Virginia. With years of service to Southside Virginia, we maintain a full-service firm with a focus on family law and real estate.

Divorce and other family law matters involve the most important and sensitive aspects of clients’ lives. I bring my extensive social work and family law experience to bear, to educate you about the law and how it applies to your particular circumstances. Then I work with you to evaluate and determine the best strategies for accomplishing your goals and furthering your priorities.. I love my job.  I enjoy the intellectual challenge of the law.  I find it incredibly satisfying to help people during difficult times in their lives.

Matthew Smith is a managing partner at Livesay & Myers, P.C., practicing exclusively family law. He is experienced in handling every type of family law matter in Virginia, including separation, divorce, custody and support cases. Mr. Smith works in the firm’s Fairfax office, and represents clients in Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington and all across Northern Virginia.An attorney since 2005, Mr. Smith has litigated every type of family law case in the courts of Northern Virginia, including high value equitable distribution cases, custody, support, and military divorce cases. He is the attorney in the firm most experienced in navigating the Fairfax County court system.One of the firm’s most knowledgeable military divorce lawyers, Matthew Smith is intimately familiar with issues of military retirement, the Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act, the Survivor Benefit Plan, disability pay, and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.. Mr. Smith holds the prestigious AV Preeminent rating (the highest possible rating) for ethical standards and legal ability from Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Smith has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Family Law every year since 2017. He was named a Super Lawyer in 2022–2025, after being named a Super Lawyers Rising Star each year from 2015–2020. Mr. Smith also holds a perfect 10.0 rating from both Avvo and Justia.. Matthew Smith resides with his wife and two sons in Tysons Corner.

Yolanda is a Virginia Beach native and graduate of Landstown High School. Yolanda went on to graduate from The University of Virginia with a B.A. in Foreign Affairs and Sociology with a minor in African American Studies. She obtained her law degree from the Syracuse University College of Law. During law school, Yolanda was a Senator for the Student Bar Association, chair for the Diversity Committee, executive board member for the Black Law Students Association, Editor for the Journal of International Law & Commerce, a member of the Moot Court Honor Society, and a member of the school's National Trial Team.. After law school, Yolanda began her career serving the Norfolk community as a Public Defender on their Juvenile & Domestic Relations Team. As a Public Defender, Yolanda was honored by the Norfolk Public Library and African American Community Creative Series as a AACCS Class of 2021 Distinguished Award Honoree for her public service as a youth and social justice advocate.. Yolanda is very active in her community as a life-long member of First Baptist Church of Lambert's Point in Norfolk, VA, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Yolanda also enjoys mentoring middle and high school students helping them navigate their lives to pursue their passions.

Litigation has traditionally been the only option to resolve legal matters. Challa Law was formed with the vision that mediation is a more effective tool for conflict resolution.. Ms. Challa has a unique background in counseling, law and mediation. This combination of empathy, legal training, and practical people skills has enabled her to be an effective communicator, facilitator and advocate.. She graduated with a B.A in Psychology and a minor in Women’s Studies and worked as a counselor in an outpatient treatment center for 5 years. In this position she counseled adults and juveniles facing behavioral, educational, legal, and substance abuse issues. She also conducted individual, family and group therapy. Although this experience provided a compassionate outlet for helping others, Ms. Challa desired a more active role in advocating for those in need and pursued legal studies.. During law school, Ms. Challa was recognized for distinguished oral advocacy in the first year, as well as an award for exceptional job performance in working for the school law library. She worked in the Family Law Unit of Legal Aid. In this position she worked closely with clients dealing with divorce, custody, and visitation issues. After graduation, she worked as a contract attorney for 3 years for a large corporate law firm.. After moving to the Hampton Roads area, Ms. Challa obtained certification from the Supreme Court of Virginia as a mediator and has been mediating cases for over 10 years. These included highly emotional and complex cases such as landlord-tenant, contract disputes, corporate issues, protective orders, and neighborhood disputes. From her extensive experience in court, Ms. Challa began to understand the power of mediation and its potential for change. This power was most evident in the area of Family Law due to the intensity of the emotions involved, and the likelihood of lasting negative impact on children.. When Ms. Challa is not helping clients resolve their legal issues, she can be found giving back to students and the community. Ms. Challa enjoys teaching and has taught legal courses as adjunct faculty at a local college. She has been given an award for superior teaching and professionalism.. Challa Law is committed to giving back to the community. She often participates by volunteering and fundraising to help children and families in the Hampton Roads area.. Currently a member of the Virginia Mediation Network, Virginia State Bar, Chesapeake Bar Association, Virginia Beach Bar Association, and the Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association.. She is currently certified in the following areas:. Supreme Court Certified Mediatior,Supreme Court Certified Peer Mediator,  Supreme Court Certified Guardian Ad Litem, Virginia Indigent Defense Commission, Certified Arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau