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Mr. Graves became associated with the firm in 2007, and concentrates on criminal law, traffic matters, personal injury, family law, estate planning, creditor/debtor law, and landlord/tenant law.Mr. Graves was born in Seattle, Washington where he attended the University of Washington and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law, Society and Justice. During this time Mr. Graves interned for the Public Defender’s Office in Seattle. Mr. Graves received his Law Degree from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. While in Law School, Mr. Graves interned for the Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, the Norfolk Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the Norfolk Public Defender’s Office. Following this, Mr. Graves worked for George Holton Yates and Associates in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is admitted to practice before all Courts within the Commonwealth of Virginia.Mr. Graves is a member of the Norfolk - Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and Virginia State Bar Associations. He is also a member of the American Bar Association.If you need to speak to Ryan Graves right away, please call the office at and set up an appointment through his paralegal, Maria Karpov, or email him directly at

I am an associate with the firm of Shannon & Associates who concentrates in family law, criminal law, elder law and civil litigation.. I practiced with the firm of Tavss Fletcher for nearly seven years, and am now with the firm of Shannon & Associates.. I was born and raised in New Zealand.  I graduated from Waikato University Law School in Hamilton, New Zealand, and was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in 1998.  After practicing law in New Zealand for several years, I moved to the US in 2003.  I received a LLM from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary in 2010 and was admitted to practice law in Virginia. If you would like to schedule an appointment with me, you can e-mail me  at   You can also call the office at.

Emily Rebecca Dunn, Esq. is a family law attorney and a passionate advocate for families and children. She strives to resolve disputes while preserving the parties’ relationship by bringing a cooperative approach to the table. Emily is dually barred in both Virginia and Florida. As a military spouse, she is familiar with the additional layers of complication faced by military families when they separate. Emily practices in the Hampton Roads area with a focus on Chesapeake and the Fifth District. Emily accepts court appointments as Guardian ad litem in Suffolk and Chesapeake.. When not serving her clients, Emily can be found chauffering her three children to and from their activities.

Anusce Sanai was born and raised in Lucca, Italy. She moved to the United States in 2001, where she completed both her undergraduate studies and her law degree.  Attorney Sanai worked in both the civil and criminal areas of the law for over 4 years, gaining valuable experience in a variety of matters including criminal law, family law and immigration law. She has helped clients in a variety of matters, acquiring efficient strategy to achieve the best results for the client. In addition, Attorney Sanai successful clerkship provided her with invaluable understanding of courtroom practices and procedures. During her academic career she was also Associate Editor and Symposium Coordinator of the New England Journal of International and Comparative Law, which allowed her to be involved in current issues that affect both national and global legal issues.     Attorney Sanai’s diverse background, Italian upbringing and world travels have allowed her to master a few languages. She also had the opportunity to learn from different cultures and to appreciate a variety of traditions and customs. This experience transcends in her interaction with the client, creating level of comfort needed for a worry-free interaction.  Attorney Sanai speaks also Italian and Farsi.

My practice consists exclusively of Family Law cases, representing a wide range of individuals with a great variety of Family Law issues. I enjoy the satisfaction of helping my clients attain their goals through negotiations and mediation or, when necessary to obtain a just result, through court. I handle cases at the trial court and appellate level.

Kabara Korth Praskavich is a partner at Maddox & Gerock whose legal career has been dedicated exclusively to domestic relations. She guides clients through emotionally difficult transitions with clarity and compassion, ensuring they understand each phase of the legal process — from objectives to strategy — in a time that often feels overwhelming. Her work spans a full range of family law matters, including child custody, support, division of property, and post-decree enforcement.. Kabara brings particular insight to cases that involve intricate financial issues such as business valuations, executive compensation, and waste analysis. She is frequently invited to speak on these topics at national conferences and continuing legal education events.. Her approach to each case is shaped by its particular facts and the goals of her client. While some matters can be resolved through negotiation or mediation, others demand extensive litigation and the involvement of financial and psychological professionals. Kabara helps clients weigh the emotional and financial costs of each available path, tailoring the strategy accordingly.. A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Kabara moved to the Washington, D.C. area for law school and received the school’s pro bono certificate after completing more than 350 hours of volunteer work — nearly all of it in family law. During law school, she interned at the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, where she assisted LGBT and HIV-positive service members facing court-martial and discharge under the now-repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. She also clerked in the D.C. Superior Court, working on matters related to adoption, civil commitment, and child protection.. Kabara earned her undergraduate degree in history from the University of Chicago. She lives in Maryland with her spouse, children, and their dog. Outside the office, she enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, and indulging her enthusiasm for all things nerdy.

For most people, the prospect of getting a divorce is incredibly emotional and stressful. Our clients often tell us that the unknowns surrounding what will be involved in the process, or what will happen after they are divorced, are the most anxiety-provoking parts. You will need a divorce lawyer who understands the process and the importance of communicating with you. Our divorce lawyers, from the very first consultation to the last, will focus on your individual needs and specific concerns and tailor their approach to help you address them. When you’re ready to speak to one of our divorce lawyers, schedule an appointment online, or call our offices.

Lisa Levi has been in private practice since 2000 as a family law attorney.  She practices primarily in Fairfax and Loudoun County, but also has experience in other Northern Virginia jurisdictions, including Arlington, Alexandria, Prince William, Fauquier and Stafford.

Li-Shann Durst is a family law attorney, certified by the Virginia Supreme Court as a mediator, and she is a trained collaborative divorce practitioner. Li-Shann has a passion for families and has served individuals from diverse backgrounds and economic circumstances. She has advised clients on various family law matters pertaining to divorce such as custody, parenting time, property distribution, and support. She has negotiated and drafted marital settlement agreements and represented clients in court hearings.. Previously, Mrs. Durst worked in the area of finance. She brings her experience in finance to inform her decisions in family law matters. Mrs. Durst provides well-informed, prudent advice to her clients, with the sensitivity and compassion they deserve during one of life's most challenging season.. Having been a litigator, Mrs. Durst now turns her attention to resolving family law issues using mediation and collaborative practice. She strongly believes that mediation and collaborative practice provide families an alternative to litigation that is more dignified.

"What does the symbol on your logo mean?". Clients who visit my office or website will find an unqiue symbol. The symbol is an "ampersand" my partner and I designed when we started the firm.. The ampersand "&" is a logogram, that is a drawing that represents a word. The symbol originates in Roman times as the word "et" as in "etc." or "et al" meaning "and." In the centuries that followed, the repeated writing of the word "et" morphed into a symbol.. Because my firm believes effective legal solutions are best achieved through a collaborative effort between our team and you, we elected to create a logo that reflects this view. Thus, we took elements of each historical ampersand and combined them to create our own collaborative ampersand and used it as our logo.

Ryan M. Schmalzle is a cum laude graduate of George Mason University School of Law.  After law school, Mr. Schmalzle worked at the law firm of Wiley Rein on K Street, NW in Washington, DC.  Mr. Schmalzle left Washington, DC and the big firm culture to practice in Leesburg, Virginia Ryan started Beckman Schmalzle PLC with his close friend and colleague Spencer Beckman because they both share the business philosophy that people matter most of all and they wanted to work for a business with that core value.  The majority of Mr. Schmalzle’s practice involves family law issues, and Mr. Schmalzle also represents clients in general civil litigation cases and criminal cases.  Mr. Schmalzle resides with his wife and daughter in Frederick, Maryland.

For over a decade, Sarah Bruns has been aggressively protecting the rights of her clients in Northern Virginia in matters of Family Law, Criminal Defense, and Drunk Driving (DUI/DWI) Defense.. As a seasoned trial attorney, Sarah has defended individuals charged with Murder, Rape, Robbery, Theft, and Drug Possession/Distribution. 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 practice also extends to Family Law cases, including Divorce, Child Custody and Visitation, Child Support, Protective Orders, Child Protective Services, and Child Abuse and Neglect cases. Her experience in litigation is an asset to her clients in the courtroom; yet she also believes in the value of out-of-court client counseling and a zealous negotiation. Her clients can trust that she has the skills to advocate for them both in and out of the courtroom.. Sarah has been qualified to serve as a Guardian ad Litem for children in the Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. In this role, she ensures that the interests of the most vulnerable are not forgotten.. At the outset of her career, Sarah clerked for the Honorable William D. Hamblen in the Circuit Court of Prince William County (31st Judicial Circuit). There, she learned firsthand what a judge expects regarding professional behavior and effective advocacy. Sarah continues to use this insight to make winning arguments for her clients.. Sarah believes that bettering herself and the community benefits everyone, especially her clients. She spends her spare time volunteering within and outside of the legal community. She is an Officer and a member of the Board of Directors for the Loudoun Community Cat Coalition, a prominent local 501(c)(3) animal welfare organization. She also fosters cats and kittens and goes out in the field to engage in TNR (trap, neuter, release). If you have some spare time, ask her about it, she’d love to tell you all about it. Sarah is also a mentor for the Thomas D. Horne Leadership in the Law Summer Camp, and routinely signs up for volunteer experiences as they become available. Sarah is an avid cyclist and can been seen along the W&OD trail and the many gravel roads of Loudoun County.

John P. Lavinus IV is an associate at the firm’s Fairfax office, where he works with individuals who are dealing with divorce, custody, support, and other significant family law issues throughout Northern Virginia. John believes that every client’s case is unique and requires special consideration and works to provide each and every one of his clients with a strategy that is tailored to their specific needs. John is a Virginia native, hailing from Richmond where he attended the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies, before going on to receive a double-major in Pre-Law Studies and History from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. John then studied law at the University of the District of Columbia, where he performed over 700 hours of pro-bono legal work for the benefit of the District and its diverse community. John has also studied International Human Rights Law at the University of London, worked with a legal outreach program to assist at-risk families in Jacksonville, Mississippi, and worked closely on several campaigns in the fields of chemical security, diversity in education, labor rights, and LGBTQ issues. He now utilizes that same passion for community service and outreach in his work as an advocate on behalf of his clients.. Upon graduating from law school and passing the Bar, John returned to Northern Virginia and has been practicing family law ever since. He joined the DiPietro Law Group in 2018 and has ample experience in serving clients with their family law issues in Northern Virginia. John has extensive experience working with a diverse array of clients in almost every aspect of the family law field, including those from the LGTBQ community.

Attorney Jonathan P. Budlong earned his J.D. from Western New England College of Law. From the start of his career, he encountered difficult, highly emotionally charged family law cases, including divorce cases that involved criminal aspects. He understands the importance of thinking outside the box and settling cases outside of court when he can. However, Jonathan is also prepared to go through litigation and has a deep understanding of the court process. With him on your side, you can feel confident you will achieve your goals.

Kayleigh’s legal career has always been in family law, beginning with a matrimonial firm in Fairfield County.