Brian M. Hirsch

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". Brian was presented with a 2017 Leaders in the Law award by Virginia Lawyer's Weekly for his extensive statewide work and leadership in Virginia family law.

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 Matrimonial Lawyers since 2004. He is also a current member of the Virginia Bar Association Family Law Coalition and served on the Virginia State Bar Fifth District Disciplinary Committee.

Published Works

Brian M. Hirsch and Daniel V. Poliner, Virginia Family Law Trial Handbook: Pleadings, Evidence and Strategies , Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2017

Brian M. Hirsch, Term Sheet or Bust, Legal and Practical Implications of Term Sheets in Mediation, Virginia Family Law Quarterly, Vol. No. 37, Number 4, 2017

Brian M. Hirsch, Unfaithfully Yours: Re-Examining Adultery as a Bar to Spousal Support, Virginia Lawyer, Volume 66, Number 1, 2017

Brian M. Hirsch, Evaluative Mediation: Friend or Foe, Resolutions, Office of the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Supreme Court, Dept. of Judicial Services, Division of Dispute Resolution, Volume 25, Issue 5, 2016

Brian M. Hirsch, Settlement or Bust! Ethical Implications of Late Night Settlements, Family Law News, Volume 31, Number 4, 2011

Brian M. Hirsch, Just be Quiet, Virginia Lawyer, Volume 59, Number 3, 2010

Brian M. Hirsch, Maximizing Your Chances of a Fee Award in a Family Law Case, Family Law News, Volume 30, Number 2, 2010

Brian M. Hirsch, Assessing "Manifest Injustice” in Spousal Support Cases: Playing the Blame Game, Virginia Lawyer, Volume 55, Number 7 , 2007

Betty A. Thompson and Brian M. Hirsch, A New Tool for the Divorce Lawyer: Using the Attorney Lien to Get Paid, Family Law News, Volume 26, Number 3, 2006

Brian M. Hirsch, You Bet Your Spouse’s Life: Examining Virginia's Position on Life Insurance in Divorce, Virginia Lawyer, Volume 53, Number 7, 2005

Brian M. Hirsch and William C. Wood, Monitoring Mediation: Identifying and Monitoring Uncertified Mediators in Virginia, Family Law News, Volume 23, Number 3, 2003

Honors

Fellow, Virginia Law Foundation, 2023

Virginia Family Law Section Service Award, 2020

Best Lawyers in America

Top Divorce Lawyers, Washingtonian Magazine

Top Divorce Lawyers, Northern Virginia Magazine

Legal Elite, Virginia Business Magazine

Leaders in the Law Award, Virginia Lawyer's Weekly, 2017

Seminars Presented

“Burdensome” Issues In Equitable Distribution Cases: Determining Burdens and Standards of Proof, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2023

Practical Advice: Evidence in Family Law Practice, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2022

Navigating Resist/Refuse Custody Cases, Fairfax Bar Association Annual Conference, 2022

Assisting Our Community: Neighborhood Outreach Program Training – Family Law, Northern Virginia Pro Bono Center, 2021

Where Should I Bring My Case? Strategic Considerations When There are Jurisdiction Options in Family Law Cases, Fairfax Bar Association, 2020

Resist/Refuse Custody Cases: When Children Won’t Go with a Parent, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2019

Avoiding, Bringing and Defending Rules to Show Cause, Fairfax Bar Association, 2018

Mixed Custody Child Support Guidelines, Loudoun Bar Association, 2018

Difficult Clients and Counsel in High-Conflict Cases: Being Ethical and Effective, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2018

The Gray Divorce: Divorcing Later in Life, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2017

Family Law Legislative and Case Law Update, Fairfax Bar Association, 2016

Trial Preparation and Presentation of Child Custody Cases, Northern Virginia Pro Bono Center, 2016

Difficult Clients and Counsel in High Conflict Cases: Being Ethical and Effective, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2015

Navigating the High Conflict Divorce, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2014

Getting to Yes, Fairfax Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, 2014

Everything You Wanted to Know About Child Support , Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, 2013

Examining the Trend Toward Shared Custody, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2011

Divorce, Foreclosure and Bankruptcy, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2011

Practicing Family Law at the Intersection of Divorce and Religion, Virginia Women Attorneys Assoc. and Fairfax Bar Association, 2010

Anatomy of a Spousal Support Hearing, Virginia Trial Lawyers Assoc., 2010

Spousal Support Trial Strategies, Fairfax Bar Association, 2009

Equitable Distribution in a Recession, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2009

Evidentiary Issues and Objections in Family Law Cases, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2008

23rd Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar, Moderator, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2007

The Evolving Role of Fault in Virginia (with Patrick McConnell), Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2006

Ethical Concerns in Dealing with Difficult Clients and Opposing Counsel, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2005

So You Thought You Could Avoid Family Law, Virginia State Bar, 2004

Family Law Discovery, Virginia Continuing Legal Ed. Foundation, 2004

Managing Equitable Distribution Cases, Half Moon Enterprises, 2003

Relocation Custody Cases, Fairfax Bar Association, 2002

Division of Stock Options in Divorce, Fairfax Bar Association, 2001

Rehabilitative Alimony, Fairfax Bar Association, 2000

Law School Faculty

Adjunct Professor, George Mason University, Antonin Scalia Law School

Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (Fall 2021 to present)