Heather A. Cooper

I am one of the three founding partners of Cooper Ginsberg Gray, PLLC, and helped launch the firm in November of 2004. Our founding principles are focused on providing compassionate and competent legal representation, advancing the legal profession, and giving back to the Northern Virginia community. Throughout my 25+-year career, my practice has been devoted to helping my clients navigate through family law matters. I have been privileged to represent mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, as well as extended family members in certain custody cases. I strive to connect with my clients on a personal level and provide them with a calming presence when handling their cases. I endeavor at all times to manage the case in such a way that reduces the financial and psychological impact of the divorce on the family. My main goal as a family law attorney is to assist my clients in reaching a negotiated settlement of all issues. If that option is not possible, my extensive trial experience enables me to effectively and efficiently present any family law issue to a court for determination. My courtroom experience includes litigating issues ranging from child custody, to distribution of property (including retirement assets, stock options and real estate), to issues pertaining to alimony and child support. I have also represented clients in protective order hearings, third-party depositions, and those seeking prenuptial agreements. I have developed a particular interest in cases in which one or both of the spouses is in the military. Having come from a family dedicated to military service, I have an intense interest in all aspects of military divorce, including jurisdictional issues and those related to the division of military retired pay. In addition to my trial experience, I have written briefs and presented arguments in Virginia’s appellate court system in such areas as validity of prenuptial agreements, spousal support modification, equitable distribution, and the effect of Social Security Disability payments on child support obligations. Outside of the courtroom, I give back to the legal community by conducting Continuing Legal Education seminars for other attorneys and paralegals. I speak on topics including basic divorce law for paralegals, premarital agreements, division of military retirement benefits upon divorce, litigation of custody issues, custody evaluations and enforcement of Marital Agreements. I also recently served as President of the Board of Directors for the Fairfax Law Foundation, the charitable arm of the Fairfax Bar Association. If you would like to schedule a consultation appointment with me, please call our office at (703) 934-1480 or complete our initial consultation form. I look forward to meeting with you.