Pat McConnell, a principal in the firm with over 30 years of practice experience, chairs the firm’s Family Law & Domestic Relations practice group. Mr. McConnell concentrates his practice on family law issues, having both a trial and appellate practice in family law including: equitable distribution, custody, visitation and support. A significant part of his practice includes representing clients in the areas of interstate family law; international family law; divorce taxation; premarital and postnuptial agreements; and divorce generally.

Mr. McConnell is a frequent speaker throughout Virginia on various family law and ethics issues for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the Virginia State Bar.  Mr. McConnell has been included in The Best Lawyers in America list every year since 2006, was selected for inclusion as a Virginia Super Lawyer since 2006, and as a Washington, D.C. Super Lawyer since 2007.  He has been consistently recognized in Washingtonian magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine since 2009 as a one of the area's top divorce lawyers.  His peers have recognized him by naming him to be among Virginia Business magazine's Legal Elite for Family Law.

Practice Areas:

• Divorce
• Custody
• Child Support (child and spousal)
• Interstate Family Law
• International Family Law
• Divorce Taxation
• Premarital & Postnuptial Agreements

Education:

• J.D., Georgetown University Law School, 1975
• B.S., Business Finance, Old Dominion University, 1972

Professional Activities:

• Virginia State Bar
  • Family Law Section - Board of Governors, 1999-2006
  • Standing Committee on Legal Ethics, 2002-2003
  • Disciplinary Committee, 1992-1997
  • Member since 1975
• Fairfax Bar Association
  • Family Law Section, 1990-Present
• Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
  • Family Law Section, 1997-Present
• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 1998-Present
• International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2000-Present
• National Center for Family Law
  • Board of Directors, 2006-Present
• Commissioner in Chancery, Circuit Court of Fairfax County, 1988-Present
• Neutral Case Evaluator, Fairfax County Circuit Court, 1996-Present
• Substitute Judge for Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court & General District Court, 1994-2000

Community Activities:

• Dulles-Herndon Chamber of Commerce, 1980-Present
• Optimist Club of Reston, 1982-Present

Recent Seminars:

• Attorneys' Fees and Costs in Divorce Cases, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, January 2012
• Fault-What Difference Does it Make?, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, July 2011
• Tracing of Separate Assets, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, January 2010
• Valuation of Properties and Businesses, Fairfax Bar Association, May 2008
• Legislative Update, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association - Annual Family Law Seminar, July 2007
• The Evolving Role of Fault in Divorces, Virginia State Bar - 22nd Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar, April 2006
• Electronic Evidence, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, April 2005
• Experts, Evidence & Ethics in Your Child Custody Case, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers - Virginia Chapter, Annual Divorce Seminar, January 2005
• Tough Issues in Family Law, Virginia State Bar, Annual Family Law Seminar, October 2004
• What Every Lawyer In Virginia Should Know About Divorce, Virginia State Bar Mid-Year Conference, November 2003
• Comparison of Domestic Relations Law for Virginia, Maryland, and District of Columbia, July 2000

Articles:

• "The Value of Early Strategizing in International Family Law Cases," Navigating International Family Law, Aspatore, 2012.
• "CPAs and Financial Planners in Divorce," Family Law News, Summer, 2011.

Reported Cases:

• D'Ambrosio v. D'Ambrosio, 45 Va. App. 323, 610 S.E. 2d 876 (2005)
• Richardson v. Richardson, 30 Va. App. 341 (2000)
• Matthews v. Matthews, 26 Va. App. 627 (1998)
• Broom v. Broom, 15 Va. App. 497 (1993)
• Srinivasan v. Srinivasan, 10 Va. App. 728 (1990)
• Lovell v. Lovell, 18 Va. App. 64 (1988)

Admitted to Practice:

• Virginia

Pat McConnell, a principal in the firm with over 30 years of practice experience, chairs the firm’s Family Law & Domestic Relations practice group. Mr. McConnell concentrates his practice on family law issues, having both a trial and appellate practice in family law including: equitable distribution, custody, visitation and support. A significant part of his practice includes representing clients in the areas of interstate family law; international family law; divorce taxation; premarital and postnuptial agreements; and divorce generally.

Mr. McConnell is a frequent speaker throughout Virginia on various family law and ethics issues for the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the Virginia State Bar.  Mr. McConnell has been included in The Best Lawyers in America list every year since 2006, was selected for inclusion as a Virginia Super Lawyer since 2006, and as a Washington, D.C. Super Lawyer since 2007.  He has been consistently recognized in Washingtonian magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine since 2009 as a one of the area's top divorce lawyers.  His peers have recognized him by naming him to be among Virginia Business magazine's Legal Elite for Family Law.

Practice Areas:

• Divorce
• Custody
• Child Support (child and spousal)
• Interstate Family Law
• International Family Law
• Divorce Taxation
• Premarital & Postnuptial Agreements

Education:

• J.D., Georgetown University Law School, 1975
• B.S., Business Finance, Old Dominion University, 1972

Professional Activities:

• Virginia State Bar
  • Family Law Section - Board of Governors, 1999-2006
  • Standing Committee on Legal Ethics, 2002-2003
  • Disciplinary Committee, 1992-1997
  • Member since 1975
• Fairfax Bar Association
  • Family Law Section, 1990-Present
• Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
  • Family Law Section, 1997-Present
• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 1998-Present
• International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2000-Present
• National Center for Family Law
  • Board of Directors, 2006-Present
• Commissioner in Chancery, Circuit Court of Fairfax County, 1988-Present
• Neutral Case Evaluator, Fairfax County Circuit Court, 1996-Present
• Substitute Judge for Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court & General District Court, 1994-2000

Community Activities:

• Dulles-Herndon Chamber of Commerce, 1980-Present
• Optimist Club of Reston, 1982-Present

Recent Seminars:

• Attorneys' Fees and Costs in Divorce Cases, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, January 2012
• Fault-What Difference Does it Make?, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, July 2011
• Tracing of Separate Assets, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, January 2010
• Valuation of Properties and Businesses, Fairfax Bar Association, May 2008
• Legislative Update, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association - Annual Family Law Seminar, July 2007
• The Evolving Role of Fault in Divorces, Virginia State Bar - 22nd Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar, April 2006
• Electronic Evidence, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, April 2005
• Experts, Evidence & Ethics in Your Child Custody Case, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers - Virginia Chapter, Annual Divorce Seminar, January 2005
• Tough Issues in Family Law, Virginia State Bar, Annual Family Law Seminar, October 2004
• What Every Lawyer In Virginia Should Know About Divorce, Virginia State Bar Mid-Year Conference, November 2003
• Comparison of Domestic Relations Law for Virginia, Maryland, and District of Columbia, July 2000

Articles:

• "The Value of Early Strategizing in International Family Law Cases," Navigating International Family Law, Aspatore, 2012.
• "CPAs and Financial Planners in Divorce," Family Law News, Summer, 2011.

Reported Cases:

• D'Ambrosio v. D'Ambrosio, 45 Va. App. 323, 610 S.E. 2d 876 (2005)
• Richardson v. Richardson, 30 Va. App. 341 (2000)
• Matthews v. Matthews, 26 Va. App. 627 (1998)
• Broom v. Broom, 15 Va. App. 497 (1993)
• Srinivasan v. Srinivasan, 10 Va. App. 728 (1990)
• Lovell v. Lovell, 18 Va. App. 64 (1988)

Admitted to Practice:

• Virginia