Allison W. Anders

Background & Education

Allison grew up in Chesterfield County, Virginia but always knew she would live in Virginia Beach one day. Both of her parents grew up in Virginia Beach, so her family visited there often and Allison still has lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins in the area.

When it came time to decide where to go to college, Allison chose Old Dominion University. After graduating from ODU in 1996, she lived at the Oceanfront and worked as a legal secretary for a small law firm in Chesapeake. Allison always wanted to be a lawyer, but working as a legal secretary confirmed her choice. In 1998, Allison left Virginia Beach and moved to New Orleans to attend the College of Law at Loyola University in New Orleans. In order to make ends meet, she went to law school at night and worked as a paralegal during the day at a small law firm that practiced insurance defense. Allison graduated from law school in December 2001 and continued working for the law firm in New Orleans until July 2002. That August she started working as a law clerk for an Administrative Law Judge with the Department of Labor.

After being admitted to the Virginia State Bar in June 2003, Allison started working for Jim McKenry at a small law firm in Virginia Beach. Her practice focused on traffic and misdemeanor defense and family law. In May 2006, she started focusing 100% of her practice on family law when she joined the firm of Kaufman & Canoles. Allison became a partner in January 2011 and remained at K&C until joining Parks Zeigler, PLLC in August 2015. In May 2022, Allison started Chaing Anders, PLLC with her partner, Cynthia Chaing.

Family Law Attorney Experience

• Allison is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, of which there are less than ten in the Tidewater area and less than 60 in all of Virginia. AAML Fellows are highly skilled negotiators and litigators who represent individuals in all facets of family law.

• Currently serving as the Publicity Chair of the Virginia chapter of the AAML

• Secretary of the Virginia Beach Bar Association (VBBA)

• Member of Virginia State Bar Association (VBA)

• Member of Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

• Previously served on the Young Lawyers Committee for the Virginia Beach Bar Association from 2003 to 2008, chairing that committee in 2007 and 2008. She also co-chaired the Membership Committee from 2009 to 2011.

• Served as co-chair of the golf committee for the Virginia Beach Bar Association in 2017 and chair for 2018

• Member of the VBA Family Law Coalition since November 2015

Recognition as a Family Law Attorney:

• AAML Fellow

• Super Lawyers by Super Lawyers.com

* Legal Elite by Virginia Business

• Best Lawyers by US News

• Top Lawyer by Coastal Virginia Magazine

• AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell

• 10.0 rating by AVVO

More about Allison

Outside of the law, Allison has served on the Board of Directors for REACH (Reading Enriches All Children), Inc. REACH is a local non-profit that supports the literacy needs of homeless and at-risk children living in shelters throughout the Hampton Roads area. Allison started as a director in 2009, became Vice-President of Programs in 2011, and served as President from 2012 through 2016.

Beyond her legal and community commitments, Allison spends as much time as possible with her husband and son. Allison and her family love the outdoors, so they try to spend summers at the beach, hanging by the pool and going on bike rides. They also enjoy camping and hiking in the spring and fall. Allison is also passionate about reading and loves a good suspense novel.

Allison's Recognitions

• Allison Anders is an experienced family law attorney with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

• Allison Anders Family Law Attorney 10.0 AVVO Rating

• Super Lawyers recognizes Allison Anders

• Allison Anders recognized as a Top Lawyer by Coastal Virginia Magazine

• Allison Anders Family Law Best Lawyers Recognition

• Legal Elite recognizes Allison Anders

• Allison Anders family law attorney Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent