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)
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
Certified in Family Mediation by the Virginia Supreme Court
Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely
respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.
