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Domestic Relations

Overview

Divorce, child custody, support, marriage and adoption are all integral parts of the Bean, Kinney & Korman domestic relations practice.

Our experience and familiarity with these issues that most intensely affect the lives of our clients makes us exceptionally responsive to both their emotional and legal needs. We serve clients throughout Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, including those in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Reston, McLean and the surrounding areas.

Separation and Divorce

The breakup of a marriage is uniquely stressful, with emotion coloring choices at a time when important legal rights are at stake. Our attorneys, who have several decades (not just collectively, but for some, individually) of experience in representing clients in Virginia, suburban Maryland and the District of Columbia, can help guide you through this most difficult process.

We are courtroom veterans, who know the value and benefit of negotiation and mediation, providing objective counsel to our clients through separation and divorce actions of every nature, from uncontested through the most bitterly litigated. We have achieved peer recognition in numerous local and national publications including Washingtonian magazine and The Washington Post. We are also included in ratings services, such as Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers, as outstanding family law advocates.

Mediation

Mediation is a voluntary, consensual process using a trained, neutral third party to facilitate the negotiation of disputes, with the goal of reaching a binding settlement agreement.  It is an entirely confidential process with the focus of helping parties work together to come to a solution that fits their individual family. Most mediations at Bean, Kinney & Korman are conducted with the parties only without counsel present, typically in two hour increments of time over a number of weeks with the parties and mediator, though we also frequently conduct mediation with attorneys participating if requested.

Personal Approach

First of all, we listen. The dissolution of a marriage is difficult, emotional, stressful and can be extraordinarily complicated, but above all, it is acutely personal – we want to understand your position, your needs and your objectives. And our lawyers want to help you understand your rights and your options. We will not compromise our ethical obligations as professionals, but our development of strategies and choices of action will be responsive to your direction – this is your life and future. We don’t lose sight of that.

There are many strategies that can be pursued to accomplish your objectives – direct negotiation, alternative resolution processes, such as mediation or neutral case evaluation, collaborative law or, as a last resort, contested litigation.

We cannot make the emotional pain of a divorce go away. We can, and do, employ our skills, experience and judgment to help guide clients through the process. We protect their interests with all of the resources at our disposal and work with them to achieve a fresh start on which to build their future.

Child Custody and Support

Children are often the unfortunate casualties in a divorce. Our attorneys are sensitive to the intense emotions that are part of every contested custody matter. We provide understanding guidance on bringing in professional counseling assistance when that is constructive and appropriate. Our depth of experience litigating custody matters gives us an invaluable knowledge base to draw upon in advising our clients who face these challenges.

Division of Property

Apart from the knowledge that comes from experience in litigating property division, our domestic relations attorneys have immediate access within the firm to other practices focusing on the business , real estate , tax issues and estate planning that are frequently involved in divorces (which can include the division of the value of a spousal-owned business enterprise).

An important, and often poorly understood, aspect of property division is the handling of retirement benefits of each spouse. With the large federal workforce in our region, there is an additional need for specific knowledge about how federal benefits are handled in a divorce. These benefits require thorough analysis, have significant potential tax consequences, and require technically-qualified treatment in final divorce decrees. We make that knowledge available to you.

Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements

There are times and circumstances, whether before or after marriage, when a couple may wish to have an agreement settling how their assets will be divided, or not, if they later divorce. Although the parties may seem to be in complete agreement at the time, things can change when the marriage later fails. We are skilled in the preparation of agreements protective of our clients’ interests and designed to withstand any later challenge.

Collaborative Law

For couples seeking to end their marriage cooperatively, collaborative law is a means of resolving divorce issues without adversarial litigation. Instead, the parties sign an agreement binding them to the process and disqualifying their respective attorneys from representing them in any future domestic relations litigation. They are then brought together with their attorneys and any other professionals who may be necessary to address the matters involved, with the goal of reaching a negotiated resolution of those issues not previously agreed upon.

Collaborative Team

The Collaborative Divorce team is a group all working together for the benefit of the family.  Every party will have his or her own lawyer, but there are a number of other professionals and specialists working together to assess the needs of the family and assist with moving the process forward. The team can be comprised of the following:

Attorney: Your attorney will assist in gathering and analyzing information, evaluating consequences and settlement options, often in the context of various laws and statutes in your jurisdiction, and will ultimately prepare the required documentation to finalize your divorce.  Collaborative attorneys will offer legal advice, but with the goal of finding common ground and coming to a mutually beneficial agreement, rather than taking an adversarial approach like in traditional litigation.

Financial Specialist: A collaborative financial neutral can help with sorting through the family finances, which can often feel (and be) overwhelming.  The role of the financial professional can be to gather financial data, prepare net worth statements, prepare budgets, provide financial guidance, explain tax consequences, and evaluate/value assets.

Divorce Coach: A divorce coach is a mental health professional who can help develop and reinforce effective communication, help the team understand relevant aspects of the family history and dynamics, assist with managing conflict, and help develop strategies to support the transition into two households, particularly in cases where children are involved.

Child Specialist: The child specialist is a mental health professional functioning as a neutral to focus on the needs of the children in cases involving custody issues, typically a child psychologist or therapist with expertise in child development.  A child specialist can help develop a narrative to explain the divorce process to the children; assess the needs of the children and evaluate what parenting plan will be in the children’s best interests; and assist parents in developing a child-centered plan and communicating with each other.

Our attorneys are skilled in this process and are happy to discuss how collaborative law could work for you.

Theresa Mihalik, Lynn Hawkins, and Michelle Bieber are certified in collaborative law and affiliated with the D.C. Academy of Collaborative Professionals and Collaborative Professionals of Northern Virginia and Montgomery County, MD. Learn more.

Adoption

To the adoptive parent or parents, adoption is usually a happier occasion for our engagement as counsel. Sometimes there are difficulties presented by adoption procedures, and unfortunate times when the process is challenged by birth parents or others. We have the sensitivity, knowledge and skills to guide clients through the process while making it understandable.


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Publications

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News

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Events

  • See the Future
    Saturday, March 8, 2025
  • Done with Divorce Workshop
    Online, Wednesday, May 19, 2021
  • Second Saturday Divorce Webinar
    Online, Wednesday, April 14, 2021
  • Done with Divorce Seminar
    Online, Wednesday, October 14, 2020
  • Second Saturday Divorce Workshop
    Online, Wednesday, October 7, 2020
  • Dividing and Valuing Complex Assets in Divorce
    Webinar - 1:00 - 2:30 pm EST, Wednesday, August 7, 2019
  • Second Saturday – Arlington/Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Navy League Building, 1st Floor, Arlington, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Arlington/Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Navy League Building, 1st Floor, Arlington, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Arlington: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Navy League Building, 1st Floor, Arlington, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
  • Second Saturday – Fairfax: Free Seminar on Divorce
    Fair Oaks Courtyard Marriott in Fairfax, Virginia, Thursday, January 1, 1970
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