Family Law/Divorce Archives - Nichols Zauzig

Six Nichols Zauzig attorneys honored by 2025 Best Lawyers in America

Maureen — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 20:46:28 +0000

Congratulations to Chuck Zauzig, Paul F. Nichols, Cassandra M. Chin, Claire Keena and Melissa Ray for being selected by their peers to be included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. We also congratulate Matthew Davis for being selected by his peers for the 2025 Best Lawyers® “Ones to Watch.”

In addition, Mr. Zauzig has been recognized as the 2025 D.C. region’s Lawyer of the Year for Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs. This is the seventh time Mr. Zauzig has been named as Lawyer of the Year for either Medical Malpractice Law or Personal Injury Litigation by Best Lawyers®.

Mr. Zauzig and Mr. Nichols have each been recognized annually since 2006. Mr. Zauzig is included for both Medical Malpractice Law and Personal Injury Litigation. Mr. Nichols is recognized for Family Law, as is Ms. Chin, for the sixth consecutive year.

Ms. Keena, selected by Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Litigation since 2021, earned the honor again for 2025. Ms. Ray has been selected for the fourth consecutive year for Medical Malpractice Law. Mr. Davis has been honored by Best Lawyers for inclusion in the “Ones to Watch” since 2023.

Best Lawyers in America is an annually released peer review guide to the legal profession. For more details on methodology and the selection process, visit www.bestlawyers.com.

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Walking to support ACTS of Prince William County

Maureen — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 21:03:41 +0000

Braving the rain and wind, a team from Nichols Zauzig recently participated in the IWalk for ACTS annual 5K at Potomac Town Center in Woodbridge.

Attorneys Cassandra Chin, Andrew Taylor and Randell Scism, together with paralegals Renee Rogers, Donna Burger, Carrie Constable and Carly Ramey had fun walking to raise money for Action in Community Through Service (ACTS). This non-profit organization provides relief, fosters hope and promotes self-sufficiency for the greater Prince William County area.

Thanks to the generosity of the community, last year’s IWalk for ACTS raised more than $100,000 in support of ACTS programs, which include emergency assistance for utility bills, hunger prevention, thrift store, emergency shelter, permanent housing assistance and services for domestic violence and for sexual assault.

We are proud to support such a vital resource for the community where we work and many of us and our clients live!

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Family Law group provides breakfast for SERVE shelter guests

Maureen — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:29:14 +0000

On a recent Sunday morning, the Nichols Zauzig Family Law Section brought the comfort and warmth of home-cooked meals to about 60 guests at the SERVE Family Shelter in Prince William County.

The group provided, prepared and served nutritious meals for shelter residents. “We enjoyed being a part of helping others in our community, meeting all of the families, and especially loved seeing the smiles on the children’s faces,” said Paralegal Renee Rogers.

Group photo, l to r: Paralegal Shannon Arsenault, Attorney Andrew Taylor, Attorney Cassandra Chin, Paralegal Renee Rogers and Attorney Randell Scism.

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6 Nichols Zauzig Partners Honored by Best Lawyers® for 2024

Maureen — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 22:17:52 +0000

Congratulations to Chuck Zauzig, Paul F. Nichols, Cassandra M. Chin, Claire Keena and Melissa Ray for being selected by their peers to be included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. We also congratulate Mike Hollingsworth for being selected by his peers for the 2024 Best Lawyers® “Ones to Watch.”

Ms. Keena, selected by Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Litigation since 2021, earned the honor again for 2024. Ms. Ray has been selected for the second consecutive year for Medical Malpractice Law. Mr. Hollingsworth has been honored by Best Lawyers for inclusion in the “Ones to Watch” for the third year.

Best Lawyers in America is an annually released peer review guide to the legal profession. For more details on methodology and the selection process, visit www.bestlawyers.com.

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Nichols Zauzig Recognized Among Largest Law Firms in Virginia

Maureen — Tue, 30 May 2023 15:21:36 +0000

Nichols Zauzig is pleased to be named as one of the largest law firms in Virginia, according to Virginia Lawyers Weekly. The 2023 survey of “Virginia’s Largest Law Firms” is based on the number of Virginia-licensed lawyers practicing from an office located within the commonwealth.

Nichols Zauzig is also a Tier One Best Law Firm in America and has been since 2010, as recognized by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. The firm qualifies in the practice areas of Medical Malpractice/Personal Injury and Family Law.

Located in Woodbridge, Virginia, Nichols Zauzig was founded in 1989 by Chuck Zauzig and Paul Nichols who have since earned some of the highest accolades in the practice of law. Other attorneys include: Partners Cassandra Chin, Melissa Ray, Claire Keena and Mike Hollingsworth; and Associates Melanie Rice, Andrew Taylor and Randell Scism.

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Attorney Cassandra Chin elected Vice President of National AAML

Maureen — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 03:30:17 +0000

We are excited to announce that Cassandra Chin, a partner with Nichols Zauzig, was elected one of the Vice Presidents of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) at the organization’s recent Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Ms. Chin has been on the AAML Executive Committee since 2018, having served most recently as Secretary, and prior to that time, as Membership Committee Chair.

After meeting the stringent membership criteria, Ms. Chin became one of the youngest fellows to be accepted into AAML in 2013. In 2014, she was elected as the Virginia representative to the National AAML.

Admission standards to become an AAML fellow are extensive and comprehensive and only 13.7% of all family lawyers in the U.S. are elected members, including 52 in Virginia.

To even begin the process, applicants must have a minimum of 10 years as a practicing attorney, with 75% of their practice being in the area of matrimonial law. The vetting process includes a written and oral exam, as well as detailed questionnaires to opposing counsel, sitting judges and every AAML fellow in the state of application. The applicant must also meet a certain number of hours of annual continuing legal education, and demonstrate substantial involvement and leadership in the field of matrimonial law. Each applicant must have substantial trial experience as lead counsel for complex matrimonial law litigation.

Ms. Chin joined Nichols Zauzig in 2001, the first job of her career. Early on, she became involved with local and state bar associations. Ultimately, she became the youngest person ever to serve on the Board of Governors for the Virginia State Bar Family Law Section, later becoming Chair.

Since 2019, Ms. Chin has also been a fellow with the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, consisting of the top 100 family law attorneys in the nation.

We are proud to celebrate Ms. Chin’s national leadership position and look forward to her next accomplishment!

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5 Nichols Zauzig Partners Named Best Lawyers® for 2023

Maureen — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 22:48:55 +0000

Congratulations to Chuck Zauzig, Paul F. Nichols, Cassandra M. Chin, Claire Keena and Melissa Ray for being selected by their peers to be included in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

Also recognized in Family Law is Ms. Chin, who has been honored since 2020. Ms. Keena has been named to Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Litigation and Ms. Ray for Medical Malpractice Law.

According to the Best Lawyers 2023 magazine, 13 million peer evaluations were completed for nominated attorneys across the U.S and 75 other countries around the world in 148 practice areas. From that process, 129,518 attorneys in total were recognized, including 3,362 in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

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Nichols presented with Family Law Lifetime Achievement Award at 2022 Virginia Bar meeting

Maureen — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 17:00:10 +0000

Paul F. Nichols was honored last month with the Virginia State Bar Family Law Board of Governors Lifetime Achievement Award, which he earned in 2021, but the in-person presentation was delayed until this year’s ceremony due to the pandemic. One attorney is selected annually for this award at the discretion of the Board of Governors.

The Honorable Rossie Alston, Jr. presented the plaque award to Mr. Nichols at the Annual Family Law Seminar, held in person last month at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond.

Mr. Nichols has practiced law for nearly 43 years with Nichols Zauzig, located in Woodbridge and Manassas. A fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Nichols has extensive litigation experience and helped create the family law section of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association in the 1980s. He has been on the board of governors of the Family Law section of the Virginia State Bar and is a frequent lecturer and author on family topics.

Nichols has been a Commissioner in Chancery for the Circuit Court of Prince William County since 1985. He served in the Virginia General Assembly House of Delegates from 2008-2010, where he drafted and helped gain passage of several family laws in the Commonwealth.

A graduate of King’s College and George Mason University College of Law, Mr. Nichols has been the recipient of numerous peer awards including Best Lawyers in America, Washington DC and Virginia Super Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell’s preeminent AV rating. He devotes his charitable efforts to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Breast Cancer Awareness, among others.

Photos caption (left to right): The Honorable Rossie Alston, Jr. and Paul F. Nichols; Paul F. Nichols and his wife, Linda Nichols; Friends & family gathered at The Jefferson Hotel to honor Mr. Nichols’ achievement.

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Paul Nichols Receives Virginia Bar’s Highest Honor for Family Law

Maureen — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:43:23 +0000

Paul F. Nichols is the 2021 recipient of the Virginia State Bar Family Law Section’s highest honor, the Betty A. Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award recognizes one member of the bar annually who has made a substantial contribution to the practice and administration of family law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is given at the discretion of the VSB Family Law Section Board of Governors.

Mr. Nichols has practiced law for nearly 43 years with Nichols Zauzig, located in Woodbridge, Virginia. A fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Nichols has extensive litigation experience and helped create the family law section of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association in the 1980s. He has been on the board of governors of the Family Law section of the Virginia State Bar and is a frequent lecturer and author on family topics. Nichols has been a Commissioner in Chancery for the Circuit Court of Prince William County since 1985. He served in the Virginia General Assembly House of Delegates from 2008-2010, where he drafted and helped gain passage of several family laws in the Commonwealth.

In nominating Nichols, Carl J. Witmeyer II of The Witmeyer Law Firm in Ashland wrote: “No one that I know and have met in my 44 years as a practitioner in Virginia has exercised more efforts to improve the quality of justice in Virginia.”

To bring the arc of his family law practice full circle, Nichols was mentored early in his career by Betty A. Thompson, for whom the award is named, and considered her a close friend.

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6 Nichols Zauzig Partners Honored by Best Lawyers® for 2022

Maureen — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:54:18 +0000

Congratulations to Chuck Zauzig, Paul F. Nichols, Cassandra M. Chin, Claire Keena and Melissa Ray for being selected by their peers to be included in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. We also congratulate Mike Hollingsworth for being selected by his peers for the 2022 Best Lawyers® “Ones to Watch.”

Also recognized in Family Law is Ms. Chin, for the third consecutive year. Ms. Keena, first selected by Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Litigation last year, earned the honor again for 2022. Joining this esteemed group for the first year is Ms. Ray for Medical Malpractice Law. Mr. Hollingsworth has been selected by Best Lawyers for inclusion in the “Ones to Watch” for a second year.

According to the Best Lawyers 2022 magazine, 13 million peer evaluations were completed for nominated attorneys across the U.S and 75 other countries around the world in 148 practice areas. From that process, 129,518 attorneys in total were recognized, including 3,362 in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

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