Carolyn M. Grimes
Wade, Grimes, Friedman, Meinken & Leischner, PLLC
Years In Practice
29
Carolyn Grimes is a partner in the firm, practicing in all areas of family law including divorce, spousal support, child custody, child support, equitable distribution, retirement issues, and prenuptial agreements, among other areas. She practices in all of the Circuit and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts in Northern Virginia and has argued before the Court of Appeals. She has lectured on family law topics ranging from custody to retirement issues, including military, federal, civilian and Foreign Service retirement issues, for various organizations in the Commonwealth. In addition to traditional litigation, Ms. Grimes practices law in the collaborative law model. She is also a mediator herself.
Named a Top Attorney in 2015 from Washingtonian Magazine, Ms. Grimes actively serves the community as well. She was the 2009 and 2006 President of the Board of Directors for Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV), has served on its Board for many years and has performed many hours of pro bono work for the organization. She is a Past President of the Alexandria Bar Association, for which she has co-chaired the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee and chaired the “Beat the Odds” Program, a scholarship program for youths who have overcome adversity. She also participated in the American Bar Association program offering legal assistance to victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks. She is currently serving her second term on Bar Council for the Virginia State Bar and has been a panel chair for the Virginia State Bar Fee Dispute Program as well.
Collaborative law is a process of alternative dispute resolution designed to keep the parties out of court. Counsel who have been trained in the collaborative law process and other professionals, such as financial professionals and custody experts, engage in a series of meetings with the clients designed to develop creative solutions to the issues in a divorce and agree on peaceful, practical solutions. Ms. Grimes has been trained in the collaborative model since 2006 and practices in this model as well as more traditional settlement or litigation models. She is also a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP).
Ms. Grimes is also a mediator and can act as the neutral mediator for both parties. Mediation is also an alternative dispute resolution process designed to have parties agree outside of court proceedings. If you are interested in using Ms. Grimes as a mediator, please contact our office. One party may initiate the contact to set up the appointment but as a mediator, she needs to meet with both parties together for the mediation process.
- 2011 Leader in the Law, Virgnia Lawyers' Weekly
- 2015 Washingtonian Top Lawyers
- AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
- 2016 Top Rated Family Law Lawyer
- 2016-17 Top Rated Lawyers in Virginia, Richmond Magazine, Washington Post Magazine
- 2019, 2008, 2013-14 Virginia’s Legal Elite
- 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019 Top Lawyer by Northern Virginia Magazine
- 2017-2019 Super Lawyers Top 100 in Virginia
- 2017-2019 Super Lawyers Top 50 Women in Virginia
- 2019 Top Attorney by Arlington Magazine
- 2019 Gold Member by the Rule 6.1 Society for the Legal Services of Northern Virginia
- 2014-2020 Best Lawyers in America, U.S News & World Report
- 2019 Top-Rated Lawyer by Avvo
- 2018 Client Champion Silver Award by Martindale-Hubbell
- 2017-2018 Best Women Lawyers in Virginia by Virginia Living magazine
- 2014-2019 Avvo.com Rating of 10.0
- 2001 Northern Virginia Pro Bono Attorney of the Year award, LSNV
- 2017-2019 Super Lawyers Top 100 in Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
