Sonya L. Powell

Ms. Powell has been practicing solely in the area of family law since 1994. By limiting her practice exclusively to family law, she has become well versed and knowledgeable in all aspects of domestic relations litigation. Ms. Powell has litigated or settled cases involving complex issues of equitable distribution including tracing of separate property interests, valuation of businesses, retirement issues, and significant financial investments and portfolios. Ms. Powell has represented clients in alimony and child support cases on all income levels. She has had substantial courtroom experience in successfully defending against, and advocating for, imputation of income to a party for support purposes and deviations from child support guidelines for such factors as a child's special needs or private school costs. She also has litigated or settled child custody cases, involving diverse issues such as the admissibility of expert testimony of custody evaluators, substance abuse issues, domestic violence and relocation of a parent. Ms. Powell recognizes the emotional and financial benefits to her clients of resolving cases, if possible, without the necessity of going to court. Her primary goal is to settle cases through the negotiation process, which can include mediation, whenever possible. However, she is confident in her trial skills if her cases end up in court. Through the course of her representation, Ms. Powell's clients can be assured that she will be a strong, knowledgeable and well-prepared advocate for their interests. Ms. Powell receives a preeminent rating (AV) from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory and has been listed in the treatise The Best Lawyers in America since 2012. Ms. Powell is recognized as one of Virginia's Super Lawyers and one of the top 100 Super Lawyers in Virginia and top 50 women attorneys in Virginia. She was included in The Washingtonian magazine as one of Northern Virginia's top family law practitioners since 2018 and listed as a top divorce lawyer by Northern Virginia Magazine. Ms. Powell serves on the Board of Directors for the Falls Church-Mclean Children's Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing early education to all children, regardless of socioeconomic status. She is also a member of the Hispanic Bar Association of Virginia and Fairfax Bar Association. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Sonya L. Powell included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, 2011 - 2019 Northern Virginia Magazine Top Lawyer, 2015 - 2018 Virginia Top 50 Women, Virginia Top 100 (SuperLawyer), 2014 - 2019 Virginia Super Lawyer, 2012 - 2019 Washingtonian Magazine Top Family Law lawyers, 2018 Other Sources of Feedback About Sonya L. Powell Included on the 2026Virginia Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2025 Virginia Super Lawyers list 2024 Virginia Super Lawyers list 2023 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2022 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2021 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2020 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2019 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2018 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2017 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2016 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2015 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2014 Washington DC Super Lawyers list 2013 Virginia Super Lawyers list

• Partner

• Havrilak Law Firm, Associate Attorney, 2005 - 2006
• Law Firm of Sonya L. Powell, Attorney, 2000 - 2005
• Feldesman, Tucker, Leifer and Fidell, 2006 - 2009
• ShounBach, 2009 - 2014
• Languages
• English

• Asset Management Workshop, Spiggle Law Firm, 2018 - Present
• Lecturer-VTLA Family Law Seminar, October 2019
• Lecturer-Jurisdiction Options in Family Law Cases, Fairfax Bar Association seminar, September 2020
• Lecturer-37th Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar, April 2021

• White v. White
• Citation: Va. App. LEXIS 58
• Court: Va Ct. App
• Year: 2015
• Parsons v. Parsons
• Citation: Va. App. Lexis 79
• Year: 2012
• Stacey v. Stacey
• Citation: Va. App Lexis 519
• Court: Va. Ct. App
• Year: 1999

• Vice-President, Board of Directors, Falls Church-Mclean Children's Center

• Virginia

• Hispanic Bar Association of Virginia (Member)