Brian M. Hirsch

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.

Bar Admissions:

• Virginia

Education:

• American University, Washington College of Law, J.D., 1985
• Pennsylvania State University, B.A., 1982

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Virginia State Bar, Family Law Section, Board of Governors, Past Chair
• Virginia Bar Association, Family Law Coalition
• Virginia State Bar, Fifth District Disciplinary Committee
• Fairfax County Circuit Court, Chancery, Commissioner
• Virginia Bar Association Family Law Coalition
• Fairfax Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Loudoun Bar Association
• 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

Carol L. Ehlenberger

Carol joined the firm in 1997 and became a partner in 2004. Carol's practice is focused exclusively on all areas of family law.

She is listed in "The Best Lawyers in America", Washingtonian magazine's Top Divorce Lawyers and Northern Virginia magazine's Top Lawyer Listing.

She is a member of the Family Law section of the Fairfax Bar Association and is on the Fairfax Bar Association's Circuit Court Committee and Domestic Relations Subcommittee. She is also an associate member of the Loudoun Bar Association and member of the Family Law Section of the Virginia State Bar. She is also a Neutral Case Evaluator for Fairfax County Circuit Court.

Bar Admissions:

• Virginia

Education:

• American University, Washington College of Law, J.D.
• Lehigh University, B.A.

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Fairfax Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Fairfax Bar Association, Domestic Relations Subcommittee
• Loudoun Bar Association
• Virginia State Bar, Family Law Section
• Fairfax County Circuit Court, Neutral Case Evaluator
• The Best Lawyers in America
• Top Divorce Lawyers, Washingtonian Magazine
• Top Lawyer, Northern Virginia Magazine

Danielle V. Poliner

Danielle joined Hirsch and Ehlenberger in April 2013 and became a partner in January 2021. Prior to practicing family law, she worked as a criminal defense attorney in Northern Virginia. She is a member of the Fairfax Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar.

At Emory University School of Law, Danielle was a member of the Emory International Law Review. She served as a Notes and Comments Editor of the Law Review, reading and editing the work of her peers. Additionally, Danielle's comment on the proposed International Megan's Law of 2010 was published in Fall 2011.

Danielle studied psychology at the University of Virginia.

Bar Admissions:

• Virginia

Education:

• Emory University School of Law, J.D.
• University of Virginia, B.A.

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Fairfax Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Loudoun Bar Association
• Virginia State Bar, Member

Sharon F. Pederson

Sharon joined Hirsch & Ehlenberger in October 2014 and is the firm’s senior associate. She is a member of the Fairfax Bar Association, Loudoun Bar Association, and the Virginia State Bar.

Sharon attended The George Washington University Law School, where she was a member of the Family Law Society, Equal Justice Foundation, and Mock Trial Board. While in law school, Sharon completed internships at The Office of Attorney General for the District of Columbia in the Child Protection and Juvenile Sections, and Legal Services of Northern Virginia. Sharon interned with the Honorable Peter A. Krauthamer on a domestic relations docket at D.C. Superior Court. She also completed two semesters of clinical work through GW's Family Justice Litigation Clinic and Domestic Violence Project.

Prior to law school, Sharon earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Sciences in psychology from the University of Florida. She joined Teach for America upon graduating from UF and taught high school math at a Title I school in rural Eastern North Carolina for two years.

Bar Admissions:

• Virginia

Education:

• The George Washington University Law School, J.D., 2014
• University of Florida, B.A.
• University of Florida, B.S.

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Fairfax Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Loudoun Bar Association
• Virginia State Bar

Kayla Snowberger

Kayla joined Hirsch & Ehlenberger in August 2020. She is a member of the Fairfax Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar.   Kayla attended Penn State Law, where she was a Senior Editor on the Arbitration Law Review. Both of Kayla’s articles were chosen for publication. While in law school, Kayla interned with a Fairfax family law firm. Upon graduation from law school, Kayla worked for two years as an associate attorney for a Fairfax family law solo practitioner before transitioning to Hirsch & Ehlenberger, P.C.   Prior to law school, Kayla earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science with a minor in psychology from the Pennsylvania State University. 

Bar Admissions:

• Virginia

Education:

• Penn State Law, J.D., 2018
• The Pennsylvania State University, B.A., 2014

Professional Memberships and Achievements:

• Fairfax Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Virginia State Bar
• Fairfax County Bar Association, Present