March 20, 2026

Brian M. Hirsch Honored for Lifetime Achievement in Family Law

Brian M. Hirsch of Hirsch & Ehlenberger in Reston was named the 2026 recipient of the Betty A. Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award by the Virginia State Bar’s Family Law Section. The award honors “…an individual who has made a substantial contribution to the practice and administration of family law in the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Hirsch has practiced law in Virginia since 1985, working on several legal subject matters, but primarily on family law for the last two decades. He is certified by the Virginia Supreme Court in family mediation.

Hirsch’s nominators praise his work as the editor of Virginia Family Law Quarterly. He took great pride in the publication, spending countless hours to produce each issue for 10 years.

He has served as a member and chair of the Family Law Section Board, served in several judicial capacities, contributed to the Virginia Family Law Coalition, taught as an adjunct law school professor, and published a book, Virginia Family Law Trial Handbook: Pleading, Evidence, and Strategies, that was cited by Justice D. Arthur Kelsey in the 2025 Virginia Supreme Court case of Lisann v. Lisann.

The award will be presented at the 42nd Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar on April 23, 2026, at the Hilton Hotel and Spa in Short Pump.