Skip to content

Douglas J. Sanderson

Douglas J. Sanderson

Principal

Douglas J. Sanderson uses his decades of experience as a solutions-focused attorney to provide legal services to people and their companies in the multiple practice areas of family law/domestic relations, commercial real estate, and business organizations and transactions.

Doug works to be both client-centered (focusing on understanding clients’ unique needs and goals) and results-orientedย (striving to achieve positive outcomes for clients).ย  Doug applies problem-solving methods and skills that avoid or minimize litigation, which saves his clients on attorneysโ€™ fees and stress, but he always is prepared to litigate and fiercely advocate for his clients when necessary for their goals.

Dougโ€™s family law practice provides him the opportunity to work one-on-one with people dealing with significant, personal, and life-changing events.ย  Dougโ€™s top priority is to make a meaningful difference in his clientโ€™s lives, and most importantly to help them find and implement solutions to these stressful and complicated situations that can avoid court if possible. His practice areas in family law include those listed below. Doug is also trained in the process ofย Collaborative Divorce,ย and is a member of the Collaborative Professionals of Northern Virginia local practice group.

In Dougโ€™sย businessย and commercialย real estateย practices, which are transactional and office-based rather than litigation, he advises and advocates for owners and operators of businesses, including office building owners, retail owners and tenants, investors, and developers, in areas such as are listed below.ย  Where real estate litigation is needed, he works with others in the firm to support our clients.

Outside the office, Doug enjoys spending time with his wife and, when they are home, his adult children, and reading, sharing emailed jokes, surfing the Internet, and traveling.

Practice Areas in which Doug represents clients –

  • Family Law:
  • Real Estate (Commercial):
    • Acquisition, development, construction, leasing, and sale of properties, such as office buildings, retail properties, communications towers, mixed-use developments and condominiums
    • Negotiation, amendment, and documentation of commercial, retail and telecommunications/celltower ย leases
    • Negotiation of real estate-secured loans
    • Negotiation, amendment, and documentation of commercial and retail landlord-tenant issues
    • Organization and modification of property ownersโ€™ associations and governing documents
    • Foreclosures (trusteeโ€™s sales) of real estate-secured loans
  • Business Organizations and Transactions:
    • Organization, modification, and financing of business entities
    • Organization and modification of property owners’ associations
    • Foreclosures (trusteeโ€™s sales) of real estate-secured loans
Honors +

Recognized by Virginia Business:

  • Named among Virginia’s “Legal Elite” attorneys in Family Law for over a decade.

Other Legal Honors:

  • SuperLawyer for Washington, D.C. metro and/or northern Virginia areas for over a decade.
  • Avvo Rated as a Top Lawyer.
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in Americaยฎ.
  • Included in Who’s Who publications for the South and Southwest, America, American Law, and the World.
  • Named one of “America’s Most Honored Lawyers – Top 1%” by American Registry.

Peer Recognition:

  • AVยฎ Preeminentโ„ข Peer Review Rated attorney (highest rating from Martindale-Hubbellยฎ).

Pro Bono Service:

  • Honored as Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by Fairfax Bar Association, 2024
  • Awarded a Certificate of Merit from the Fairfax Federation of Citizens Associations in 2016 for 25 years of pro bono service to Fairfax County as legal counsel for ArtsFairfax (formerly known as the Arts Council of Fairfax County); currently still serving
  • Honored by the Virginia Access to Justice Commission as a Commission Pro Bono Service Honor Roll Member.
  • Recognized by Legal Services of Northern Virginia as a member of the 6.1 Pro Bono Club.
Activities +
  • Legal counsel for ArtsFairfax (formerly Arts Council of Fairfax County) since 1991
  • Board member, community swim and tennis club
  • Board member, Legal Services of Northern Virginia, Inc. (also, President from 1993-1996)
  • Board member, Temple Rodef Shalom
  • Board member, Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce
  • Site Selection Committee member for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia
  • Board member, Communities of Faith United for Housing
Videos +

One reason that I offer Collaborative Divorce as one option for separating families is the gentler, less antagonistic nature of the process, as shown in this two-minute video, by the International Academy of Collaborative Practice. As IACP asks, โ€œ10 years from now, how will your children tell the story of your divorce?โ€

Education

  • J.D., George Washington Universityโ€™s National Law Center
  • B.A. (Economics), Trinity College, Hartford, CT

Admissions

  • Virginia
  • District of Columbia

Awards

Noteworthy Updates

News & Highlights

(GOOD) DIVORCE LAWYERS DONโ€™T PUSH YOU TO GET A DIVORCE!

2024 SUPER LAWYERS NAMES 7 ML ATTORNEYS

ALL ML LAWYERS NAMED TO LEGAL ELITE FOR 2023

DOUG SANDERSON HONORED BY FAIRFAX FEDERATION OF CITIZENS ASSOCIATIONS

COMMERCIAL LENDING REQUIREMENTS AND LOAN DOCUMENTATION IN VIRGINIA: THE COMMITMENT AND PLANNING PROCESS

CONTRACT BASICS: LEGAL ISSUES FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTISTS

NORTHERN VIRGINIA MAGAZINE NAMES 11 ML ATTORNEYS AMONG 2023 TOP LAWYERS

ONLINE AND SOFTWARE PROGRAMS TO FACILITATE PARENTING TIME ARRANGEMENTS, SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS, AND PAYMENTS

OVERVIEW OF ADR, MEDIATION, ARBITRATION, AND COLLABORATIVE LAW

OWNING REAL ESTATE IN A LAND TRUST FOR A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

POST-SEPARATION ADULTERY: ITโ€™S TIME TO MOVE ON

PREVENTING PROBLEMS UP FRONT

REAL ESTATE ISSUES IN COMMERCIAL LENDING AND LOAN DOCUMENTATION IN VIRGINIA

THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF OBERGEFELL V. HODGES

SPOUSAL SUPPORT GUIDELINE CHANGES

THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE OBERGEFELL DECISION

DOUGLAS SANDERSON RECOGNIZED AS PRO BONO LAWYER OF THE YEAR

Client Testimonials

What Our Clients Are Saying

Doug Sanderson is an exceptional attorney and advocate who provided invaluable assistance during my divorce. His attention to detail and responsiveness made a world of difference, giving me peace of mind throughout the process. Thanks to Dougโ€™s dedication, we were able to reach a fair outcome, which brought an immense sense of relief and allowed me to finally rest easy. Iโ€™m incredibly grateful to him and his team for their support.

Doug Sanderson is an exceptional attorney and advocate

I recently worked with Douglas Sanderson, a wonderful and careful attorney, who advised me on a rather complicated real estate purchase in Virginia. I was unable to be in Virginia for any part of the innumerable iterations of contract development, inspections, repairs and addendum leases. Thankfully, Doug was always cheerfully available to help me work through all of the above, to the satisfaction of all parties. I particularly admired his meticulous attention to detail, his amiability and respect for all parties and his steady, competent leadership through what was a complex process. I recommend him highly!!

I recently worked with Douglas Sanderson, a wonderful and careful attorney

Get In Touch

Contact Us

Fairfax Office

Leesburg Office