Atty. Paul R. Smollar

Paul Smollar has been practicing family law for more than forty years, and has become a leader in Collaborative Practice in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Recognized as the only trained mediator in the District of Columbia by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Mr. Smollar nevertheless is an accomplished litigator when matters do not settle. Mr. Smollar practices in both the District of Columbia and Virginia and is an active member of the Fairfax County Bar, the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the Family Law Section of the District of Columbia Bar. Mr. Smollar is also a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). During 2004 and 2005, he served as the President of the D.C. Chapter of the AAML. He has served as a member of the Virginia State Bar Legislative Committee and was the co-chair of the ADR-Case Evaluator of the Family Law Action Group. Mr. Smollar presently serves as an Alternative Dispute Facilitator for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia’s Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) program. Mr. Smollar has completed the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers’ Arbitration Program and Mediation Program. He is a trained arbitrator and enjoys an active mediation practice. He lectures on family law matters for continuing legal education programs in D.C. and Virginia, including: “Divorce Taxation” (D.C.), “How to Trace and Make it Interesting” (VA), “Valuations of Closely-Held Businesses” (VA), and “Family Law Around the Beltway” (D.C.). Mr. Smollar has been a panelist on television discussing the role and value of separation and property settlement agreements. In 2012, Mr. Smollar was recognized by Super Lawyers as one of the top ten lawyers in Washington D.C. He has also been recognized as one of Washington D.C.'s top divorce lawyers in Washingtonian Magazine. His practice is regularly recognized in both The Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers publications. In the emerging area of Collaborative Law, Mr. Smollar has become one of the most sought after practitioners in the District of Columbia and Virginia. In 2012, Mr. Smollar was named Collaborative Lawyer of the Year. He has served as Chair of the D.C. Practice Group, is an active faculty member of the Collaborative Practice Training Institute, which trains lawyers, mental health professionals and financial experts in the Collaborative Practice Process, and has served as faculty for countless programs on Collaborative Practice on the East Coast.