Burns, Nicole M.

Nicole joined Hirsch and Ehlenberger in October 2011 became a partner in 2018. Prior to practicing family law, Nicole worked as in-house counsel for a defense contractor in Arlington, Virginia. Nicole is a member of the Fairfax Bar Association, Loudoun Bar Association, and the Virginia State Bar and regularly practices in courts throughout Northern Virginia. Nicole has experience litigating and resolving high conflict custody, visitation, domestic abuse, support and equitable distribution cases, as well as post-divorce issues.

In her free time, Nicole is a girl scout troop leader, is involved with the PTA at her daughter's elementary school and is a religious education instructor for middle schoolers at her church. She also serves on the board of her homeowner's association.

Nicole attended law school at George Mason University and was a committee chairperson for the Moot Court Board. She participated in and won several oral argument competitions, including the New York State Bar Association's National Moot Court Competition in which her team placed in the semi-finals and won the award for best brief in the region. Additionally, Nicole interned in the Fairfax Circuit Court.

Before law school, Nicole studied psychology at the Catholic University of America. While there, she completed graduate coursework in cultural psychology and the effects of marital conflict on children. Nicole is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.