Renee Berard has lived in Loudoun County, Virginia for over 30 years and is a proud alumna of Loudoun Valley High School. Renee went on to graduate magna cum laude from Virginia Tech (GO HOKIES) in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Sociology. Renee graduated cum laude from Tulane University Law School in 2009.

After law school, Renee Berard joined Alex Levay, PLLC and spent the next thirteen years advocating for the rights of individuals in all courts in Loudoun County and throughout Northern Virginia in the areas of criminal defense and family law. After over a decade of trial experience, Renee and Rachel Robinson formed their own law firm, Berard Robinson, P.C., in 2023.

Renee has always focused her career on helping others and giving a voice to those who need it most. Since she first started practicing in 2009, Renee serves as court-appointed counsel for indigent litigants in both criminal and civil cases. Renee is also certified by the Supreme Court of Virginia to serve as a guardian ad litem to represent the best interests of children in pending legal matters. Renee continues to serve in these roles because she believes the most vulnerable populations deserve the best possible representation.

Renee is an experienced trial attorney who is highly respected by her colleagues and clients. Renee’s extensive family law practice includes successfully litigating complex divorces cases and skillfully negotiating multi-million-dollar marital estates. Renee handles all types of family law matters in Loudoun County and throughout Northern Virginia involving pre-marital agreements, contested and uncontested divorces, marital settlement agreements, child custody, child support, spousal support, child protective services, child welfare, foster care and protective order cases.

Renee has a diverse criminal law practice ranging from defending minor traffic infractions and DUI arrests to securing jury acquittals for her client’s facing life sentences for the most serious criminal offenses. Renee believes that every individual, no matter what they are accused of, should not be defined by their criminal charge. Every person is entitled to a zealous advocate to protect their constitutional rights and hold the government accountable.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & AWARDS

• President, Loudoun County Bar Association 2019-2020

• President-Elect, LCBA 2018 - 2019

• Board Member, LCBA 2014 - 2020

• Board Member, Loudoun VWAA 2022-present

• Circuit Court Bench Bar Committee 2019- present

• General District Court Chairperson, 2017 - 2019

• Thomas D. Horne Leadership in the Law, Sub-Committee Chairperson, 2010 - Present

• Program Vice Chair, The Chief Justice's Indigent Defense Training Initiative 2017-present

• Virginia Indigent Criminal Defense Commission, Felony and Misdemeanor Certifications, 2010 - Present

• Virginia Supreme Court Certified Guardian Ad Litem for Children, 2010 - Present

• American Inns of Court, Member, 2016 – 2018

• Northern Virginia Magazine Top Lawyer 2022

• Super Lawyers, Super Lawyer 2021, 2022

• Super Lawyers, Rising Star 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

• Presenter, Best Practices for Parent Counsel in Child Dependency Cases 2022

PARTNER

Rachel Robinson is a litigator. She enjoys fighting for her clients and walking with them through each stage of their cases. Rachel has years of experience negotiating and taking cases to trial. She believes it is critical for her clients to fully understand their options and their rights. Rachel currently represents clients in traffic, criminal, and domestic relations matters.

Rachel’s traffic and criminal practice includes traffic infractions, speeding tickets, reckless driving, DUI/DWI, DUID, all types of misdemeanor charges, juvenile cases, and all types of felony charges and allegations.

Rachel’s domestic relations practice includes divorce, child custody & visitation, child support, spousal support, and equitable distribution of assets. Rachel also serves as a Guardian ad litem for children and adults with disabilities. Additionally, Rachel volunteers for the General District Court as an attorney for persons going through the mental health commitment hearing process at Cornwall, Lansdowne, and Stone Springs hospitals.

Because of her experience and love of litigation and jury trials, Rachel is beginning to accept personal injury cases starting in 2023.

Service

Before entering private practice, Rachel worked as a Senior Public Defender in Leesburg, Virginia. She learned quickly and enjoyed serving clients who almost always already had the deck stacked against them.

Rachel is also a past President of the Loudoun County Bar Association (2021-2022), is a past president of both the Virginia Women Attorneys Association (VWAA) state-wide (2021-2022) and the Loudoun Chapter of VWAA (2018-2019), and still serves on the State Board of the VWAA. Rachel is a member of the Loudoun Disability and Justice Coalition (formerly the Loudoun Disability Response Team - the first in Virginia) and is an enthusiastic supporter of the Arc of Loudoun.

Rachel also has served as the chair of the Loudoun VWAA Judicial Qualifications Committee, Chair and member of pro bono and legal aid committees, and Chair and Co-Chair of the Thomas D. Horne Leadership in the Law program for rising high school seniors in Loudoun, Fauquier, and Rappahannock counties.

Experience

Rachel began her career in the Office of the Public Defender in Loudoun County. She expected to continue representing indigent persons accused of crimes for decades. But a wonderful opportunity became available for Rachel to join the Law Offices of Alex Levay in 2019. After four years with Alex Levay, Rachel joined Renee Berard and they formed Berard Robinson, PC.

Rachel has argued cases in the General District Court, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Circuit Court, Court of Appeals of Virginia, and the Supreme Court of Virginia. She is also admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Rachel graduated from Baylor University, where she was a William Carey Crane Scholar and where she led the Women's Lacrosse Team, and then from Pepperdine University School of Law, where she was an active student leader.

LEGAL ASSISTANT

Robin Scott is the Legal Assistant at Berard Robinson, P.C.