BRANDES S.G. ASH, ESQ.
A skilled and compassionate professional, I provide a safe space for working through tough family issues.
Education
J.D. (w/ Certificate in Family Law), Howard University School of Law
MPA, George Mason University
B.A., English, Virginia Commonwealth University
Bar Admissions
Maryland
District of Columbia
For a complete list of Brandes’ experience and affiliations, please click on the LinkedIn icon below:
A Bit About Me
I’m a naturally curious person, who likes figuring things and people out, particularly when no one else can. So, perhaps, it’s hardly a surprise I became a lawyer and, eventually, a judge.
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Even more so, I consider it my calling to help others. In fact, few things bring me more joy than helping someone navigate difficult feelings and circumstances. This is why I was drawn to family law. And what I know to be true, is that even with challenges, lack of clarity, or even hard feelings, there’s always a path forward. Always.
I’m the first—although, hopefully, not the last—in my family to attend law school. And, thankfully, I knew early on that I wanted to be a family lawyer. So I helped start my alma mater’s Family Law Society and the rest, as they say, is history.
After law school, I completed a Judicial Clerkship and went on to exclusively practice family law. Over time, I became a highly regarded family lawyer, mediator, and Collaborative Practice professional in the D.C. metro area, and after years of working in private practice, a D.C. Administrative Law Judge. Unsurprisingly, though, I missed family law and rejoined my former family practice as Of Counsel.
And so here we are. I founded Ash Mediation Group out of a desire to bring together my legal experience and my passion for helping others. Also, after having litigated my fair share of knock-down-drag-out family cases, while I acknowledge going to court is sometimes necessary, it isn’t the only option. And rather than promote an adversarial process—where a judge, who doesn’t know you decides important family issues on your behalf—I wanted to focus on creating a space for families to safely address and resolve issues based on their own interests and needs.
Along these lines, I'm a mom to an amazing kiddo as well as a community leader. (And, as always, rest in love and peace to my fur baby pictured below.) So knowing how hard it is to juggle several priorities and feelings at once, I’m not in the business of wasting time and resources. Instead, I’m committed to facilitating an efficient and beneficial process, where you’ll feel at ease.
Affiliations and Awards
Rising Star in Family Law, Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers: 2018, 2019, 2020
President, Greater Washington Area Chapter, National Bar Association, Women Lawyers Division (“GWAC”)
Chair, GWAC Foundation, Inc.
Chair, Washington Bar Association Educational Foundation
Vice President, Washington Bar Association
Board Member, Washington Bar Association
40 Under 40 Nation’s Best Advocate Award, National Bar Association
Brandes S.G. Ash/Toya Carmichael Leadership Award is named after Brandes for her longstanding commitment to leadership and service at local and national levels.
