S. W. Dawson, Esq., is the founder and managing member of Dawson, P.L.C. Mr. Dawson specializes in bespoke litigation strategies, particularly in the realm of state and federal criminal defense. Mr. Dawson regularly represents clients throughout the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, but maintains his most active presence in the Hampton Roads and Northern Neck regions of Virginia. Over the course of his career, Mr. Dawson has successfully defended countless Virginians and visitors who have faced serious felony or misdemeanor charges in either state or federal court. He has successfully defended clients facing the most serious allegations imaginable, to include: homicide, money laundering, fraud, narcotics violations, rape, driving under the influence (DUI/DWI) and more. Mr. Dawson has also represented clients all over the United States in asset forfeiture cases (which are matters in which the Government attempts to seize and keep a citizen's property). Mr. Dawson also helps clients both in prosecuting and defending claims for monetary damages. Mr. Dawson particularly enjoys collecting debts owed to businesses and individuals. Active in his professional community, Mr. Dawson is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Northern Neck Bar Association, and he has lectured on legal topics for several organizations. He sits on the board of directors of Norfolk Festevents, Ltd., and GraceInside, a prison ministry founded in 1920. In recognition of his accomplishments, Mr. Dawson has been recognized for many years in peer-to-peer review publications such as Virginia Super Lawyer Magazine, Virginia Business Magazine, and Coastal Virginia Magazine, among others. Mr. Dawson holds a license to practice law before all Virginia state courts, the United States District Courts for the Eastern District and Western District of Virginia, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Scott R. Sexauer is a native of Northern Virginia. He obtained his undergraduate and law school degrees from George Mason University. He has been in private practice in Northern Virginia since 1984, and has earned a BV- Distinguished peer review rating from Martindale Hubbel. Scott R. Sexauer is a Fairfax lawyer who provides quality representation in a number of different areas of the law, including, but not limited to, bankruptcy, divorce, criminal and traffic cases, business transactions, wills, and civil litigation. He will utilize his years of experience and knowledge of different aspects of the law to obtain the best result for you. Your case gets his personal attention.

Raised in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia, Tom attended Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He obtained his undergraduate degree in History and Government-Law while earning Academic All-Patriot League status on the diamond. He earned his juris doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law. While in Athens, he participated in the Special Education Practicum helping underprivileged families earn the educational benefits afforded them under the law. After law school, he returned to northern Virginia, practicing for four years with a boutique litigation firm in Warrenton. He then transitioned to a growing regional firm, where he managed two criminal defenses offices and spearheaded their Virginia civil litigation practice for over eight years. Tom brings this wealth of experience to the already dynamic team at the Laurel Brigade Law Group.

Kellie Budd received her law degree from George Mason University School of Law and is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia. Kellie represents individual and business clients on a wide variety of matters including employment issues, entity formation, contract drafting,and litigating business disputes in state and federal courts. Kellie is licensed to practice in Virginia and is admitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. She is a member of the Fairfax Bar Association and is a former President of the Northern Virginia Black Attorney’s Association.

Lawyer Paul Freeman earned his Bachelor of Science degree at Norfolk State University and his master’s degree at the same university. Following his interest in law and passion for justice, he attained his Juris Doctor at the William & Mary Law School. He has been practicing law for seven years and is currently an attorney at Woodmere Law P.L.L.C. in Williamsburg, VA. Attorney Paul Freeman practices family law and criminal law, including DUI and traffic violations. He has successfully defended clients charged with misdemeanors and felonies. His successes include dismissal of charges, reduction in charges, reduced sentencing and parole rather than prison time. In addition, he assists clients in prayer for judgments and plea bargains with regard to traffic violations. For criminal charges, he works closely with clients and helps them navigate the complex criminal justice process. If the case goes to trial, he prepares for the best outcome and develops an effective criminal defense strategy. In and out of the courtroom, he is a strong legal advocate and a powerful litigator.

Will is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and is a proficient litigator, with a variety of positive experiences in the Courts. He is responsible for the firm's local litigation practice in Central Virginia and is frequently admitted pro hac vice in Federal courts around the country.

Vania is a Chesapeake native and a graduate of Great Bridge High school. Vania went on to graduate from Francis Marion University with a BA in Political Science and Professional Writing. She obtained her law degree from the University of Richmond, TC Williams School of Law in 2001. During law school Vania interned at Virginia Legal Aid and the Chesapeake Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office. After graduation, she worked for a small firm practicing family law and estate planning before she moved onto the Virginia Beach and Chesapeake Public Defender’s offices. Thereafter she returned to private practice to focus on estate planning. Vania has been very active in the local autism community, having served as president of the Autism Society of Tidewater and as a board member of Project Lifesaver Virginia Beach. She is currently the president of the Southeastern Elementary School PTA. Vania is the proud mother of four, and lives in the Great Bridge section of Chesapeake with her children and two rescue dogs.

Alexander Laufer joined the firm in 1994. His practice is concentrated in civil litigation and real estate transactions, providing services in the areas of personal injury law, medical malpractice, construction law and employment law. Mr. Laufer grew up in Montreal, Canada but also lived and attended school in Jerusalem and Johannesburg, South Africa. He speaks four languages, English, French, Hungarian and Hebrew. Mr. Laufer graduated (cum laude) in 1972 from Loyola College and with High Honors from the University of Florida School of Law in 1976. Mr. Laufer has been an adjunct professor at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida and more recently at the Marymount University School of Business. He is a member of both the Virginia and Florida bars and is a Commissioner in Chancery in Fairfax County. Mr. Laufer has over 35 years of experience in complex litigation in both state and federal courts, including bankruptcy court and has handled thousands of residential and commercial real estate transactions. In recent years Mr. Laufer has litigated numerous cases involving noncompliance by residential builders with the federal Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act. In addition, Mr. Laufer has become a member of the Vaccine Injury Program Bar and the Federal Court of Claims Bar Association and is assisting families with members injured by vaccines, in obtaining compensation pursuant to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, a federal program whichimmunizes (pun intended) pharmaceutical companies from suit, but substitutes a fund as an alternative. This is a relatively obscure and poorly understood program which, however, represents the only real recourse for those suffering injury from vaccines listed on the Vaccine Injury Table.

Faisal Moghul is widely regarded as one of Virginia’s leading business attorneys, recognized for his extensive background in business formation and structuring, high-stakes litigation involving direct and derivative lawsuits, asset and stock sales, valuation and buyout disputes, and strategic asset protection. In 2023 and 2024, he was named one of America’s Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators and recognized as Virginia’s “Go-To” Business Lawyer. He has made the Super Lawyers Rising Stars shortlist every year since 2016, and in 2023, Virginia Lawyer Magazine acknowledged him as one of the Commonwealth's foremost educators in business and real estate law. His impact in the courtroom includes leading a litigation team in 2024 to secure a landmark $565,000 judgment after a four-day jury trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court. A trusted resource for high-net-worth individuals, startups, emerging corporations, LLCs, and partnerships, Mr. Moghul routinely handles complex business and real estate matters. In 2023, he served as speaker and moderator at the Virginia CLE’s Annual Small Business Law Institute, presenting on critical LLC operating agreement provisions, and in 2024, he returned to discuss charging orders and asset protection strategies. As a member of the American Bar Association’s Committee on LLCs and Unincorporated Associations, his in-depth knowledge of LLCs, S-Corps, C-Corps, and limited partnerships enables him to craft sophisticated agreements that safeguard clients’ interests. Having overseen more than 100 high-value transactions across technology, real estate, government contracting, and retail, he has managed multimillion-dollar buyouts and redemptions for both majority and minority stakeholders. Mr. Moghul is also known for significant successes in business and real estate litigation, including derivative lawsuits and claims involving breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and defamation. His work in real estate litigation encompasses construction defects, easement and boundary line disputes, real estate agent and broker representation, and purchase and sale contract disputes. In 2023, he co-presented a CLE seminar on real estate broker liability in Virginia, underscoring his role as a leading voice on real estate agent and broker defense. His extensive writings include a 2021 publication with the American Law Institute, “Caveat Emptor vs. Seller Disclosure in Residential Real Property Conveyances,” which offers forward-looking insights into purchase and sale laws. This comprehensive command of case law and regulations has resulted in multiple settlements and verdicts exceeding one million dollars. Fox & Moghul offers personalized service for business law, commercial litigation, real estate transactions, and estate planning. Call 703-652-5506 or complete our contact form to get in touch with our attorneys today.

Mark Peake has been practicing law in the areas of personal injury, insurance defense, civil litigation, products liability, and criminal defense since 1988. He has extensive trial experience in Virginia’s state and federal courts, and he has successfully appealed a number of cases to the Supreme Court of Virginia. He is a former President of the Lynchburg Bar Association. In addition to his law practice, Mark represents Virginia’s 22nd Senate District in the Senate of Virginia, which includes the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Cumberland, Fluvanna, Goochland, Prince Edward County, and parts of Louisa County and the City of Lynchburg. In the Virginia Senate, Mark serves on the Courts of Justice Committee, the Transportation Committee, the Education and Health Committee, and the Privileges and Elections Committee. Mark is a 1985 graduate of Virginia Tech, and he received his legal education at Washington & Lee University, where he was a member of the Washington & Lee Law Review.