Heather Austin Jones

Ms. Jones, a native of Fairfax County, joined the firm in March 2012. Ms. Jones graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Communications from James Madison University in 1991, and received her law degree from George Mason University School of Law in 2002. Prior to and while attending law school, Ms. Jones worked at the Federal Judicial Center (FJC) in Washington, D.C., the research and education agency for the federal courts. During her 10-year tenure at the FJC, Ms. Jones worked directly with federal judges, court clerks, pretrial services and probation officers, and other federal court personnel in the development and production of video and live training programs televised to U.S. district courts across the country on the Federal Judicial Television Network. While attending law school, Ms. Jones also obtained her third year practice certification and prosecuted involuntary civil commitment cases before special masters in Virginia with respect to mentally ill individuals in need of appropriate treatment.

Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Jones served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable R. Terrence Ney of the Fairfax County Circuit Court, 19th Judicial Circuit.. Following her clerkship, Ms. Jones worked as a litigation associate for one of the largest construction law firms in the United States. Ms. Jones subsequently joined a national insurance defense firm where she represented individual and corporate clients and successfully litigated a wide range of civil matters, including professional liability defense, premise liability, business related torts and contract claims, employment litigation, and insurance coverage disputes.

Ms. Jones has significant experience in handling all aspects of litigation from commencement through appeal. She is well-versed in motions practice in courts across the region, including the Supreme Court of Virginia. She is admitted to practice in Virginia state courts and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Ms. Jones is a member of the American Bar Association, the Virginia Bar Association, and the Fairfax Bar Association.