Profile
Shirin Afsous is an experienced litigator in the field of commercial litigation. As a proactive professional, she is adept at client interaction and excels at crafting strategic case plans. Her areas of experience span across a vast array of sectors including financial services litigation, labor & employment, government contracts, and commercial disputes. Her proficiency extends beyond the borders of her home state, as she skillfully handles cases across the nation in both state and federal courts. Moreover, she is a frequent participant in administrative proceedings, often providing invaluable assistance to clients embroiled in governmental investigations. As a first chair attorney, Shirin has taken the lead in numerous matters, showcasing her leadership and litigation skills. Her deep experience encompasses a wide range of legal proceedings, from drafting and research to preparing witnesses for trial. She is skilled at conducting depositions and arguing dispositive motions, proving her versatility in different aspects of litigation.
Concentrations
- Complex commercial litigation
- Financial services litigation
- Government Investigations
- Bid Protests
- Employment Litigation
Capabilities
Experience
- Represented company in government investigation, receiving declination letter.
- Negotiated out of court settlement during multi-day remote international mediation resulting in withdrawal of the opposing party’s motion to set aside court order based on alleged fraud perpetrated on the court.°
- Handled multi-day bench trial where the court awarded over $80,000 in attorney’s fees based on the opposing party’s failure to comply with discovery-related orders and egregious conduct during the case.°
- Represented individuals seeking protective orders based on family abuse and represented individuals defending against allegations of domestic violence in protective order hearings.°
- Represented parties to divorce actions in motions hearings, depositions, and trials related to custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, and equitable distribution hearings.°
- Represented parties in contested stepparent adoption proceedings.°
- Represented parties concerning discovery matters, including motions to compel, motions for sanctions, and motions to quash subpoena duces tecum.°
°The above representations were handled by Ms. Afsous prior to her joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
- Rule 3:03 Student Prosecutor, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Boston, M.A., 2015
- Law Clerk, United States Attorney’s Office, Appellate Division, Washington, D.C., 2014
- Law Clerk, United States Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Boston, M.A., 2014
- Law Clerk, American Civil Liberties Union, Wilmington, D.E., 2014
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Best Lawyers, “Ones to Watch,” 2021-2025
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Virginia Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2019-2024
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2019-2023
- Selected, Top 10 Family Law Attorneys Under 40, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, 2018
- President Emeritus, D.C. Chapter of the Iranian-American Bar Association
- President, 2022-2024
- Contributing Editor, ABA Litigation News
- Member, Northern Virginia Chapter, Virginia Women Attorneys Association, 2018-Present
- Member, Fairfax Bar Association, 2017-Present
- Board Member, D.C. Chapter, Iranian-American Bar Association, 2017-Present
- Membership Chair, University of Mary Washington Legal Affinity Group, 2017-Present
- Attorney volunteer for the Fairfax Bar Association, Color of Justice Program, 2018-Present
- Docket Call Associate Editor, Virginia State Bar, 2018-2020
Credentials
-
J.D., cum laude, Suffolk University Law School, 2015
- Trial and Appellate Concentration, with distinction
- Comment Editor, Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy
- Member, Moot Court Honor Board
- B.A., cum laude, University of Mary Washington, 2012
- Hon. José M. López, Superior Court of District of Columbia, 2015-2017
- Virginia
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- Farsi, Native