Devanshi Patel

Partner
Location: Arlington, Virginia
Phone: 703-522-2777
Fax: 888-875-5217
Email: E-mail Me

Devanshi Patel’s practice focuses primarily on juvenile and family law matters. She has dedicated her professional and personal time in working toward creating healthier children, youth, and families in Arlington, Virginia. In doing so, Ms. Patel frequently represents juveniles in delinquency and status matters in the roles of defense counsel and Guardian Ad Litem and, individuals in divorce, child custody, and child support matters, and adults in criminal and child welfare matters.

Ms. Patel believes it is critical for an attorney working with youth and families to have substantive expertise on positive youth development and healthy communities.  For that reason, she is committed to serving the community in which she was raised through active involvement with Boards, commissions, and organizations that promote and recognize the need for youth and family wellness.  Among her civic engagement:

  • In 2012, Ms. Patel was appointed by the Arlington County Board to serve on the Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families (APCYF).  APCYF is comprised of dedicated community members and County and School agency appointees, and it is charged with researching the needs of children, youth and families, advocating for improved policies and programs, and engaging the community in solutions to improve the well-being of the community. She served as the Chair of APCYF from 2015-2017.  Ms. Patel continues to serve on APCYF’s Planning and Development Committee.
  • In 2016, Ms. Patel served on the Whole Child Working Group. The Group was charged with helping Arlington Public Schools (APS) ensure that each child is healthy, safe, supported, academically engaged, and challenged by developing a framework that informs School Board decisionmaking related to meeting the needs of the whole child (i.e., implementing 2015-2015 Strategic Goal 5). The Group’s work provides a foundation for the development of future School Board priorities and the next APS strategic plan.
  • Ms. Patel serves as the APCYF liaison to Project Peace, a countywide collaboration dedicated to preventing and improving responses to domestic and sexual violence.  Ms. Patel serves on the Ongoing Services Committee (Goal 3), which is charged with implementing a supervised visitation and safe exchange center in Arlington County.  Further, Ms. Patel serves on the Safe Havens Advisory Committee.
  • In January 2017, Ms. Patel was appointed by the Arlington County and School Boards to serve on the Joint Facilities Advisory Commission (JFAC).  JFAC is charged with providing input to the Boards on capital facilities needs assessments, capital improvement plans and long range facility planning for both the Arlington County Government and Arlington Public Schools.
  • Ms. Patel was appointed by the Arlington County Board to serve on the Planning Commission (PC) in 2019.  PC is a citizen advisory board authorized by the Virginia State Code. It promotes the orderly development of Arlington County and its environs by advising the County Board on development and use of land, facilities and zoning.
  • In 2017, Ms. Patel was appointed by the County Manager to serve on the Arlington Complete Count Committee (CCC).  CCC is a volunteer group made up of community leaders to increase awareness and motivate residents to respond to the 2020 Census.
  • Ms. Patel served on the Board of the Friends of Argus and Aurora House (FOAAH) from 2016-2020.  FOAAH is a nonprofit that seeks to financially support programs and services in Arlington County and the City of Falls Church that assist youth in becoming responsible, positive and productive members of their families, the community, and society.
  • Ms. Patel was appointed by the Arlington County Board to serve on the Aurora House Advisory Committee.  The Committee provides consultation to the Aurora House Manager regarding community resources and public awareness; advises the Falls Church City Council and Arlington County Board of Aurora House’s needs, budget, and services; and members serve as community liaisons through area organizations, civic groups, and other boards.  Ms. Patel served from 2018-2020.
  • Ms. Patel regularly presented to students who participate in the Second Chance program.  Second Chance is an early intervention substance use education program available to middle and high school students.  Students who successfully complete the program may avoid suspension from school and court involvement for certain substance-related offenses.
  • Ms. Patel is actively involved in efforts to transform the juvenile justice system that focus on evidence-based practices to improve youth outcomes.  In April 2020, Ms. Patel was selected to serve on the Restorative Arlington legal working group.

Since 2013, Ms. Patel has served as an adjunct professor at her alma mater, Howard University School of Law.  She teaches adoption law and juvenile justice.

In 2018, Ms. Patel co-founded the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy (CYFA).  CYFA operates as an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit organization with a mission of transforming the fabric of family and community through reformative collaboration, education, and advocacy.  The Center uses multi-disciplinary teams to create comprehensive solutions to social justice issues.  It is dedicated to building a better future for youth, families, communities in Arlington County and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Ms. Patel is proud to have been recognized as part of the Class of 2020 Influential Women of Law by Virginia Lawyers Weekly.  She also was honored by the Arlington County Bar Foundation in 2017 for her considerable volunteer service to organizations and agencies that address the needs of children and youth in the community.  In 2014, Ms. Patel was selected as a 40 Under 40 Honoree by Leadership Arlington (now the Center for Leadership Excellence).

Ms. Patel comes from a family of civil rights attorneys, including her grandfather and great-grandfather who worked tirelessly in India’s campaign to secure independence . Ms. Patel believes that all persons have the right to effective representation and, accordingly, she provides pro bono services and serves as court-appointed counsel in delinquency and child welfare matters.

Areas of Practice

  • Family Law (Divorce, Custody, Child Support)
  • Guardian Ad Litem for Children in Arlington County and the City of Falls Church
  • Juvenile Delinquency
  • Child in Need of Services
  • Child in Need of Supervision
  • Child Welfare and Abuse & Neglect
  • Special Immigration Juvenile Status
  • Criminal Law
  • Personal Injury

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Virginia

Education

  • Howard University School of Law, Washington, District of Columbia
    • J.D.
    • Law Review: Howard Law Journal, Articles Editor
  • George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
    • B.A.
    • Major: Government & International Politics

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Arlington County Bar
    • Judicial Selection Committee (2016-2019), Chair 2018
  • Virginia State Bar
    • Disciplinary Committee (Fourth District-Section 1 Subcommittee) 2018-present (Secretary 2018; Vice Chair 2019)
  • District of Columbia Bar Association
  • NAACP (Arlington Chapter)

Past Employment Positions

  • Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P., Associate
  • Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, L.L.P., Associate

Languages

  • Gujarati