About Our Firm

The law firm of Bernhard & Gardner

was established for the purpose of and

has been continually committed to

providing the highest quality legal

services at an affordable price. Founded

in 1991 when Cheryl Gardner joined

with the pre-existing law firm of David

Bernhard, Attorney at Law, in

partnership, Bernhard & Gardner has

provided Northern Virginia, Maryland

and Washington D.C. residents

consistent, conscientious, competent

legal representation in a variety of 

areas.

David Bernhard started his law practice  in Northern Virginia in 1989, after first practicing in

Washington, D.C. Having passed three rigorous state bar exams when

many lawyers rarely take more than one in their professional career, David

is licensed in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Missouri. David

speaks fluent Spanish and German. Through years of vigilant representation

of our clientele, he has attained the esteem and respect of many judges as

exemplified in this statement in a published opinion: "Bernhard's

commendable candor with the Court, especially when coupled with the

respect he enjoys from the Court, was instrumental in addressing the

fundamental issue presented." Bustillo v. Johnson, 19 Cir. L201879, 65

Va. Cir. 69 (2004). David is also respected by many of his colleagues and is                                     considered by his peers as one of a short list of attorneys capable of

successfully handling the most difficult, vexing and seemingly impossible

cases. While results obtained by Bernhard, Gardner & Mickelsen depend

upon a variety of factors unique to each case and do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future case, the firm's willingness to not shy away from such challenges is apparent from its past work. Examples of some of the most difficult cases handled by David include clients who faced the death penalty,  have falsely confessed to crimes, have been falsely accused of attacking the police, are absent from the trial, or have been injured or killed by defective products. David has represented clients in criminal and civil litigation, including capital murder, homicide, maiming, personal injury, products liability, workers' compensation, wrongful death and appellate cases. David has appeared in television and in print media explaining intricate principles of criminal law, the import of a new defense, promoting greater understanding of problems with the legal process, and advocating for the rights of the public to full and fair compensation for the injured. David is often in the forefront of developing and successfully presenting cutting edge new defenses in court such as for example being the first attorney to successfully advance the "residence" defense in regards to "Civil Remedial Fee" statute, or the first to exclude use of DUI certificates of analysis under new Supreme Court precedent, both of which occurred in Fairfax County. David has personally handled thousands of cases and tried hundreds of jury trials, and is often consulted by colleagues for his legal expertise in difficult litigation matters. David is committed to the advancement of professionalism, diversity, continuing education for lawyers, sometimes collaborates with some of the best lawyers in Virginia and gives selflessly of himself in assisting other lawyers much as he has been assisted himself over the years by other respected lawyers in the Metro Washington D.C. community. One such example is that David helped found and co-moderates VADefenses Listserv, a forum for the ethical advancement of the adminstration of justice through the exchange of knowledge among practitioners in the field of criminal and traffic law. David is active in performing pro bono work, such as for example serving on the Supreme Court of Virginia list of attorneys handling civil appeals for free upon request by the Court. David completed his Juris Doctor from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri in 1985. Mr. Bernhard can be found daily in the courts in Northern Virginia, and conducts an extensive litigation practice.

Cheryl E. Gardner graduated from the University of Denver School of Law in 1984 and like David, early in her career she also accepted the challenge and passed three demanding state bar

exams, and is licensed to practice law in Virginia, Maryland, D.C. and

Colorado. Cheryl joined David Bernhard in partnership in 1991, bringing

with her years of litigation experience in such diverse fields as family law,

civil, criminal and traffic matters. In addition to her litigation practice,

                                   Cheryl is managing partner of Bernhard, Gardner & Mickelsen, and

                                   supervises and guides the staff of attorneys and support personnel. Cheryl

oversees the firm's divorce practice, civil and appellate litigation, and

frequently handles criminal and traffic matters in the courts in Northern

Virginia and Maryland. Cheryl has developed the Firm's innovative divorce

practice which is designed to provide high quality professional service at

low cost without the necessity of the parties to appear in Court while

encouraging a cooperative spirit among spouses who face the difficulty of

an end to their marital relationship.  Cheryl's pro bono work includes

participation in the George Mason Law School clinical program providing free divorce services to qualified clients while training interns placed with firm. A skilled writer, Cheryl is often responsible for the lustre and the qualitative edge of the Firm's pleadings, including trial memoranda and appellate briefs. Throughout her years of practice, Cheryl has served as an accessible mentor to new attorneys, is consulted by her peers in a wide variety of areas for her versatile expertise,and has attained a high level of respect from judges and her colleagues.

      Paul L. Mickelsen, joined Bernhard & Gardner in 2005 as an associate attorney and became a partner in the Firm in 2008. He has already distinguished himself as a tenacious advocate for his clients, tempered by judgment and ability. Paul speaks fluent Spanish and conversational Portuguese, and graduated from Catholic University law school in Washington, D.C in 2005.  Paul is charged with the criminal case management of the firm, and has experience representing defendants in a range of criminal and traffic cases, including appellate practice in the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Virginia. Paul is often in the forefront of developing and successfully presenting cutting edge new defenses in court such as for example being the first attorney to successfully advance the "residence" defense in regards to "Civil Remedial Fee" statute in Prince William County. Paul is also responsible for matters of expungement, drivers license restoration and also assists in representing clients in serious civil litigation matters.

Bernhard, Gardner & Mickelsen prides itself in being able to handle your case both at trial and on appeal. The firm has an active appellate practice. Representative cases include: Mitchell v. O'Brien,Va.  Record No. 072633 (2009); Parada v. Commonwealth, 08 Vap UNP 0572074 (2008); Ayala v. Aggressive Towing and Transport, 276 Va. 169 (2008); Ford Motor Company v. Benitez, 273 Va. 242 (2007); Perez v. Commonwealth, 274 Va. 724, 652 S.E.2d 95 (2007), Perez v. Commonwealth, 06 Vap UNP 1431054 (2006); Estate of Garcia v. Electrifiers, Inc., 06 WC UNP 2137580 (2006); Commonwealth v. Martinez, 99 Vap UNP 0467994 (1999); Mejia v. Commonwealth, 23 Va. App. 173 (1996); Garcia v. Commonwealth, 21 Va. App. 445 (1995); Garcia v. Commonwealth, 19 Va. App. 574 (1995); Vasquez v. Commonwealth, 94 Vap UNP 2205924 (1994).

With more than Forty-five years of collective attorney legal experience in the community and our friendly and competent staff, Bernhard & Gardner seeks to become your law firm of choice.

CONTACT US FOR THE ATTENTIVE AND COURTEOUS SERVICE THAT YOU DESERVE

Bernhard, Gardner & Mickelsen

(703) 538-4710                                            Your Law Firm Of Choice                                                Contact Us

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