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Kyle G. Manikas
About Kyle
Biography
I am an attorney primarily focused on helping families in Virginia navigate the world of estate planning and elder law. With over 20 years of legal experience, I have been honored to represent individuals, businesses, and our wonderful community in a wide range of legal matters. Most recently, I had the privilege of serving as the Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County, a jurisdiction of around 1.2 million people. I have been named to SuperLawyers and I am Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell.
Having spent years representing clients in litigation, I understand the most valuable service a lawyer can provide is keeping their clients out of court. The court process is long, it is extremely expensive, and it is very stressful for clients. Moreover, regardless of an attorney’s talent, court outcomes are highly unpredictable given that human beings are involved in the decision-making process.
In some legal areas, such as criminal law, the case almost always starts with a court filing so avoiding court is not possible. However, with estate planning, avoiding court is entirely possible with proactive planning. Moreover, the cost savings and other benefits of avoiding court and probate are substantial – greatly exceeding the expense of planning.
As a parent myself, I understand the concerns that many people with young children share. Questions like, "What will the court do with my children if something happens to me today?" or "What other decisions will the court make for my family if I don't plan ahead?" or “What will happen to me and my affairs if I become incapacitated in an auto accident or have a medical emergency?” weigh heavily on the minds of parents. I'm here to help address these concerns and plan accordingly.
I also recognize that for those that are more senior, they may be facing a long-term care crisis. Seniors have a 70% chance of needing long-term care services and support in the final third of their life. However, the average cost of inpatient long-term care is between $10,000 and $12,000 a month, and Medicare does not cover any long-term care costs. Absent proactive planning, seniors needing long-term care are required by Medicaid rules to spend down their entire life savings to below $2,000 before Medicaid will cover any of the monthly cost. While some states exempt certain retirement assets from this spend down, Virginia does not.
While we will talk a lot about your home, and possibly your IRA, or other assets, at its core, estate planning is about retaining control over your future and the future of your loved ones.
Planning is about taking control and making sure that YOU, not a court or a third party, decides what happens if you become incapacitated, or to your children if you pass when they are minors.
It’s about making sure that the assets you have are immediately available (rather than tied up in court proceedings), and are not unnecessarily depleted (by court costs, appraisal fees, outside financial guardians, lawyers, etc.), in the event of your incapacity or death, and used fully to support the choices you make as to how you want to be cared for, and how you want your loved ones to be cared for.
On a personal note, I am a father of three children. What they bring to this experience for me is an awareness that planning is something you do for the people you love the most. You may or may not be the one to benefit from the plan we design, but your loved ones surely will. I am guessing that is why you are here. I look forward to talking with you about those people and how we can ensure that they are cared for and protected.
Practice Areas
1
Practice Area
Fees and Rates
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Virginia for 20 years
State: Virginia
Acquired: 2005
No misconduct found
Licensed in New York for 24 years
State: New York
Acquired: 2002
No misconduct found
Licensed in District of Columbia for 23 years
State: District of Columbia
Acquired: 2002
No misconduct found
Location
Manikas PLC
4000 Legato Road, Suite 1100, Fairfax, VA, 22033
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Kyle G. Manikas's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
100 Client Reviews
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Practice Areas
What Clients Mention
Case Results (81)
Advocacy (55)
Recommendation (49)
Practice Area Knowledge (41)
Professionalism (40)
General Knowledge (35)
Communication Style (28)
Cost of Services (20)
Character & Conduct (18)
Trustworthiness (18)
Responsiveness (16)
Compassion (12)
Staff & Support (8)
Free Consultations (6)
Punctuality (3)
Payment Plans (2)
Showing 16 - 18 of 18 reviews | Trustworthiness
Posted by Shawn | June 19, 2013 | Criminal Defense
Aggressive Driving Charge
Was charged in VA for Reckless Driving, a very SERIOUS thing! Not knowing anything about VA law (lived in CT) I started researching for a lawyer. Mr. Manikas' name came up on several lawyer review sites and the capper was that out of the blue I received a "cold call" mailing for his services...Fate...
Posted by Jerry | April 11, 2012 | Criminal Defense
Reckless charge reduced
Unfortunately, I was recently cited for Reckless driving for the very first time and was shocked to find out that it held the weight of a Class 1 Misdemeanor criminal charge with possible jail time! Needless to say, I was extremely nervous about going into court and representing myself since the outc...
Posted by anonymous | January 08, 2012 | DUI & DWI
Excellent DUI Attorney
Mr. Manikas an incredible attorney - extremely professional, knowledgeable and honest. As a former Prosecutor in Fairfax County he knows how the system works and has a very good working relationship with all of the Judges and Prosecutors. He was very upfront with me from our initial meeting on t...
Kyle G. Manikas's Lawyer Endorsements
"I'm pleased to endorse Kyle. He is a top-notch immigration attorney and a zealous advocate for his clients. Highly recommended."
"Spending 5 minutes in the hallway talking to Kyle has literally made the difference between victory and failure in my cases. Great attorney and great person."
"Kyle is a creative legal thinker that is always looking for a way to win. He is respected in the halls of the courthouse for how he prosecuted cases as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney and now for his aggressive representation of his clients on the defense side. I would trust him to handle any kind of case."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer. As a former prosecutor, Kyle is very knowledgeable and is a great source of legal expertise. He fights for his clients and I highly recommend his services."
"This is a completely unsolicited endorsement. It is a high honor and a privilege to endorse my colleague and friend, Kyle Manikas. If I weren't new to Avvo, I would have done so a long time ago. Kyle is a polished professional who fights hard for his clients. He practices the law with the whole of his heart and gives everything he has to his clients. His past experience as a commonwealth attorney makes him a stellar defense attorney because he knows the challenges from every possible angle and can handle them with ease. He approaches his work as a defense attorney with perfection, intelligence and coolness. That said, he is also one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. He treats his colleagues and clients with respect. I give him my highest recommendation. If you have a legal issue, whether traffic, criminal or civil, hire Kyle Manikas without hesitation. You will be in outstanding hands. You will be in excellent hands. You will have the best representation."
"I endorse this lawyer. A brilliant and highly respected attorney in the legal community."
"Mr. Manikas knows the Virginia DWI laws well, but more importantly, he has mastery of case-winning strategies."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"Kyle is a force to be reckoned with. Hes a great attorney and more seasoned than his years would suggest."
"Talented lawyer."
"Kyle is an excellent criminal lawyer. His experience as a prosecutor helped him develop strong trial skills. He is well respected by other lawyers and Judges. I refer clients to him and trust him to handle their cases."
"I endorse this lawyer's work. I have reviewed his Legal Guides and his answers to legal questions and I am impressed by his knowledge of the DUI laws."
"I endorse this lawyer's work. I have known Kyle Manikas for 4-5 years while he was a prosecutor in Fairfax County, Virginia. Since then, he became a defense attorney. I have been impressed with his work ethic and his intelligence. He is a strong litigator and gentleman lawyer. I can imagine that his clients will be very happy because, from what I have seen, he does an outstanding job. As far as the cases I have handled as defense counsel while he was prosecutor, the work I saw would make me trust him as Defense Counsel."
"I endorse this lawyer's work. Kyle is an extraordinary trial lawyer who I have seen on a number of occasions skillfully argue on behalf of his clients. He always demonstrates an impressive command of the facts of his case and is well versed in the law and evidentiary issues associated with trial practice. His clients can take comfort knowing they have a lawyer who is creative, intelligent and will work diligently for a favorable outcome in their case."
"I know Kyle from a national networking group. He is a responsible, intelligent attorney who is an extremely capable advocate for his clients. I endorse this lawyer's work."
"I endorse this lawyer's work."
"I endorse this lawyer's work. Kyle is by far the brightest and hardest working attorney I have worked with."
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Experience
Honors
2020
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2019
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2018
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2017
AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2017
Rising Star, SuperLawyers
2016
Rising Star, SuperLawyers
2016
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2015
Rising Star, SuperLawyers
2015
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2014
Rising Star, SuperLawyers
2014
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2013
Rising Star, Super Lawyers
2013
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2012
Washington D.C.'s Top Rated Lawyers, ALM/Washington Post
2012
Virginia's Top Rated Lawyers, ALM/ Wall Street Journal
2009
Listee, Marquis Who's Who
Work Experience
2024 - Present
Attorney, Manikas PLC
2020 - 2024
Chief Deputy, Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office
2009 - 2019
Attorney, Manikas PLC
2005 - 2009
Prosecutor, Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney
2002 - 2005
Attorney, Private Practice
2000 - 2002
Attorney, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
1999 - 1999
Clerk, Department of Justice
Associations
2005 - Present
Virginia Bar AssociationMember
2002 - Present
District of Columbia Bar AssociationMember
2001 - Present
American Bar AssociationMember
Sample of Legal Cases
Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain
Counsel for Amici Curiae in United States Supreme Court
Education
2001
Washington College of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1998
Syracuse University
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Guides
Legal Answers
Q&A
What will happen if I go to court without an attorney?
07 Apr 2009
Q&A
Can a criminal case be dropped if the plantiff does not show
09 Feb 2009
Q&A
105mph in 70mph speed zone What should I do to not have it on my record? I can not do defensive driving or probation.
24 Feb 2009
Legal Guides
Legal Guide
How to Beat Your Reckless Driving Charge in Virginia (Va. Code 46.2-862 & 46.2-852)
31 Mar 2009
Legal Guide
Eight Ways to Defend and Challenge Your Virginia DWI or DUI Case
31 Mar 2009
Legal Guide
How to Find & Hire the Right Virginia Criminal Defense Attorney
31 Mar 2009