Stephanie Michele Himel-Nelson

Stephanie has been a practicing attorney for over 24 years, and she firmly believes that everyone needs an estate plan. She is a member of the bars in Virginia and Washington, D.C., and is also a seasoned litigator with experience in complex commercial contract litigation, government contracts, and construction law, as well as negotiating and drafting commercial contracts. She is Of Counsel for Jennifer Porter Law, PLLC, focusing her practice on estate planning.

Stephanie originally hails from Louisiana but grew up living around the world with her military family. After college at the University of Miami and the University of Nebraska at Omaha, she met her husband, a proud Navy man, before moving across the country to Virginia. She attended George Washington University School of Law, where she was the Executive Notes Editor of the International Law Review. After more than a decade of practice as a litigator, Stephanie co-founded Blue Star Families, an influential nonprofit supporting military families.

Stephanie now lives in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia with her husband and three boys, expanding Jennifer Porter Law's practice across the Commonwealth. She strongly believes in giving back to the community and is an active volunteer, having served as the president of the board of directors for her children’s swim club, PTA secretary, high school band booster club treasurer and secretary, and contracts chair for the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach.

In her spare time, Stephanie also serves as a stroke and turn official for USA Swimming, the Virginia High School League, the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association, and the Virginia Beach Swim League. On the weekend, you can find Steph and her family on the pool deck at swim meets or cheering on Virginia Tech at football games. (But she still roots for the Canes when Miami and Virginia Tech face off!)

Associations & Court Admissions:

Commonwealth of Virginia Bar
District of Columbia Bar
Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Court of Federal Claims
Eastern District of Virginia
District Court for the District of Columbia