Lorna Rhoades
Meet Lorna
Lorna Cobb Rhoades, a native of Poughkeepsie, New York, came back to Hofheimer Family Law after an internship here in 2008. She met our founder, Charlie Hofheimer, and his daughter, Kristen Hofheimer, through an old family connection. Her parents adopted a total of six children (in addition to four biological children, of whom Lorna is the eldest). One child was adopted from Korea, another through Catholic Charities, and the remaining four through the foster care system through an attorney in Pennsylvania.
Lorna went to law school at the University of Florida, and connected with her family’s lawyer friend, who referred her to Hofheimer Family Law. Our work with Protective Moms groups, and Charlie and his wife Diane’s work with Champions for Children (formerly Prevent Child Abuse Hampton Roads) led Lorna to our doors. A staunch advocate for children, after seeing firsthand what kind of neglectful and abusive situations came out of the foster care system, Lorna always knew she wanted to be an advocate for children. Interested in both adoption and custody work, Lorna knew that family law was the avenue she wanted to pursue.
Lorna has a wealth of experience, too, which she brings to her practice of family law. Her husband, Mick, a flight officer in the Navy, has been stationed in a number of difference places during Lorna’s years in practice. After law school, she practiced in Georgia, where she accepted a prestigious position as a law clerk for Senior Judge Hugh Lawson, a United States District Judge in the Middle District of Georgia, and then as an attorney practicing employee benefits law at a private law firm in Atlanta, Georgia. She then moved to Arizona, where she worked in the Pima County Attorney’s Office, Civil Division. She returned to Virginia in 2017 and started practicing family law in another local family law attorney’s office, but couldn’t resist the opportunity to return to Hofheimer Family Law.
Lorna’s experience touches on a number of issues important to Hampton Roads women – as a Navy wife, she’s intimately acquainted with the specific issues military spouses face, and is comfortable navigating the tricky territory associated with military divorce law. In her work in the Pima County Attorney’s office, she worked in the mental health area (specifically authorizing involuntary commitments, and so on), which makes her particularly well informed when it comes to husbands with unique mental health issues. Obviously, too, her personal experience with adoption her legal experience with divorce and custody cases brings an interesting and valuable perspective.
An ardent advocate for moms in the courtroom, Lorna is also clever, quick, and comfortable in negotiations. Serving her client’s best interests is her first priority, and she does so with zeal, professionalism, and confidence.
The mother of two children, Gracie and Callan, who keep her pretty busy, Lorna also loves to work out (particularly Zumba) and play the French horn. Lorna and Mick live in Chesapeake, where her family lives nearby.
Lorna’s Reputation
Though we can’t guarantee results, and every case is different, we’ve had some pretty happy clients over the years!
Lorna is very kind
Lorna is making a very difficult time easier to navigate through. She’s kind, doesn’t tell me what I want to hear but what I need to hear, and was reassuring and understanding. I am a separated mom of 2 daughters and currently working on going through a divorce. She was very reassuring and kind.
I feel confident after my consult with Mrs. Rhoades
Lorna was very kind and informative. She did not make me feel uncomfortable and made me feel like she was actually addressing my concerns, needs, and my interests. Previously I met with another attorney who made me feel uncomfortable about my situation and as though I was not entitled to anything. However, Mrs. Rhoades did not make me feel uncomfortable and made me feel like she was actually addressing my concerns, needs, and my interests. She was informative and encouraging. I learned a lot during my consultation and feel confident and comfortable moving forward with my divorce.
Lorna addressed my concerns
I am a mother of two children and one grandchild. She was a great listener and very compassionate. She addressed all of my needs and concerns.
She gave me many opinions and choose what would work for my life outcome
Lorna gave me good legal advice and opinions to work with. She is very knowledgeable and seemed to understand my situation. I like women lawyers that understand women’s needs. Everything is going well, she gave me many opinions and choose what would work for my life outcome.
Lorna was very easy to talk to
I was very pleased with my experience, I had a positive experience. She was very easy to talk to and made me feel at ease about my situation.