Sheila M. Costin

Sheila M. Costin brings her nearly 30 years of experience as a trial attorney in the federal and state courts of Virginia and Maryland to help her clients achieve their goals effectively and efficiently.  As the head of HCM’s Guardians and Conservators  practice group, she advises clients on fiduciary duties.  Sheila also represents clients in business disputes, and advises on the formation of new businesses.   

Sheila has successfully represented administrators, executors, guardians, conservators, trustees and beneficiaries in litigation – including will contests; cases involving claims of wrongdoing against trustees, executors and conservators; and disputes among beneficiaries and heirs.  Sheila also frequently counsels trustees and executors, advising them on administration of trusts and estates and assisting with court-mandated filings.  She also represents petitioners and respondents in guardianship proceedings and is a qualified Guardian ad litem (“GAL”) in Virginia.  

In addition to her work on behalf of fiduciaries and beneficiaries, Sheila represents clients involved in business litigation, where, for example, there are disputes over the dissolution of a business, non-competition agreements, theft of trade secrets, and breach of contract.   

Sheila was inducted into the Virginia Law Foundation as a Fellow in 2023. She has been recognized as one of Northern Virginia’s “Best Lawyers” and was recently included in Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s 2022 class of “Influential Women of Law.”

In her capacity as a Conciliator appointed by the Fairfax Circuit Court, Sheila assists parties seeking to resolve disputes before having to present them to a judge for a ruling.