Emily E. McLaughlin | Criminal, Traffic, DWI Defense

Emily began her legal career as a prosecutor for Prince William County focusing on narcotics offenses and violent crime as part of the Narcotics Task Force and Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force. While there, she handled hundreds of complex cases including many jury trials. In the course of her work on Operation Worthy Cause, she was a part of the team awarded the Public Safety Government Partner of the Year Award from the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

Background and Education

Emily McLaughlin is a Virginia native, originally from Warrenton. She attended the College of William and Mary, where she was an NCAA cheerleader, graduating with a B.A. in Government with a pre-law focus. While in college, Emily gained experience volunteering as a legislative intern with the Virginia State Senate Majority Leader’s Office. Emily attended Pennsylvania State University Law School, where she sat as a member of the moot court board, was elected president of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and served on the Graduate Student Association Judicial Committee.

While in law school Emily completed internships with multiple district attorneys’ offices and worked as a certified legal intern in the Penn State Law Family Law Clinic, where she represented multiple low-income clients in contested divorce and custody matters. Emily graduated magna cum laude and was awarded the George F. Douglas Memorial Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy. Upon graduation, she was inducted into the Order of the Barristers honor society for exceptional trial attorneys.

Prosecutorial Experience

Emily began her legal career as a prosecutor for Prince William County focusing on narcotics offenses and violent crime as part of the Narcotics Task Force and Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force. While there, she handled hundreds of complex cases including many jury trials. In the course of her work on Operation Worthy Cause, she was a part of the team awarded the Public Safety Government Partner of the Year Award from the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

Emily taught multiple courses at the police academy including DUI investigations, 4^th Amendment Law, and Search Warrant Writing. She subsequently worked for the Suffolk and Chesapeake Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office continuing to focus on serious criminal cases. Over the years Emily has taught many courses for police officers, prosecutors, state troopers, and fire marshals, specializing in 4^th Amendment Search and Seizure issues, origin and cause arson investigations, and expert testimony relating to firearms and narcotics. She has litigated hundreds of trials including cases of child sexual abuse and homicide.

Becoming a Part of Parks Zeigler

After nearly a decade as a prosecutor, Emily made the transition to the private sector to expand the focus of her experience and litigation skills into civil matters, including family law. Emily is an accredited attorney with the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, enabling her to pursue claims before the Board of Veterans Appeals for disabled veterans.