An interactive panel discussion with the bench, law clerks and the Clerk of Court, taking a look at the behind the scenes operations in Judges’ Chambers & the Clerk’s Office. The discussion will include updates to Circuit Court procedures, frequently asked questions and pitfalls, an overview of important new statutory changes, procedures, and rules for practitioners, as well as E-Filing going live in Alexandria.
Hon. Kathleen M. Uston
Chief Judge
Alexandria Circuit Court
Hon. Kathleen M. Uston began her service on the Circuit Court for the 18th Circuit in the City of Alexandria in April 2021. In July 2026, Judge Uston was elected to serve as Chief Judge. She received her juris doctorate from George Mason University School of Law in 1991 and, after passing the bar, went into private practice focusing in the areas of attorney ethical defense work, GAL representation, and civil litigation. Judge Uston served as Commissioner in Chancery for the Circuit Court for the City of Alexandria, as Assistant Bar Counsel with the Virginia State Bar for thirteen years and as adjunct professor of law at American University Washington College of Law teaching Ethics for Trial Lawyers. She is past President of the VSB Young Lawyers Conference, served as vice-chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Solo and Small Firm Committee, and is former President of the Alexandria Bar Association. Judge Uston also served as President of the National Organization of Bar Counsel and as NOBC's Delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates. Judge Uston was a member of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, the Presidential Committee on Wellness of the Virginia State Bar, and a member of the Virginia Committee on Lawyer Wellness formed by Chief Justice Donald Lemons of the Virginia Supreme Court. Judge Uston is currently a member of the Supreme Court Wellness Advisory Committee. Over her career, Judge Uston has lectured extensively on the subject of attorney ethics and had the great honor of co-authoring the updated edition of Lawyers and Other People's Money with Frank Thomas, Esquire.
Hon. J. Greg Parks
Clerk of Court
Alexandria Circuit Court
J. Greg Parks was born and raised in Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He later earned a Juris Doctor degree from the American University and a Master of Laws degree from the George Washington University. After graduating from law school, Greg served as an attorney for the U.S. Coast Guard, Office of the Judge Advocate General. After the attacks of September 11th, Greg served on the White House team that created the Department of Homeland Security. He went on to serve in senior legal and management positions with the Coast Guard, the Department of Transportation, the General Services Administration, and as Chief Counsel of a federal administrative tribunal, where he directed the full range of legal and operational functions and served as ethics officer for 15 judges. Greg was elected to an eight-year term as Alexandria Clerk of the Circuit Court on November 5th, 2019, and took office as Clerk on January 1, 2020.
Savannah Jaffe
Judicial Law Clerk
Alexandria Circuit Court
Savannah has been a Judicial Law Clerk at the Alexandria Circuit Court since August of 2025. She graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History with a concentration in public history. After graduating, Savannah worked for AmeriCorps at a charter school in Bridgeport, Connecticut and later was a Fulbright Scholar in Sofia, Bulgaria. She received her Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center. At Georgetown, Savannah was a member of the Barristers' Council Appellate Advocacy team, competing in the Bryant-Moore Moot Court competition at Howard University School of Law. She was an Executive Editor for the Annual Review of the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law. During her 3L year, Savannah served as a student attorney in the Domestic Violence Clinic, representing DC residents in petitions for temporary and civil protection orders. Outside of work, Savannah loves exploring historical sites and museums.
Emma Kearney
Judicial Law Clerk
Alexandria Circuit Court
Emma has been a Judicial Law Clerk at the Alexandria Circuit Court since August of 2025. She received her Bachelor of Science in public policy and family science from the University of Maryland. As an undergraduate student, Emma interned for CASA Anne Arundel County. Emma received her Juris Doctor with a concentration in family law from The George Washington University Law School. During law school, Emma was on the George Washington University Law Review and served as a student attorney for the Access to Justice Clinic, Family Law Division working on child custody and UCCJEA matters. She also worked as a tutor for Civil Procedure students, worked as a Writing Fellow at the Law School Writing Center, volunteered for the Service Assistance Project, volunteered at the D.C. Superior Court's Family Court Self-Help Center, served as the Competition Chair for the Alternative Dispute Resolution Board, and worked as a Research Assistant for multiple professors and the Fundamentals of Lawyering Program. Emma gained experience during law school by working for a solo practitioner, multiple law firms, including a trusts and estates firm and a family law firm, and interning for Judge McLean at the D.C. Superior Court. After her Clerkship, Emma will practice family law. When she is not at work, you can find Emma hanging out with her two dogs and making sourdough.
