Biography:

Crystina (Kowalczyk) O’Brien is a trial attorney with over 30 years of legal experience. Crystina began her legal career on active duty as a United States Army lawyer. She started out tough and aggressive and maintained this attitude throughout her career. When you hire Ms. O’Brien, you get over 30 years of expert legal experience on your side. She loves a challenge. She embraces difficult cases. She brings the fight to the foray. What makes Crystina stand out is that she puts clients first.  

From serious felony criminal trials in both state, federal and military courts – including murder, rape, arson, drug distribution, malicious wounding, domestic violence, and serious financial crime, to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence to reckless driving, she knows how to win. We provide a free consultation on Criminal and Traffic matters.

Her family law practice specializes in child custody and visitation cases, though she also represents clients in divorce, child support and adoption of children cases. She understands that children are the most important people to parents and she fights to obtain and preserve parenting rights. We charge a modest consultation fee for a detailed analysis of your family law matter and will conflict ourselves from the other parties case after being retained for the case consultation.  

With over 8 years of active duty and 4 in the reserve forces, Crystina was a senior defense counsel for three tours and believes in defending those who defend our country. Hampton Roads is a vibrant community of active duty military and veterans, who benefit from Ms. O'Brien years of experience and well-honed trial skills. Experience and tenacity counts when you face criminal investigations, Courts-Martial, Administrative Boards and other military discipline hearings. Results count and Crystina has obtained numerous acquittals at courts-martial, convinced commands to retain clients at separation proceedings and has gotten military members restored to their previous positions in the Military and/or saved them their retirement benefits. Our office is close to Norfolk Naval Station, Joint Base Langley-Eustis and the other military installations in the Hampton Roads and Norfolk areas. We give a free consultation for Military Justice matters. 

Ms. O'Brien is a dogged fighter who knows how to win. She routinely appears in the local courts to include: Hampton, Newport News, York County, Isle of Wight, Williamsburg, Suffolk, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Gloucester and will travel to any of the courts in the surrounding area for the right case. She is admitted to practice in Federal Court and routinely takes cases in the General District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.  

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Admitted to the Virginia Bar and the Supreme Court of Virginia – 2006
• Admitted to the Ohio Bar since 1993 (inactive)
• Admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States – 2004
• Admitted to the Federal District Court, for the Eastern District of Virginia – 2012
• Admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces– 1994
• Admitted to Federal Court in the Western District of Pennsylvania -2002
• She is a proud member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys and Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys