Lucy Nichols is excited to serve Conflict to Peace as a part-time Outreach and Development Ambassador, Christian conciliator, facilitator and coach. It is her hope to find ways for this ministry to partner with local churches in the Northern Virginia area to reach out to lower income families and others who can benefit from a Christ-centered approach to resolving their disputes and having difficult conversations. Conflict to Peace welcomes Lucy’s energy and excitement about the opportunity to reinvigorate our outreach, and particularly the potential to break cycles of unproductive and detrimental responses to conflict in families through the light of God’s word.

As a lawyer licensed in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia, Lucy had devoted her legal career to the practice of family law. She focused her law practice on helping people through complex, high conflict cases with an emphasis in child custody litigation. As a family lawyer for more than 25 years, Lucy has a unique and an up-close understanding of conflict within families. She understands that when family disputes play out in an adversarial system, there are often devastating and long-lasting consequences impacting the entire family emotionally and financially.

Lucy recognized that it was time for change in her own life and that there is a better way for her to serve families and folks stuck in conflict. She transitioned her career from litigation to mediation, becoming certified in Virginia as a Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court mediator and a Circuit Court mediator for family cases. She works with private clients in her own business based in Northern Virginia, Nichols Family Solutions, LLC, and also works as a roster mediator with the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (JDRDC) Mediation Program where she mediates with parties referred by the Court concerning their custody, visitation and support matters.

Along her journey exploring this new career path, Lucy found that the Holy Spirit was working within her and guiding her to learn more about incorporating a Biblical approach to conflict resolution as a part of how she serves people in conflict. She did not know if this was even “a thing,” but needed to find out. It was on this part of her journey that she found Ron Zabel and Conflict to Peace! 

Lucy seeks a truly family/child-centered process as well as a Christ-centered approach to helping others address conflict, resolve their disputes and have difficult conversations in all relationships from family relationships to employment relationships and beyond. She looks forward to growing in her walk as a Christian and her work as a Christian conciliator and coach.

Lucy received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and her law degree from T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. She began her family law practice in Richmond, Virginia before returning to the Fairfax area to be closer to her family. Lucy grew up in Vienna, Virginia and lives in Oakton where she is active in her community, volunteering at her daughter’s school and their Church.