About Colleen P.
Colleen P. Gillis began her path to the law in an academic environment that combined language and global affairs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in 1997. Three years later she completed her Juris Doctor at the University of Richmond School of Law in 2000. Those years shaped the skills she would carry into practice: careful reading, clear writing and attention to complex documents.
Her early career included a position as an associate at Cooley Godward Kronish LLP. That role placed her in a firm setting where collaboration and rigorous legal work were part of daily routine. As an associate she worked alongside partners and fellow associates on client matters, developing practical courtroom and transactional instincts common to large firm practice.
Gillis is licensed to practice in Virginia. She is based in Reston, where she maintains a presence in the Northern Virginia legal community. Her background in both liberal arts and law school gives her a blend of analytical tools and communication skills that clients and colleagues find useful when cases require careful preparation and clear advocacy.
Colleen’s education at the University of Richmond School of Law came at a time when the legal landscape was changing, and she entered practice with the adaptability that law firms often require. Her undergraduate work in English and foreign affairs informed an ability to synthesize complex material and explain it plainly. Those capabilities have informed her work as an associate and in client interactions.
People who have worked with her describe an attorney who approaches tasks methodically and values thorough preparation. She has handled matters that required reviewing detailed records, coordinating with other professionals and presenting information in written and oral forms. Her experience in a firm environment taught her how to manage deadlines and respond to shifting priorities while keeping client needs in view.
Today she continues to practice law in Virginia from an office in Reston. She serves as an associate at Cooley Godward Kronish LLP and represents clients in matters arising under Virginia law, drawing on her training from the University of Virginia and the University of Richmond School of Law.
