portrait photo of Heather Koontz

Heather Sisto Koontz

Principal

Heather Sisto Koontz is a dedicated family attorney based in Offit Kurman's Bethesda, Maryland office. She focuses her practice on a wide range of family law services, including divorce and separation agreements, child custody and support, pre-marital and post-marital agreements, and domestic violence. Heather's approach integrates both an amicable approach with litigation, providing clients with comprehensive legal strategies tailored to their specific needs. Her commitment to providing amicable resolutions allows clients to explore mediation and negotiation, while her litigation skills are reserved for cases that require a more assertive approach. Heather is known for her ability to balance empathy with assertiveness, ensuring that her clients feel supported while their interests are vigorously defended.

Heather's passion for family law is deeply rooted in her personal experiences as the daughter of divorced parents. This background gives her a unique perspective and a profound understanding of the challenges children face during and after divorce proceedings, enabling her to offer empathetic and effective guidance.

Beyond her practice, Heather actively contributes to the legal community. She has presented on emerging issues in the LGBTQ+ community at a D.C. Bar Association event and has hosted the Montgomery County Bar Association's Chambers Chat. Her involvement reflects her dedication to ongoing legal education and her leadership within the profession.

    Education

    • Penn State Dickinson Law (J.D.)
    • Indiana University of Pennsylvania (B.A., summa cum laude)
    • HarvardX
      • Verified Certificate of Achievement in Child Protection

    State Bar Admissions

    • Maryland
    • District of Columbia

    Court Admissions

    • United States District Court for the District of Maryland

    Professional Affiliations

    • Frederick County Bar Association, Member
    • Montgomery County Bar Association, Member
    • Women’s Bar Association, Member
    • Maryland State Bar Association, Member

    Recognitions

    • Named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Family Law (2026)
    • Selected to Maryland Rising Stars® for Family Law (2025-2027)
    • Provost Scholar Award, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2016)

Services

  • Biography
  • Publications & News
  • Featured Works

Firm Highlights

  • Podcasts
    Artful Donations: Exploring Museum Exchange
    In this episode of The Legal Canvas, host Caryn Keppler welcomes Robert Wainstein and Michael Darling, co-founders of Museum Exchange, the first digital platform dedicated to facilitating art donations to museums and nonprofit institutions across North America. Together, they explore how technology is transforming the way collectors, artists, estates, and cultural organizations connect through charitable giving. Robert and Michael explain the inspiration behind Museum Exchange, the challenges they set out to solve, and how the platform has grown into a network of more than 400 museums. They walk listeners through the donation process—from evaluating artwork and matching donors with institutions to handling logistics, documentation, and tax considerations. Along the way, they discuss the realities of museum collecting, why many donations are declined, and how thoughtful placements can help preserve artists' legacies while expanding access to important works of art. The conversation also explores Museum Exchange's work with living artists, artist estates, hospitals, universities, and smaller regional museums, as well as the launch of the Charis Foundation for the Arts, a nonprofit designed to steward significant collections before placing them with institutions that can best benefit from them. Robert and Michael conclude by sharing their vision for the future of charitable art transactions and how Museum Exchange is helping reshape philanthropy in the arts for generations to come.