Susan Fitzgerald

Consultant 

Call Susan on: 020 3866 5720

email: Susan.fitzgerald@beckfitzgerald.co.uk

 

About Susan

Susan Fitzgerald is a consultant and co-founder of Beck Fitzgerald. The practice was established in order to provide excellent family law services in a way which is accessible and modern and also with the aim of influencing changes to make the family justice system fairer to families and children.

Susan is a specialist care practitioner who has been on the Children Panel since 1998.  She acts for both parents and children, in the latter case receiving instructions from their Children’s Guardian. Susan also regularly acts for parents who lack litigation capacity and in these cases she works closely with the Official Solicitor. Susan is an excellent advocate and  undertakes a range of highly complex public law work including cases involving non-accidental injury, deprivation of liberty orders, neglect, sexual and emotional abuse. She also acts in adoption matters and other complex cases between parents involving their children.

An Accredited Specialist, Susan has considerable experience in acting for parents in international child abduction cases and disputes alongside private law children and domestic abuse cases.

Susan takes an holistic approach to her clients needs taking time to ensure that they are properly understood so that she can ensure their voices are properly heard. Her professionalism and compassionate approach are regularly commented on by both clients and other professionals with whom she works.

What motivates Sue is to ensure that her clients are able to fully and fairly participate in their case and achieve the best and fairest outcome.  She is proud to work with such an excellent team who are so committed to doing their very best for their clients.

Specialist Accreditations include:

Membership of The Law Society’s Children Panel
Resolution Accredited Specialist status in child abduction, private law children and domestic abuse

Susan Fitzgerald is an excellent child care lawyer who has extensive experience and knowledge of representing children in court. Susan is always reliable and professional and when she is appointed to a case, I know that she will represent a child’s wishes and feelings accurately. She works with children and young people in a sensitive and confident way.

A Children's Guardian

I act as a professional, lay litigation friend, so I am one remove from the client. This means that it is important to me that the Solicitor I instruct gives me clear advice, but is also someone who is willing to make allowances for any vulnerabilities / limitations of the protected party-which can mean that dealing with them can take longer than other clients. Susan took the time to keep our client in the picture, to the extent that this was possible

A Lay Litigation Friend

In addition to your expertise you have been very patient with me and particularly good at explaining things.  This has given me a lot of comfort and has made me feel prepared for what is to come.

A Client

I would like to say a big thank you to Susan, Evangeline and my barrister for all the amazing hard work and support they have given me over the last year. You guys are amazing and have done such a great job, I couldn’t have asked for better, you were always professional, made sure I understood everything and made me feel very comfortable. Thank you !

A Client

Two major breakthroughs for access to justice

Clients from Beck Fitzgerald have put themselves forward to help us challenge two particularly unfair rules in the application of the legal aid ‘means test’. Trapped capital The brilliant Public Law Project took this matter to judicial review regarding the...

New guidance around alienating behaviours a significant step forward

New guidance from the Family Justice Council represents a significant step forward when dealing with cases involving allegations of ‘alienating behaviour’. I am pleased to have contributed to this important workstream alongside my respected colleagues on FJC. The...

Sir Andrew MacFarlane congratulates FLANC on innovation award

  “Described by Sir Andrew MacFarlane as ‘one of those ideas which is so good you wonder why we hadn’t thought of it sooner’ FLANC has picked up its second award in as many months. Family Advice for the Neurodivergent Community (FLANC)  was awarded the Family Law...

Farhana Shahzady joins as consultant solicitor

Beck Fitzgerald is delighted to announce that Farhana Shahzady has joined the firm as a consultant solicitor. Farhana is an exceptional family lawyer and mediator. Farhana is a national expert on the thorny and contemporary issue of spousal maintenance, upon which she...

Celebrating recognition as one of Times Best Law Firms 2025

  At Beck Fitzgerald Family Law, we are thrilled and honoured to be recognised as one of The Times Best Law Firms for 2025. This prestigious accolade represents not only a milestone for our firm but also a testament to the dedication, expertise, and commitment that...

FLANC wins Resolution innovation award

  We are thrilled to announce that Family Law Advice for the Neurodivergent Community (FLANC) has won the Innovation Champion Award at the esteemed Resolution Awards 2024. This award celebrates FLANC’s pioneering efforts to create a more inclusive and accessible...

Remembering Jess

It is with heartfelt sadness that we share the news of the loss of our dear colleague and friend Jessica Aviss. Jess was a wonderful colleague, a caring and compassionate solicitor and a true friend. We will miss her desperately. Jessica’s funeral will take place on...

50 women have been killed in the UK this year, allegedly all by men

50 women have been killed in the UK so far this year, allegedly at the hands of men. The number is shocking, but those working to protect women and girls aren’t surprised. “Devastating, but not too surprising,” says Women’s Aid..... To read the full article click on...

Family Lawyers join forces to support neurodivergent community

Family lawyers from different firms and chambers have joined forces to set up a specialist group dedicated to ensuring the neurodivergent community has equal access to justice. FLANC (Family Law Advice for the Neurodivergent Community) has been spearheaded by Duncan...

Beck Fitzgerald team news

We are delighted to announce that we have invited Molly Ashcroft and Rebecca Pantelli to become Directors of Beck Fitzgerald with immediate effect. Both Molly and Rebecca have made an enormous contribution to the smooth running of our growing team and will continue to...

Reluctance, resistance, and refusal – let’s lose the pseudo-science.

Taking a constructive and collaborative approach to problem solving in an area which is complex is always a challenge.  The polarising debates surrounding the complex area of alienating behaviours are particularly difficult to navigate because they have become...