Susan M. Hicks has more than 35 years of experience as a trial and appellate court attorney. She has substantial trial court experience with complex Equitable Distribution matters addressing business valuations and other complicated accounting issues. She also has extensive experience in high conflict custody disputes dealing with difficult psychological issues. She has tried numerous multistate custody cases dealing with the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. Susan has testified as an expert in Family Law cases, and she regularly deals with experts in psychological custody evaluations, certified public accountants, and other professionals. Susan has served as a family law mediator, and she frequently represents clients in the mediation process.
Her peers have recognized her by electing her a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and she has received Martindale-Hubbell’s top rating of AV. Susan has been recognized in The Washington Post Magazine as one of the Best Lawyers in America since 2008, and by Virginia Business magazine as one of the "Elite" family law attorneys. Susan has served as a member of the Bar Council (the governing body) of the Virginia State Bar. She is past chair of the Board of Governors of the VSB Family Law Section and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Family Law Section.
Bar Admissions
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, District of Columbia
- George Mason University, Arlington, VA
Published Works
- Annual Case Law Update, VTLA Annual Family Law Seminar, 1996-2001, 2007-2020
- Trial Strategy in Parental Alienation Cases, VTLA seminar 2020
- Valuing Businesses for Equitable Distribution in a Divorce Case, Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, Annual Business Valuation Conference, 2007
- Attorney's Fees: Getting Them for Your Client and Yourself, Virginia State Bar Annual Meeting, 2007
- Ethical Issues Confronting Family Lawyers, Virginia CLE 26th Annual Family Law Seminar, 2007
- Thorny Issues in Equitable Distribution Cases, Virginia State Bar Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar, 2005
- Electronic Surveillance in Family Law Cases, Virginia State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2005
- Successful Strategies for Getting the Kids: Legal and Practical Advice on How to Win a Custody Case, Virginia State Bar Family Law Seminar, 2004
- Tape Recording, Eavesdropping, Privacy, Computers, and Ethical Headaches, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Annual Family Law Seminar, 2004
- With David Masterman and Kim K. Huguley, The Short "I Do"- Divorce in Marriages of Brief Duration, Virginia Lawyer, February 2001
- Ethical Issues Facing the Family Lawyer, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Annual Family Law Seminar, 2003
- Professionalism Issues in Discovery, Virginia State Bar Advanced Family Law Seminar, 2003
- Dealing with the New Model Rules, Virginia State Bar Family Law Seminar, 2002
- Parental Alienation: How to Argue and Defend in Custody Cases, Virginia State Bar Family Law Seminar, 2002
- The Short "I Do": Divorce in Marriages of Brief Duration, 2000, Virginia State Bar Midyear Seminar and published in Virginia Lawyer, February 2001
- Using Vocational Rehabilitation Experts in Domestic Relations Cases, Virginia State Bar Advanced Family Law Seminar, 1995
- Setting Aside Separation and Property Settlement Agreements, The Family Law Reporter, BNA, 1994
- How to Get an Attorney Fee Award in a Domestic Relations Case, VTLA Journal, Summer, 1992
- Practice Before the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Fairfax Bar Association CLE Seminar, 1992
- A Few Good Lawyers - Can You Handle the Truth (about Ethics)?, VA CLE, 31st Annual Family Law Seminar, 2012
Classes/Seminars
- Judges are from Mars and Family Law Attorneys are from Venus, Fairfax Bar Association (“FBA”), Seminar (2014)
- Family Law Dilemmas, VSB, 29th Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar, 2013
- Domestic Relations Attorneys & Judges: The Ways They Drive Each Other Crazy, FBA, Seminar, 2008
- Attorney’s Fees: Getting Them for Your Client and Yourself, VSB, Annual Meeting (2007)
- Ethical Issues of Electronic Surveillance, VA CLE, Family Law Seminar (2005)
- The Laws and Ethics of Electronic Surveillance, Virginia Bar Association (“VBA”), Advanced Family Law Seminar (2005)
- Thorny Issues in ED Cases, VSB, 21st Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar (2005)
- Successful Strategies for Getting the Kids: Legal and Practical Advice on How to Win a Custody Case, VSB, Family Law Seminar (2004)
- Tape Recording, Eavesdropping, Privacy, Computers, and Ethical Headaches, VTLA, Family Law Seminar (2004)
- Professionalism Issues in Discovery, VSB, Advanced Family Law Seminar (2003)
- Ethical Issues Facing the Family Lawyer, VTLA, Annual Family Law Seminar (2003)
- Parental Alienation: How to Argue and Defend in Custody Cases, VSB, Family Law Seminar (2002)
- Dealing with the New Model Rules, VSB, Family Law Seminar (2002)
- Using Vocational Rehabilitation Experts in Domestic Relations Cases, VSB, Advanced Family Law Seminar (1995)
- Practice Before the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Fairfax Bar Association (1992)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Virginia State Bar, Family Law Section, Past Chair
- Virginia State Bar, Member, Present
- Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, Family Law Section, Past Chair
- Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Present
- Virginia Bar Association, Former Board of Governors
- Virginia Bar Association, Member, Present
- Fairfax Bar Association, Member, Present
- Virginia Women Attorneys Association, Past President
- Virginia Women Attorneys Association, Member, Present
- Virginia State Bar, Member of Bar Council
