Susan Massie Hicks

About Susan

Susan M. Hicks received a B.S. from George Mason University and her J.D., with honors, from Georgetown University. She was admitted to practice law in Virginia in 1984.Susan has over 35 years of trial experience, including numerous appellate court cases. Her peers have recognized her by electing her a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and she has received Martindale’s top rating of AV. Susan has been recognized in The Washington Post Magazine as one of the Best Lawyers in America (2008-present) and was the Family Law Lawyer of the Year in 2017. Susan is an active member of the Virginia State Bar, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, Virginia Bar Association, Fairfax Bar Association, and the Virginia Women Attorneys Association (president, 1999-2000). Susan has served as a member of 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. Additionally, she serves as a mediator with The McCammon Group. Susan has authored How to Get an Attorney Fee Award in a Domestic Relations Case, VTLA Journal, Summer 1992; Setting Aside Separation and Property Settlement Agreements, The Family Law Reporter, BNA, 1994; and, with David Masterman and Kim K. Huguley, The Short ”I Do“ – Divorce in Marriages of Brief Duration, Virginia Lawyer, February 2001. Susan frequently lectures at Continuing Legal Education courses and has authored/co-authored numerous Continuing Legal Education outlines, including the following: Practice Before the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Fairfax Bar Association CLE Seminar, 1992; Setting Aside Separation and Property Settlement Agreements, BNA Family Law Conference, 1994, and published in The Family Law Reporter, BNA, 1994; Using Vocational Rehabilitation Experts in Domestic Relations Cases, Virginia State Bar Advanced Family Law Seminar, 1995; The Short ”I Do“: Divorce in Marriages of Brief Duration, Virginia State Bar Midyear Seminar, 2000, and published in Virginia Lawyer, February 2001; Parental Alienation: How to Argue and Defend in Custody Cases, Virginia State Bar Family Law Seminar, 2002; Dealing with the New Model Rules, Virginia State Bar Family Law Seminar, 2002; Professionalism Issues in Discovery, Virginia State Bar Advanced Family Law Seminar, 2003; Ethical Issues Facing the Family Lawyer, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Annual Family Law Seminar, 2003; Tape Recording, Eavesdropping, Privacy, Computers, and Ethical Headaches, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Annual Family Law Seminar, 2004; Successful Strategies for Getting the Kids: Legal and Practical Advice on How to Win a Custody Case, Virginia State Bar Family Law Seminar, 2004; Electronic Surveillance in Family Law Cases, Virginia State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2005; Thorny Issues in Equitable Distribution Cases, Virginia State Bar Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar, 2005; Ethical Issues Confronting Family Lawyers, Virginia CLE 26th Annual Family Law Seminar, 2007; Attorney's Fees: Getting Them for Your Client and Yourself, Virginia State Bar Annual Meeting, 2007; Valuing Businesses for Equitable Distribution in a Divorce Case, Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, Annual Business Valuation Conference, 2007; and Recent Case Law Updates in Family Law, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Annual Family Law Seminar, 1996-2001, 2007-2018; Ethics for Family Lawyers, Virginia State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2012; Understanding, Handling and Protecting Your Client's Assets, Virginia State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2013; Updates in Equitable Distribution, Virginia State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2016; Handling Your Client's Money Ethically, Virginia State Bar Annual Family Law Seminar, 2018. Areas of Practice Family Law Divorce Domestic Relations Equitable Distribution Child Support Spousal Support Alimony Premarital Agreements Post Divorce Modification Separation Agreements Litigation Percentage 90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation Bar Admissions Virginia, 1984 Education Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, District of Columbia J.D Honors: With Honors George Mason University, Arlington, VA B.S Published Works Annual Case Law Update, VTLA Annual Family Law Seminar, 1996-2001, 2007-2011 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 Professional Associations and Memberships Virginia State Bar, Member <li itemprop="affiliation" itemscope="itemscope" itemty

Practice Areas

Family Law Insights

9 min read

Is a Spousal Support Attorney Worth It in California?

Spousal support in California turns on Family Code Section 4320, a discretionary statute with no fixed formula — which means the order often reflects how well your case is presented, not just the underlying facts. This guide breaks down when hiring an attorney is worth it, what one costs, and how to decide.

Education

• Georgetown University, J.D., graduated 1984

Languages