Can Family Lawyers Be Both Compassionate and Strategic? Elizabeth Hicks Says Yes
Family law can be perceived as combative, stressful and more focused on legal victories than the people involved. Elizabeth Hicks, Director at Family Law in Partnership (FLiP), is one of the lawyers changing that narrative. Throughout her career she has proven that family lawyers can be both compassionate and strategic, blending legal expertise with empathy pragmatism and an unwavering focus on achieving lasting, fair outcomes for clients.
Elizabeth was recently featured in Tatler magazine’s latest piece “All’s Fair: the real-life top female legal power players.” The article celebrates women in family law, trusts and reputation management, highlighting those who are reshaping the profession with intelligence, integrity and innovation.
All quotes in this blog are drawn directly from Tatler’s original feature. You can find a link to the article here. Below we explore how Elizabeth found her calling, overcame barriers, and continues to redefine success in family law – all while staying true to her core values.
Finding Her Calling: Why Family Law Fit Perfectly
Reflecting on her career path, Elizabeth says: “I realised very early on in my life that what motivated me was a deep seated drive to help people, connect with them on an individual level and to be the one fighting their corner for them without judging them.” She knew that family law would allow her to combine her softer skills – communication, emotional intelligence, adaptability, with technical expertise. “There are many careers for which that skill set would be applicable but the more research I undertook the more it became clear that family law would be a perfect fit for me and I believe this has proved to be the case.”
The Reward of Long-Term Impact
For Elizabeth, the most fulfilling part of her work is seeing the lasting difference she makes. “There is no better feeling than a client contacting me months or even years after I finished acting for them to update me on their new lives and to know I played a part in helping them get there.” This demonstrates how strategic legal solutions paired with empathy can create outcomes that truly benefit families in the long run.
Overcoming Barriers: Challenges for Women in Law
Elizabeth also reflects on the barriers women historically faced in law: “When I started my career, it was definitely more difficult to progress as a woman than it is now as there were very few senior female lawyers. As such I often found myself facing significant misogyny and sometimes being used more as a personal assistant than as a junior professional colleague! As with so many women of my generation, this only fuelled the fire for me to succeed and made me even more determined to stand out from the crowd.” Her experience shaped her approach, combining empathy for others with a determination to achieve tangible results.
Putting Clients First: A Holistic Approach
Elizabeth always prioritises clients’ wellbeing, balancing strategic advice with emotional support: “My primary focus is on the wellbeing of my client, which means investing time in understanding their needs and fears, both emotional and financial, as well as those of their partner. I always take a holistic approach to negotiations, mindful of preserving family relationships, since children can suffer if cases begin with a confrontational approach focused only on finances.”
Championing Collaborative Solutions
At FLiP, Elizabeth promotes alternatives to adversarial court battles: “At FLiP, we work to deescalate conflict and encourage clients to consider non-court dispute resolution, such as collaborative law. With greater transparency in the family courts, I always discuss these options with my clients at the outset and plan a strategy that works best for them.” This approach reflects her belief that strategic planning and empathy are not mutually exclusive- they complement each other to produce better results.
Elizabeth embodies the modern family lawyer. Her work proves that the most effective legal solutions are not just about winning cases – they are about supporting clients, preserving relationships, and guiding families toward healthier futures. As Elizabeth says, her work is ultimately about fighting for people “without judging them”, showing that family law can indeed be both compassionate and strategic.
To learn more about Elizabeth’s approach, watch the video below:
Elizabeth specialises in all areas of family law with a particular focus in advising HNW and UHNW clients on complex cross jurisdictional issues of family, matrimonial and trusts law. Her work includes divorce, contested financial remedy cases, children cases and preparing Pre and Post Marital Agreements. Elizabeth’s cases frequently have an international dimension and many of her clients have substantial assets.