About Us
and what some of you think of us?
Our contact details are on the home page
FitzPatricks is a growing firm which has long been committed to the highest professional and management standards.
In 1993 we recognised that clients had a more sophisticated understanding of what they expected of Solicitors and also were more willing to complain. As time
spent responding to complaints earned no money, it would be better to have no complaints at all.
Moving to this target meant a thorough and continuing examination of all office systems, changing our culture to one which ensured the needs of clients came
first and foremost and embracing the advantages of IT.
Re-engineering, as anyone who has been through the process knows, is slow and painful but worthwhile when done properly. The process is also inconsistent as
there are always upheavals and setbacks on the way to achievements.
Our Standards
FitzPatricks has long been committed to the highest management and professional standards:
In June 2000 FitzPatricks was successfully reviewed for LEXCEL (The Law Society Practice Management Standard for Solicitors) and Investors in People standards
both of which were first achieved in May 1999. FitzPatricks also achieved the Legal Aid LAFQAS standard (although the firm no longer undertakes Legal Aid work)
in December 1999. These three Standards were all achieved at first time of asking. No application has been made for any other standard as these three are
thought to be sufficient.
FitzPatricks was the first firm in West Sussex, the second sole practitioner and the joint twentieth firm of solicitors in the country to achieve the
LEXCEL standard, one of the few firms at that time to have achieved the IIP standard and one of the very first firms in the country to achieve the
LAFQAS standard. This record indicates a concern for standards at a time when they were not considered as important as they now are and, moreover, evidence
that the same concern continues and the standards are maintained.
- "...the highest professional standards in a difficult situation." - Denzil Lush, Master of the Court of Protection - Re W (unreported)
- "Exemplary" - Law Society Status Report, 1999
- "Exemplary" - IIP/LEXCEL Assessor's comment, July 2000
Our Mission Statement
What we do for our clients:
We provide them with expert and competent advice on legal matters in accordance with highest standards of professional conduct.
n order to:
Serve the community and enable our clients to make informed decisions and keep control of their legal affairs so that we can take effective action on their
behalf.
And so
Promote the name of this firm and its outstanding reputation in order to attract further business.
And (what that does for ourselves as individuals)
Gives us greater job satisfaction in a rewarding environment.
Our Personnel
Tom FitzPatrick
Principal - fitz@fitzpatricks-law.co.uk
Admitted as Solicitor March 1963
Employment
- Assistant Solicitor with Messrs Freshfields, London EC2, Solicitors - Assistant Solicitor, commercial property and trusts, followed by a year travelling throughout Asia. He was then Business Management Trainee with Carreras (Overseas) Ltd with particular reference to marketing before returning to the Law as an assistant with Messrs Ellis Wood & Co, Solicitors, London EC4, where he managed the Burgess Hill office and undertook heavy charitable negotiations at a high government level. He started FitzPatricks in 1973.
Specialisations
- Property - since 1957
- Commercial and employment - member Lawyers for your Business
- Elderly Client - member Solicitors for the Elderly Client
- Wills and Trusts - member STEP
- Probate - member Law Society Probate Section
- Charities - member Charity Law Association
- Practice Management - member Law Society Management Section
Other activities include
Honorary Solicitor/Chairman of/Member of the Management Committee Burgess Hill Citizens Advice Bureau from about 1976 to September 2000
Honorary Solicitor Age Concern Burgess Hill from about 1976 to 2003
Founder Burgess Hill 2000
Member of the committee of the Trust for Education in International Living, a charity based in Malvern, Worcs, for nearly twenty years until about 1996
Founder Chairman Sussex Solicitors' Sole Practitioners' Group since 1999
Co-founder, Honorary Solicitor and Deputy Chairman Burgess Hill and District Credit Union from 1997 to date and member of the committee of and legal adviser
to the South East Forum for Credit Unions from 1998 to date.
Karen Lloyd BSc (Hons) - Solicitor
Declan Liddy LLB (Hons) - Probate Manager
Renee Gibson-Ford- Legal Secretary
Amanda Harrison - Practice Manager
Roger Havell, IT Support Manager
Katherine Duncton, Probate Assistant
Jennifer Quick, Reception/Support Secretary
The firm is also supported by Penny Schofield,
Accountant