Susi Gillespie
Partner & Head of Family DR
Susi Gillespie is Head of Family Dispute Resolution, which unites the firm’s mediation, collaborative law and, soon to be introduced, one couple one lawyer service and offers clients innovative solutions to resolve family disputes outside of court.
Susi Gillespie is a results driven family lawyer with more than 17 years’ experience family law. She joined Thomas Mansfield’s Tunbridge Wells office in late 2017 to set up the firm’s family team and she successfully grew the team from initially just her to a large team spread across several offices.
The 2022 edition of The Legal 500 recognised Thomas Mansfield’s family team’s “strong presence in the South East/Kent and clearly established reputation for providing excellent representation and client care whilst also keeping fee levels/structures transparent and at a reasonable and realistic level.” Susi has been recognised in previous editions of Chambers and Partners for her “enthusiasm and straightforward attitude”.
Susi is qualified Resolution Accredited Specialist in the areas of complex financial remedies and cohabitation (unmarried) disputes. Resolution is the largest membership organisation for family justice professionals in England and Wales and the Specialist Accreditation Scheme recognises members who demonstrate excellence in the practice of family law and in their specific areas of expertise.
Susi is also a Law Society Accredited Mediator and a Collaborative Lawyer which means that she can offer her clients an alternative method of dispute resolution from the traditional adversarial approach. Mediation is a cost effective and family focused way of assisting couples to end their relationship and plan for their family’s future. Collaborative law provides a means of achieving family led solutions in a non-confrontational way by agreement and discussion in client/lawyer meetings with the aim of avoiding court proceedings.
Experience and recent work
Susi’s experience and expertise lies in the resolution of financial disputes between married and unmarried couples and on children matters. Susi’s preference is to resolve these disputes in either a mediation or collaborative setting.
In so far as financial matters are concerned, Susi is fully aware that the worry associated with the financial division can be more stressful than the separation itself. Susi will assist in achieving a fair division of the matrimonial home and assets through a process of firm and fair negotiation on her clients’ behalf.
When it comes to children matters, Susi advises on issues relating to the arrangements for where children will live and how often they will spend time with their other parent post separation, as well as removal from jurisdiction cases. Susi understands that when couples are separating from each other, both parties will continue to be parents to their children. Susi actively assists parents to focus on their children’s well-being; whether this is through negotiation, collaboration, mediation or through the Court process.
Susi also regularly advises clients in respect of pre and post marital agreements as well as cohabitation or ‘living together’ agreements.
Memberships and accreditations
- Law Society
- Resolution
- Kent Resolution Committee Member
- Resolution Cohabitation Committee
- Family Mediation Council
Client testimonials
