Justine A. Fitzgerald

"A good business lawyer knows how to assess and balance risk in order to close a deal. I always keep my client’s end goal in sight."

Justine’s law practice concentrates on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including the acquisition and disposition of real property assets, development projects, debt and equity financing, leasing, joint ventures, and the formation and operation of ownership entities. She has extensive experience negotiating purchase and sale agreements, ground leases, development agreements, architecture and construction contracts, office and retail leases, and construction, permanent and mezzanine financing documents for commercial mixed-use, office, retail, residential and government projects in Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland, as well as around the U.S. To close a deal as efficiently as possible, Justine works closely with her clients to understand their goals and tolerance for risk. Recognizing that no business deal is without risk, she has a keen sense of what is an intolerable level of risk and advises her clients accordingly. She is a problem solver who takes pride in getting the deal closed.

Justine also represents closely held private and family-owned companies and non-profit organizations in various industries with their real estate space needs, real estate investment projects and shareholder/partner disputes. Additionally, she has represented clients in the sale of their businesses.

Earlier in her career, Justine practiced law for eleven years at Arnold & Porter LLP and served as senior in-house counsel at Hilton Worldwide, Inc. Prior to joining Hirschler in 2016, she co-founded Fitzgerald & Rhodes LLP (later Fitzgerald Law PLLC), a boutique business law firm.

"Virginia's Go To Lawyer" for Commercial Real Estate, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, 2023

"Top Attorneys" for Real Estate, Arlington Magazine, 2022, 2023

“Most Influential Women in Virginia,” Virginia Lawyers Weekly, 2022