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."

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, Justine 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. 

As a child, Justine dreamed of becoming an architect. Her favorite toys were wooden blocks, matchbox cars and Lincoln logs that she used to build entire cities. Although she gave up the architecture dream, Justine feels fortunate to be able to represent real estate developers, investors and users and to serve as an integral part of the project team to develop and construct new and renovated buildings of all types. Today, she enjoys poring over architectural plans and schematic designs for her client’s projects and especially loves visiting her client’s projects in her spare time to watch them progress. 

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 the Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland metropolitan areas and around the country. Justine also represents closely held private and family-owned companies and non-profit organizations in a variety of industries with their space needs, real estate investment projects and shareholder/partner disputes. Justine has also represented clients in the sale of their businesses, including restaurants, golf courses, and professional service companies.

Earlier in her career, Justine practiced law for over a decade at Arnold & Porter LLP and served as senior in-house counsel at Hilton Worldwide, Inc. In 2010, 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

Business and Civic Organizations

Holly Crest Community Association, Board Member

Wesley Housing Development Corporation, Board Member

Falls Church Kiwanis Little League, Former Board Member

Religious School Committee at Temple Rodef Shalom, Falls Church, VA, Former Member

Justine and her husband live in Falls Church, where they raised their three children. She enjoys spending time with her grown children and her Airedale Terrier, Ridley, and sharing with her husband a passion for sampling craft beers and cheering on the University of Michigan football and basketball teams.