Biography
As I was growing up, I watched the every day people around me often struggling to be heard. I remember as a teenager sitting with my sister in court for her criminal charges. She wanted to explain the circumstances, to have someone listen. But we sat and looked silently at the floor. I watched as people there were treated indifferently, as if they didn’t matter at all, including my sister. We were nobodies and I felt powerless. I decided right then that I would change that-I would become a voice for the voiceless-and decided to go to law school.
At the time I decided to go to law school, I didn’t know any lawyers-had never even met any lawyers (we surely couldn’t afford one). I just knew that it would give me at least the opportunity to stand up for the rights of regular citizens. I have spent the last twenty-nine years representing people who have been harmed or wronged. It is amazing how many times, while waiting on a jury verdict, my client has turned to me and said “Susan, regardless of how this turns out, you told my story and I got my day in court. I was heard and I thank you.” Each time has been a great gift to me. In each case, I learn not only about my client, but about myself. Sometimes I am frustrated with the process, but I have great faith in our jury system and am grateful for the chance to be a part of it. Everyone matters.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”-we can all step into each other’s shoes, even if for a moment.
Certified Legal Specialties:
- Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1992
Current Employment Position
- Attorney
Past Positions
- Fielding, Barrett & Taylor, LLP, Associate/Partner, 1988 to 1994
- Shannon, Gracery, Ratliff & Miller, Associate, 1987 to 1988
Practice Areas:
- Civil Rights
- Discrimination
- Non-Subscriber Claims
- Personal Injury
- Retaliation
- Sexual Harassment
- Truck Wrecks
- Whistleblower
- Wrongful Termination
Classes & Seminars
- Tort Law for Legal Assistants, Texas Wesleyan University, 1996 to 1996
Fraternities or Sororities
- Phi Alpha Delta
Representative Clients
- Bell Helicopter/Textron, Inc.
- Waste Management, Inc.
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association, Member
- Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association, Member
- Tarrant County Civil Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- Tarrant County Women's Bar Association, Member
Honors
- Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters
- AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
- Top Car Accident Attorney, Avvo Rating 10.0 Superb
- Fort Worth Top Attorney, Fort Worth Texas Magazine
- Recipient, Disability Rights of Texas
Education
- Texas Tech University School of Law, Lubbock, Texas
- J.D. - 1987
- Honors: Recipient, Judge Meade F. Griffin Award
- West Texas State University, Canyon, Texas
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 00/1983
- Honors: cum laude
- Major: Literature
- Trial Lawyers College, Wyoming
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1987
- U.S. Federal Courts, 1987
- U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- Supreme Court of the United States of America
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, pro hac vice
- U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, pro hac vice