Biography
Susan maintains a national litigation practice focused on toxic tort, drinking water contamination, and related insurance coverage.
She defends environmental claims, counsels on environmental regulatory matters, advocates for companies before regulatory authorities and in investigations, and guides clients through incident response and clean up with a focus on minimizing the threat or impact of future litigation.
Susan has more than 20 years of experience defending clients in various industries against claims alleging personal injury as a result of chemical or toxic exposures. She has litigated claims for Legionnaires' disease, chemical burns and inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning, and exposure to lead, formaldehyde, mold, and other potentially harmful substances. She also advises on related insurance coverage issues and product liability claims.
Her experience includes representing clients facing Legionnaires’ disease investigations, claims and lawsuits in more than 20 states. These efforts have resulted in favorable court rulings for her clients, including those affirmed in Russell v. Call/D, LLC, 122 A.3d 860 (2015).
Susan is the Managing Principal of Beveridge & Diamond's San Francisco office.
Education
- University of California - Santa Cruz (B.A., with Honors, 1993)
- Lewis & Clark (J.D., 1997)
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals - D.C. Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals – Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court - Maryland
- U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court – Western District of Washington
Professional Affiliations
- Maryland Defense Counsel Inc.: Chair, Lead Paint Committee, 2015; Board Member and Co-Chair, Negligence and Insurance Committee, 2008; Co-Founder and Co-Chair, First-Party Bad Faith Litigation Task Force, 2007
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, Co-Chair, Maryland/DC Local Chapter, 2012-2014
Community Involvement
For many years, Susan acted as the Site Captain for Project Clean Stream, the largest cleanup event in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Honors & Awards
- The Legal 500, recognition in Environmental Litigation (2019-2023)
