Susan J. Walsh

Susan understands that clients dealing with litigation face a challenging ordeal and deserve to be met with compassion, empathy and strength. Having tried dozens of cases, Susan knows how to build or deconstruct a case and argue winning positions in the courtroom. Equally as important, Susan’s experience as a skilled appellate writer allows her to effectively apply the law to a trial.

Highly regarded by her peers, Susan receives the majority of her employment matters through referrals from other colleagues in the criminal defense bar. They know her work and judgment, and trust her with their clients and friends seeking employment representation. Former adversaries in criminal defense or employment litigation also refer clients to Susan, sometimes even after she has bested them in a matter. Courtroom professionals, judges and other members of the bar know Susan by reputation. For a trial lawyer, credibility means everything – no matter the area of practice. 

Susan is highly engaged in bar association activities, and her involvement helps to shape both her practice and the law. She believes strongly that every professional should engage in on-going legal reform, and has devoted a significant amount of her professional career to that end. Susan has held leadership positions in local and state bar associations, and devoted time to changing 4^th Amendment privacy law on the state and national levels through her amicus (friend of the court) legal work. Of all of her professional accomplishments, Susan maintains that her greatest satisfaction comes from the note or holiday card from a former client who has successfully moved on from their legal challenges and is now thriving in life.
 

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Successfully resolved disability discrimination claim against Federal Reserve for long time employee suffering from 9/11 related mental health challenges.
• Successfully represented CEO in unlawful breach of contract dispute against global e-commerce company. 
• Successfully defeated motion to dismiss and resolved sexual discrimination suit against multi-million dollar design firm.
• Successfully represented same-sex discrimination claim against major brand-named beauty company.
• Successfully litigated injunctive relief on behalf of executive against enforcement of over-broad non-compete covenant.
• Secured reversal and eventual dismissal of a federal Hobbes Act robbery conviction, establishing base line requirements to effectively challenge identification evidence in a criminal prosecution.  U.S. v. Nolan, 956 F. 3d 71.
• Resolved a ten year mandatory minimum federal narcotics conspiracy case following a trial to a hung jury by a disposition involving a far less serious Food and Drug Act violation with a three year maximum.
• Obtained presidential commutations for seven clients who were serving sentences that ranged from 20 years to life imprisonment.
• Co-authored amicus briefs that resulted in landmark rulings from the New York State Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court limiting the warrantless use of GPS tracking devices under both New York law and the United States Constitution.  People v. Weaver, 12 N.Y.3d 433 and United States v. Jones, 565 U.S. 400.

 

AWARDS & MEMBERSHIPS

• Named One of Twelve Top Women NY METRO Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Appointed Second Circuit Representative to the Practitioners Advisory Guide to the U.S.S.G. Commission
• Recognized by the New York State Criminal Bar Association for Extraordinary Success in Obama Era Clemency Petitions
• Named to the 2021 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plantiff Employment Lawyers list
• Super Lawyers Honoree, 2010 - 2023