Susan J. Walsh is a trial lawyer who represents individuals in employment and criminal defense cases, often against large corporations or the government. She balances a fierce defense against formidable adversaries with a keen sensitivity to her clients’ experiences.
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 4th 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.
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Education
- The George Washington University Law School (J.D.) Honors: cum laude Honors: Honors Graduate
- Tufts University (B.A.) Honors: cum laude
- Adjunct Professor of Law at the New York Law School since 2005
Admissions
- New York
- New Jersey
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court District of New Jersey
- U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Experience
- 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.
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Super Lawyers, 2025
- Recognized in The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers for Employee & Civil Rights Litigation
- 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
Community Engagement
Center for Appellate Litigation (CAL), Chair of the Board
CAL’s core mission is appellate advocacy on behalf of those who have suffered criminal convictions and are unable to afford private appellate counsel. Its appellate practice is dynamic and varied, always seeking fresh approaches, and employing a holistic model of representation. CAL seeks to do more for clients than merely challenge their criminal conviction. CAL also partners with law schools to cultivate a new generation of exceptional appellate advocates and supports myriad projects to promote legal reform, confront racial inequity and injustice, and serve the client community. Susan Walsh has served as a member of the Board of Directors for years, recently oversaw the search for a replacement for CAL’s founder and long-time executive director and assumed the role as Chair in 2023.
United States Sentencing Commission, Practitioners Advisory Group (PAG), Member
The Practitioners Advisory Group (PAG) is a standing advisory group to the United States Sentencing Commission (Commission) under 28 U.S.C. § 995 and Rule 5.4 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure.
The purpose of the PAG is to (1) assist the Commission in carrying out its statutory responsibilities under 28 U.S.C. § 994(o); (2) provide to the Commission its views on the Commission’s activities and work, including proposed priorities and amendments; (3) disseminate to defense attorneys, and to other professionals in the defense community, information regarding federal sentencing issues; and (4) perform other related functions as the Commission requests.
As one of 17 members of the PAG and as the representative of practitioners in the Second Circuit, Susan Walsh works to support sentencing policies and rules that value humanity and the capacity for redemption of all who face sentencing in federal jurisdictions.
American Bar Association, Task Force on Sentencing, Liaison
Susan Walsh serves as the defense liaison to the Task Force on Sentencing Standards that has been empaneled by the ABA Criminal Justice Section. The Task Force, which includes preeminent criminal defense lawyers, prosecutors, and judges, has undertaken a comprehensive review of the policies, principles, and practices that undergird sentencing in the United States with an aim toward developing standards and best practices in that endeavor. The Task Force expects to issue a comprehensive report for consideration by the ABA’s Criminal Justice Section sometime in 2024.
Practice Areas
