Susan guides clients in handling environmental issues related to business and real estate transactions, particularly brownfields redevelopment, and regulatory compliance at the local, state and federal level. Her practice is rounded out by her representation of clients in environmental litigation involving a variety of issues including toxic torts, cost recovery, property damage, and administrative penalties.
For over 20 years, she has worked with clients on business and transactional matters involving environmental issues and helped clients perform due diligence, environmental audits, reporting, environmental training, negotiate contracts and resolve regulatory compliance matters. She represents clients in negotiations and agreements with regulatory agencies such as the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (formerly Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), handling such issues as RCRA, brownfields, USTs, dry cleaners, wastewater, and permitting. Her experience includes representation of companies in CERCLA (Superfund) matters, including internal investigations and negotiated settlement agreements with the EPA and SCDHEC. She has also served as defendants’ and plaintiffs’ counsel in environmental litigation matters ranging from complex mass toxic tort cases to leaking underground storage tank cases.
Susan is ranked among the top lawyers in North Carolina for Environmental Law by Chambers USA, where clients have praised her as “very good and practical," and "very smart and detail-oriented." She was named to Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite for Environmental in 2020 and has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Environmental Law since 2015.
