Personal Mission Statement:
I am honored to represent clients through the Collaborative Divorce model, an empowering, effective and child-centered option for resolving the painful issues inherent in divorce. This confidential Collaborative Divorce process allows me to better assist my clients by focusing on their genuine interests and concerns through the dissolution of their marriage and beyond, resulting in an enhanced quality of life for them and their children.
Having committed to a family law legal practice centered solely on conflict resolution, Susan is pleased to offer her clients the option of Collaborative Divorce as an alternative to the traditionally damaging litigation process. Susan is a skilled and creative problem solver, and a seasoned expert in the resolution of family law disputes. She provides compassionate, personalized and effective representation to her Collaborative Divorce clients by learning and understanding their individual needs, and guiding them through a healthy process that focuses on protecting their children, safeguarding business interests, and dividing assets in an equitable manner. She recognizes the emotional challenges associated with the dissolution of a family through divorce and emphasizes the well being of her clients and their children through all aspects of her representation. She is resourceful and innovative in her approach to resolving conflict and in her ability to overcome impediments to the peaceful restructuring of her clients’ lives post-divorce.
Education:
- Southern Methodist University School of Law – Dallas, Texas — Juris Doctorate, Cum Laude
- West Virginia University – Morgantown, West Virginia — Bachelor of Science, Medical Technology, Magna Cum Laude
- Collaborative Family Law and Conflict Resolution Training:
- Basic Collaborative Family Law – The Collaborative Law Institute of Texas (2000)
- Collaborative Family Law Training- Chip Rose (2002, 2005)
- Advanced Collaborative Family Law – The Collaborative Law Institute / SBOT (2003-2016)
- Harvard Law School Mediation Training PIFL – (June 1992)
- Advanced Negotiation and Conflict Resolution –Nina Meierding (2014)
- Advanced Family Mediation – SMU/Pepperdine University (February 2000)
- Non Defensive Communication- Sharon Ellison (Spring 2009)
- The Brain Science of War and Peace North TX Conflict Resolution Conference (Fall 2008)
- How to Deal with Difficult Personalities Bill Eddy, JD PhD (Fall 2008)
Professional Activities / Honors:
- Texas Mediator Credentialing Assoc. –Distinguished Credentialed Mediator Association of Attorney Mediators
- Collaborative Divorce Texas/ Collaborative Law Institute (Charter member)
- Texas Bar Association, ADR, Collaborative Law, and Family Law Sections
- Rockwall Collaborative Family Law Alliance (Charter member)
- Collin County Collaborative Divorce (Charter member)
- Rockwall County Bar Association –Past President, Board of Directors
- Rockwall County Bar Foundation-Board of Directors
- Collin County Bar Association- Past Secretary; Board of Directors; ADR Section Chair; and Charter Member; Family Law Section Charter member).
- Collin County Bench Bar Foundation, Secretary 1998-2000, Founding Committee/Charter Fellow.
- Dallas Bar Association,- ADR Section Charter Member; Family Law Section
- Selected Best Lawyers in Dallas “D” Magazine- (ADR – 2013, 2014, 2015)
- Curtis Henderson Inns of Court-Charter member
- College of the State Bar of Texas
- Best Lawyers in America- Mediation, 2009—2015
Presentations:
- Advanced Family Law Conference- San Antonio 2014, Use of Mediation in Collaborative Cases, Give Peace a Chance
- Collin County Bar Assoc. ADR Section – April 2015 and ADR/Family Law joint Section Meeting, February 25, 2009 , Mediation in Collaborative Cases
- Collin County Bench Bar Conference (Spring 2004); Rockwall County Bar Association (2006,2007) What is Collaborative Law?