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attest, Susan is always willing to take the time to support and encourage the
people who have worked for and with her over the years. No question, issue
or problem is ever too small to talk through, and she will always be the first
one there to commiserate about disappointments and celebrate successes,
champagne in hand. Back in her private practice days, Susan was an unwavering
proponent of gender equality in the profession and a champion for
women within the firm while also supporting male associates who wanted
to take parental leave long before this was common practice. It is no surprise,
then, that Susan has cultivated a vast network of current and former
colleagues and clerks who continue to turn to her for both mentorship and
friendship, and all of whom consider themselves privileged to have had the
opportunity to work with and learn from her. As one former clerk describes,
knowing she has your back makes you more confident professionally, and
the personal interest she takes in your career gives you the motivation to
keep navigating the difficult times and to push the boundaries in circumstances
where you might not otherwise feel you belong. As another former
law clerk says about his friendship with Susan (relied on heavily when starting
his own law firm), she has been and remains a touchstone, a benchmark
of positive influence at the most influential time in a young lawyer’s career.
This impact is something most of us come to appreciate to a greater extent
only years later when looking back and realizing what a formative role her
presence has played. Susan is unapologetically who she is, and in being herself,
she brings out the best in those around her and gives them the courage
to be confident in who they are.