I want to win.
My career in law can be summarized as working for a law firm, serving as General Counsel for two public companies and, today, working in a law firm as a Founding Partner at Wilchins Cosentino & Novins.
My prior experience as General Counsel has been invaluable as I represent my clients today. In this role, I was responsible for managing a wide variety of legal matters from simple employment contracts to complex sourcing and distributorship contracts with international businesses to oversight of all litigation including product liability claims. I experienced firsthand how disruptive a claim could be on a business’ operations. The impact on a business can be significant due to the time and effort involved in litigation and this negative must be carefully weighed against what is at stake in the litigation. This valuable experience enables me to present clients with the pros and cons of litigation and provide a full picture of what they can expect so they can make informed decisions about pursuing litigation.
My corporate positions also exposed me to many different types of contracts, from supplier and distributor agreements to licensing and lease agreements. These experiences, as well as my litigation background, give me an advantage when reviewing and negotiating contracts for clients. I can readily identify the terms that frequently result in litigation when reviewing, developing or negotiating contractual agreements. I find it very satisfying being able to help our business clients with legal counsel on contractual matters to protect their interests and mitigate risk.
Today, most of my cases involve litigation in state and federal courts as well as before administrative bodies. One of the most important aspects of the case takes place in the discovery phase which is where a lot of the evidence and facts unfold.
During this phase, it is critical to gather the facts and information, read the fine print, examine what documentary evidence exists and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the case. This preparation phase is the ‘hunt’, helping me finalize my game plan to be ready for court. I especially enjoy this phase of litigating and leave no stone unturned to best represent my client and present the facts and the law.
I am a fierce advocate for my clients, and my track record speaks to my being assertive, proactive and thorough to best serve my clients.
I enjoy gardening and spending time outdoors as well as spending time with my large extended family. Learn more about Susan Donaldson Novins who Co-chairs the Litigation practice, leads the Employment Law practice and works with clients on financial services litigation and business law matters.
This article is not legal advice and should not be taken as such or relied upon as legal advice.