A transformative and connective leader, Susan believes deeply in the power of relationships, collaboration, and strategic clarity. After several years as Fifth Third Bancorp’s Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, she rejoins Dinsmore as Director of Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives, bringing back a wealth of executive and legal experience. In this role, her focus includes firmwide strategic initiatives, professional development, major internal projects, community engagement, and strengthening Dinsmore’s commitment to innovation, cross‑organizational alignment, and delivering ever greater value to clients.
During her tenure at Fifth Third, Susan served in a key leadership role on the company’s Enterprise Team, the senior governing body responsible for strategy, management, and operations of the Fortune 500 institution. There she led an in‑house legal department of more than 100 professionals and played an essential role in shaping the bank’s overall strategic direction.
Before her time at Fifth Third, Susan spent nearly three trailblazing decades at Dinsmore. She was the first woman to chair the firm’s Corporate Department and served on Dinsmore’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee for nearly twenty years. She also led the Business, Acquisitions, and Securities Practice Group, helping elevate it into a nationally respected practice focused on complex transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and securities law. Her leadership extended deeply into firm culture—guiding the integration of new lawyers and newly merged firms and ensuring their smooth alignment with Dinsmore’s culture and values.
Susan has long been instrumental in Dinsmore’s growth and success. Her return marks a continuation of that impact as she helps shape the firm’s ongoing evolution and future trajectory.
