Susan M. White

• • First chaired mediation in eight-figure dispute on behalf of Fortune 200 project owner against prime contractor for design defects, schedule delays, and performance guarantees.
• • First chaired mediation on behalf of Fortune 500 energy company adverse contractor convincing contractor to self-fund 1/3 of the settlement that exceeded its insurance limits.
• • Successfully challenged Department of Transportation’s finding of affiliation which would have resulted in the removal of contractor from the state’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.
• • Drafted Engineering, Procurement and Construction Services Agreement, and Construction Manager At-Risk contracts for Fortune 200 owner.
• • Negotiated various seven and eight-figure subcontract agreements on behalf of subcontractors adverse ENR 10 contractors.
• • Drafted successful motions and appellate briefs defeating subcontractor’s challenge to the contractual time limitation provision allowing all claims to proceed.
• • Drafted successful brief in opposition to motion to certify class on behalf of joint defense team in multi-million-dollar real estate dispute.
• • Experience second chairing jury trials, bench trials and arbitrations.
• • Experienced in leading large teams throughout all facets of e-discovery.

Education

• • Cleveland State University College of Law, J.D., 2010
    • Cleveland State Law Review
• Ohio Wesleyan University, B.A., Political Science and History, 2007

Admissions

• • State of Ohio
• • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio

Professional Affiliations

• • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member

Community Involvement

• • Junior League of Cleveland, Board of Directors

• • Named to The Best Lawyers in America® Ones to Watch in Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation – Construction (2022 – 2025)
• • Named to Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2019 – 2024)

• • “Supreme Court Demolishes Chevron Deference”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (November 2024)
• • “Labor Law Update: Significant Changes that Could Affect ADSC Employers”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (August 2024)
• • “Legal Trends – Changes Could be Coming to Non-Compete Clauses and Overtime Pay”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (May 2024)
• • “Female Business Owners: Protecting Your (Ass)ets during Divorce”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (February 2024)
• • “Leaning on Your Lien Rights”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (May 2023)
• • “On the Rise: What you Need to Know about Anti-Bias Clauses in Construction Contracts”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (March 2023)
• • “Setoff, Offset, Off Base? Recent Trends with Withholding Clauses”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (November 2022)
• • “L&E Update: The Ever-Changing Landscape of Paid Leave”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (October 2023)
• • “Case Law Update: Differing Site Condition Claims”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (August 2022)
• • “Safety First: Legal Risk in Worksite Safety”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (July 2022)
• • “Title VII Protections and the Construction Industry”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (March 2022)
• • “Strike a Balance: Avoiding Unintended Consequences of Waiver Clauses”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (January 2022)
• • “Be Careful What You Waive: Lien Rights, Lien Waivers and Statutory Updates”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (November 2021)
• • “Women in Construction Round Table Recap, Supporting Gender Diversity and the Pregnancy Discrimination Act”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (March 2021)

• “Construction Contract Impacts as a Result of Covid-19: Force Majeure, Impossibility and Impracticability” (Spring 2020)

• • “Gender-Based Discrimination in the Construction Industry and What Employers Should Be Doing”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (March 2020)
• • “Indemnity: A Complex Puzzle that Can Be Solved”, Foundation Drilling Magazine, (January 2020)
• • “Major Changes to Pennsylvania’s Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act”, Benesch client alert (December 2018)

• • “Key Legal Concerns on Adaptive Projects” (Panelist), Deep Foundation Institute Annual Conference (October 2021)
• • “Mitigating Risk through Contracting” (Speaker), ADSC Southeast Chapter (July 2021)
• • “The Art of Negotiation: Managing Risk” (Speaker), International Women in Construction Summit, (October 2020)
• • “Gender Considerations in Construction – A Primer on Gender-Based Discrimination and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Regulations” (Co-Presenter), Webinar (April 2020)
• • “Key Legal Concerns for Design Professionals in the Pile Driving Industry” (Speaker), Pile Driving Contractors Association’s 20th Annual Design and Installation of Cost-Efficient Piles Conference, Cleveland, OH (November 2019)
• • “Wisdom from the Bench: The Judicial Perspective with Justice Melody Stewart, Chief Judge Patricia Gaughan and Judge Donna Fitzsimmons” (Moderator), Ladder Down Cleveland, Cleveland, OH (March 2019)
• • “Recent Legal Developments in the Ohio Valley that Will Allow You to be More Profitable in 2019” (Co-Presenter), ADSC Ohio Valley Chapter, Columbus, OH (March 2019)