Clients and colleagues alike praise Susan Thomas’s ability to analyze complex scenarios, negotiate settlements, and provide clear, practical advice. Susan is a seasoned litigator, recognized as a team leader at Jordan, Lynch & Cancienne for her extensive experience in all aspects of litigation, from case development through trial.
Susan’s practice has included the representation of companies in a wide range of commercial, premises liability, and mass tort litigation in both state and federal courts. She has also served as national and regional counsel for a major chemical company, relying heavily on her organizational and management skills to obtain success for her clients.
Years of courtroom experience and a wide variety of cases have taught Susan the importance of being flexible and versatile. Her approach to law enables her to keep all the options on the table, resulting in the most favorable outcome for her clients, whether success means negotiating a settlement or going to trial with a well-prepared and well-researched argument.
Prior to joining JLC, Susan held the position of Special Counsel at Baker Botts, L.L.P. where she managed a diverse docket of cases, but always with a focus on trial work. Early on, she learned the importance of cultivating long term relationships and demonstrating her personal ethos of going above and beyond.
Those shared values and the opportunity to enjoy the work that you are doing each day drew her to join her former colleagues when they formed JLC.
Product Liability/Premises Liability/Personal Injury
- Served as national counsel for a sub-set of major chemical company’s asbestos litigation, managing outside counsel and developing and implementing strategies for case defense and resolution.
- Served as national counsel for major chemical company’s benzene litigation, managing outside counsel and developing and implementing strategies for the defense of both product and premises liability cases.
- Defended and obtained favorable jury verdicts for public utility company in multiple personal injury cases (as both first and second chair).
- Defended variety of personal injury claims pursuant to insurance company’s duty to defend.
Commercial Litigation
- Represented midstream gas processing company in a multi-million dollar property dispute.
- Represented manufacturer in warranty claims related to construction of pipe manufacturing facility.
- Represented pipe manufacturing company in contractual disputes.
- Represented insurance company/property owner in a complex contract dispute arising out of the issuance of Industrial Development Revenue Bonds resulting in favorable jury verdict; handled all appellate briefing resulting in favorable settlement.
- Obtained favorable jury verdict for public utility company (as first chair) arising out of property dispute.
- Defended electronic technology company in a contract dispute relating to sales commissions.
Corporate Counseling
- Provided counsel to manufacturing and technology companies regarding terms of purchase and sales agreements and other transactional matters.
- Advised 501(c)(3) corporation on contractual and risk management matters.
- Advised major chemical company on a variety of insurance issues, including workers’ compensation compliance, availability and extent of coverage, and coordination of insurance with third-party indemnitors.
- Baylor University School of Law, J.D., 1988
- Honors and Activities:
- Cum Laude
- Notes and Comments Editor; Baylor Law Review
- Honors and Activities:
- Stephen F. Austin State University, B.S., 1981
- Honors and Activities:
- Cum Laude
- Phi Upsilon Omicron National Honor Society, President
- Kappa Delta Pi National Honor Society
- Baker Botts, L.L.P.
- Thomas & Thomas
- State Bar of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- Texas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow
- Best Lawyers in America, 2024-2025
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, 2025
- Published: Selected Current Issues in Community Property Aspects of Retirement Plans, 39
- Baylor L. Rev. 1199 (1987), with James Paulsen and John Hopwood
- Named “Pro Bono Champion” at her previous firm, Baker Botts L.L.P., in 2014, 2015, and 2016
- Served as a Scholarship Judge for the Ronald McDonald House Charities, 2013 – 2017
- Board of Directors, Southeast Texas Air Force Academy Parents’ Association, 2011- 2014
- Harris County Self Inspection Task Force for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, 2008 -2012
- Houston Bar Association