About Susan M.
Susan M. Freeman is a partner at Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, located at 201 East Washington Street, Suite 1200, Phoenix, Arizona, 85004. Specializing in business bankruptcy and appellate law, she has established a notable career since being licensed to practice in Arizona in 1975. Freeman earned her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law in the same year, following her Bachelor of Arts with distinction from Mount Holyoke College in 1972. Additionally, she broadened her academic experience by studying at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Freeman is recognized as a specialist in bankruptcy law by the Arizona State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.
Her experience includes representing various clients in business bankruptcy cases, such as trustees, secured lenders, and asset purchasers. In addition to her representation work, she has served as a mediator in complex bankruptcy disputes, showcasing her versatility in the legal field. Furthermore, Freeman has acted as an expert witness in Chapter 11 cases — This gives clients with invaluable insights based on her understanding of bankruptcy law. In the realm of appellate law, Freeman has briefed over 300 appeals and argued many of them, primarily in Arizona appellate courts and the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Her experience is substantial; she has been counsel of record in more than 150 reported decisions that span various legal areas, including commercial, tort, ERISA, tax, and employment law.
Notably, Freeman has briefed and argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, where she represented prominent law professors as amici in significant cases concerning sovereign immunity in bankruptcy. Freeman's professional affiliations highlight her leadership within the legal community. She is a Fellow and former Vice President of the American College of Bankruptcy and has served as president of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Her commitment to legal education is evident through her role as an adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University School of Law, where she has taught Appellate Advocacy. Additionally, she has been a faculty member at Appellate Practice Institutes both in Arizona and on a national level.
Her contributions to the legal field have been widely recognized. In 2015, Freeman was inducted into the Maricopa County Bar Association Hall of Fame, evidence of her impact on the profession. Since 1989, she has been listed in Best Lawyers in America and has received accolades such as being named a Local Litigation Star and included in the Top 250 Women in Litigation by Benchmark Litigation. Freeman’s extensive qualifications and achievements underscore her significant role in shaping business bankruptcy and appellate law in Arizona and beyond. She can be contacted by phone at (602) 262-5756 or by fax at (602) 734-3824.
