Susan concentrates her practice in corporate, intellectual property, and franchise law. With experience in business management prior to her legal career, Susan understands the perspective of the business owner and offers practical, value-driven solutions to clients. She represents established companies as well as start-ups and helps her clients manage their growth.
As Chair of the Franchise Practice Group, Susan assists franchisors with their franchise compliance. She also serves as outside general counsel to franchisor and franchisee clients in a broad range of industries. She handles their corporate, franchise, and intellectual property matters.
Susan has extensive experience in a broad range of intellectual property matters such as trademark, trade dress, trade secret, and copyright. She works on all aspects of trademark matters from simple prosecutions to licensing to dispute resolution. In addition to litigation cases involving intellectual property, Susan also handles disputes before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
Prior to joining Ungaretti & Harris, Susan was Of Counsel at Schwartz Cooper Chartered. There she was Co-Chair of the Franchise Practice Group. Prior to that, she spent over twelve years as the principal in her own firm, and previously served as a contract lawyer for Sara Lee Corporation in their intellectual property department.
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“Trademark Basics for Non-IP Lawyers,” Ungaretti & Harris IP CLE Seminar
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"Fundamentals 201: Drafting A Disclosure Document," American Bar Association
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"Franchising Issues Under New State and Federal Requirements," Illinois State Bar Association
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“Fundamentals of Franchising: Disclosure and Registration”, American Bar Association/Chicago Bar Association
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“Negotiating Contract Terms and Conditions: Protecting Your Bottom Line,” Annual Business and Employment Law Seminar: Schwartz Cooper Chartered
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Chicago Kent Law School: Women in IP Roundtable
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Co-Chair for the Women’s Caucus Breakfast, American Bar Association Forum on Franchising