Dana M. Susman

Dana is a partner in Michael Best's Litigation practice. She joined Michael Best with the New York team of Kane Kessler, P.C. 

Dana previously chaired the Litigation Practice Group at Kane Kessler and has litigated cases in both state and federal Courts for over 17 years. She has extensive experience in a wide range of civil and commercial litigation, with an emphasis on employment-related matters, including: discrimination and sexual harassment claims under federal, state and city laws, restrictive covenants, non-compete agreements, non-solicitation agreements, non-disclosure agreements, separation and severance agreements and misappropriation of trade secrets. 

Dana's additional commercial experience includes business fraud, unfair competition, copyright, trademark, contracts, insurance, real estate, shareholders derivative suits, partnership agreements, limited partnerships, joint ventures, and many other business-related disputes. She also has conducted large-scale corporate investigations concerning improper employment practices and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the False Claims Act relating to government contracts. 

In addition to her trial experience, Dana has represented clients in numerous arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association and private mediations.

Solutions in action

Dana has represented clients in the following matters: 

• Won summary judgment dismissing racial discrimination claims brought under federal and state law against a network of health-care facilities. 
• Won summary judgment on behalf of a limited partnership on claims for capital contributions by partners and dismissing counterclaims of fraud in the inducement in connection with subscription agreements, which decision was subsequently upheld on appeal. 
• Won summary judgment dismissing a lawsuit against a purchaser of real estate for failing to close the transaction and awarding repayment of the down payment, which decision was subsequently upheld on appeal. 
• Successfully settled a claim for rescission and damages on behalf of a group of investors in a complicated fraudulent real estate scheme. 
• Successfully tried a case to verdict on behalf of an employer in the transportation industry who was sued for soliciting an employee from a competitor in the industry and for utilizing confidential and proprietary information brought by the new hire. 
• Obtained a preliminary injunction on behalf of a pharmaceutical company preventing a former executive from violating a non-compete agreement and won summary judgment dismissing the former executive's contract claims for non-payment of severance payments.