The following excerpts are taken from letters, cards, and emails from counsel and clients regarding Judge Soussan's mediation skills:
| Claims Adjuster | "I don't recall the last time I participated in such a heated mediation. I did however want to thank you for your patience and for your willingness to keep an open mind to some of the issues that were really at the heart of the case. I think these premises cases present some very unique social and political dynamics as we have Police departments around the country that are unable to fend off these types of violent crimes and murderers. It's certainly a very sad and discouraging situation for people that don't have the money to live in better areas. I thought you made a number of very good points throughout the mediation which clearly impacted my view of the case. So I thank you for that and for the professional manner in which you approached some of the strong exchanges back and forth." |
| Lead counsel | "I am very pleased to inform you that the parties were able to reach a resolution of their dispute amicably. I wanted to thank you for your tremendous efforts in bringing the parties toward a commercial resolution. This result would not have been possible without your assistance. I truly appreciate the time and effort you put into understanding the contract at issue, the regulatory framework at play, and the relevant facts affecting the parties' dispute and their divergent positions. It is a pleasure to participate in a mediation process before a mediator that was so well prepared and objective." |
| Litigant | "Susan, Thank you! I must say going into the mediation I was a bit nervous and skeptical. You have a personality that made me feel very comfortable and at ease. I feel I made the very best choice requesting you as the Mediator and I enjoyed being in your company. You have a quality about you I wish more people had." |
| "Our entire firm and all of our clients have certainly benefitted through the years with your experience, expertise, professionalism and overall reputation. You have brought to the mediation program which has benefitted our clients through the years with closure, finality and satisfactory settlements. Many times the cases had also been brought to conclusion long after the final mediation due to your aggressiveness, persistence, and overall reputation and well being for all the clients involved." | |
| Lead Counsel | "Just wanted to take a moment to express appreciation for your hard work, professionalism and dedication to resolving the Parties' dispute. It is easy to take for granted the late evening, missed dinner, creative energy and dogged determination you used to get the deal done." |
| Litigant | "Thank you for all your hard work and mediation efforts yesterday. I am very glad to have met you and look forward to getting these legal matters behind me." |
| "Before you entered this litigation, the parties had an intensive mediation which went nowhere. This case had been pending for over three years with no substantial progress towards settlement. On the first day of your mediation you were able to extract real and meaningful settlement proposals from both sides, which was a huge accomplishment. However, the ensuing two months of continuous negotiations between the parties was the most complex, convoluted and exhausting settlement process in my thirty years of practice. The negotiations came very close to termination a number of times and you were the one who breathed life back into the negotiations. I cannot say enough about your competency in this mediation. I have done many mediations in the past, but have never seen anyone skillful and persistent enough to bring this situation to an end. It was a wonderful job and you are the very best in the field of mediation." | |
| "Your unique and effective mediation style really moved everyone along, bringing closure on a case that everyone thought was unlikely to settle. It is no surprise that you have mediated over 6000 cases. You truly are among the best of the best." | |
| Multi-party multi-million dollar case | "A sincere note from our clients, as well as our entire law firm to send the strongest note of thanks, congratulations and applause for your outstanding work in our litigation. From the beginning stages to the last and final argument and closing the mediation door, your presence, persistence and expertise paved the way for a very successful closing of this matter. I can assure you that many mediators and former judges would not have met this challenge and would have thrown in the towel long ago. You certainly kept the faith about this case, as you have so many times before. You are bullet proof and great and we appreciate your outstanding job from beginning to end. Thanks so much for keeping our chin up when the going became very rough." |
| CEO of Technology Company | "Circumstances are often difficult, but do believe this particular case had some dynamics that made it particularly difficult. Certainly you assessed the situation correctly and we were able to reach a resolve. Thanks for your efforts and professionalism." |
| General Counsel of Fortune 500 Company | "I was impressed with your hard work, fortitude and depth of effort to bring the parties together for a most difficult settlement of our case. One of our managers made a most deserved compliment to your style of handling this hard emotional file when he remarked, long after you made the comment, that you were effective from the outset by telling all in the room (particularly the litigants) that we were there to settle a lawsuit not dwell on a tragic loss of life, however difficult it was to separate the two. There is always a concern on my 'away games' that the out-of-town mediations will reach impasse due to some 'home-towning' of local plaintiffs and local mediators against a national, out-of-town company or lawyers. In this case, you made everyone feel 'at home' and on an even playing field, hard-nosing both sides fairly, evenly and forcefully. Well done. I hope I have the opportunity to soon work with you again. Our company was well served by your efforts." |
| "My sincerest admiration for the astute manner with which you assessed the rather tortuous facts related to our case, and for the process of mediation itself. Moreover, I would like to express my true gratitude for the heartfelt words which you offered at the end of the mediation to me. I know that you understand how difficult a time this has been for me and my family." | |
| In-house Counsel for Fortune 500 Company | "Your advice was brilliant and your efforts productive. We could not have achieved this result without your facilitation." |
| "Your efforts in mediating were extraordinary. My client urged me to again thank you for your efforts in conducting the mediation in this case in a very conscientious, dedicated and professional manner. Furthermore, your efforts over the telephone after the scheduled day of mediation went above and beyond the call of duty. " | |
| "Thank you for the 'amazing' job you do in helping get our cases resolved. Your magic continues." | |
| "Many thanks for your mediation efforts in our case this week. Your upbeat demeanor throughout the long hours and tenacity in dealing with our multitude of issues and parties were terrific. Thank you for assisting us with resolving this very difficult case." | |
| "It was a difficult case, with high emotions and troubling legal issues. I especially appreciate your personal attention and courtesies extended to my client representatives during the mediation process. We were all tired and I appreciate your determination." | |
| "To sum up my impression of Judge Soussan in one buzz-word, I would say she's a 'fireball.' As a result, it is very easy for me to picture her in meetings with CEOs of some of the world's largest companies offering frank advice and settling major disputes." | |
| "Thanks for your efforts on this mediation. The 'best ever mediation lunch' guarantee I got from colleagues lived up to the hype, and I appreciate (more now than then) your tenacity in seeing this matter through to a full and final settlement as to all claims/parties. I look forward to working with you in the future." | |
| Litigant | "Thank you very much for your efforts in getting me dismissed from the case. The wisdom you bring to the mediation process is impressive and so is your courage. Thank you again!" |
| Deputy General Counsel | "I cannot remember ever being in a mediation more professional, welcoming and effective." |
| "Thank you for your total involvement in our Partnership dispute. You certainly deserve a red badge of courage for taking on this situation. Your expertise, assistance and personal involvement brought this matter to a conclusion." | |
| "You have done real magic in cases that I never expected to settle." | |
| "Our thanks and appreciation for your diligent persistence, patience and overall expertise. Our clients were very satisfied with the results and we appreciate your gargantuan effort in closing this matter with a real touch of class." | |
| "Thank you for the fine job that you did in mediating this case. There were obviously some very unique personality factors that made the case very difficult to settle. I am convinced that there are few other mediators, if any, who could have brought this case to conclusion." | |
| General Counsel of major Oil Company | "Thank you for the wonderful job you did in bringing our case to conclusion. The resolution of this case was in the interest of all the parties. As usual, you performed your mediation task with enthusiasm, professionalism and skill!" |
| "Thank you for mediating our cases yesterday. The day was difficult in many respects and none of us would have blamed you if you had cancelled the mediation. Notwithstanding the challenges, your abilities as a mediator prevailed. On behalf of my client and co-counsel, we all appreciate your efforts." | |
| "I just wanted to take a moment to write to thank you for your splendid work on both mediations. Both were very tough and emotional and you kept everyone focused on the primary objective of settlement throughout. I thought you were incredibly well-focused and even-handed." | |
| "Thank you once again for your diligent and deft handling of the successful mediation. I always begin by presuming that the parties are too far apart and that the hurdles facing a successful mediation will be too significant to overcome. I have certainly learned to make no more such assumptions with you in charge. As ever, you knocked the ball out of the park and got the job done." | |
| "Thank you for going the extra mile to get our recent case settled. I do not think any other mediator could have gotten it resolved! It is always a pleasure working with you." | |
| "Thank you for your assistance in bringing another case to a successful conclusion. You seem to specialize in the stressful ones! Once again you pulled a rabbit out of the hat." | |
| "Just a short note to thank you again for your perseverance and skill in helping us get the case resolved. Without you it wouldn't have happened, or if it had, it would only have been after all the parties expended a great deal in both effort and resources. I thank you again for your genuine concern. You are a delight and I greatly look forward to working with you again." |