Femme aux longs cheveux bruns, vêtue d'un blazer bleu et d'un haut blanc, debout dans un cabinet d'avocats bien éclairé, face à la caméra et souriante.

Susan Poll Klaessy

Partenaire

Susan Poll Klaessy est une avocate plaidante qui concentre sa pratique sur les questions de faillite et d'insolvabilité, la responsabilité fiduciaire, les droits des débiteurs et des créanciers, la dissolution d'entreprises, la fraude, les litiges en matière de gouvernance d'entreprise et les litiges commerciaux complexes. Elle est associée au sein du cabinet dans les domaines de la faillite et de la réorganisation d'entreprises ainsi que du contentieux commercial.

Susan has represented debtors, creditors, and other stakeholders in restructurings, liquidations, and other distressed situations. Additionally, she is an experienced trial counsel and has litigated numerous business disputes, including class action cases, arbitrations, appeals, and other high-stakes corporate disputes across a wide range of industries.

Susan is also an adjunct law professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Before law school, Susan worked for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Financial Services and the City of Chicago Department of Law.

Expérience des représentants

Restructuring and Insolvency

  • Represented ad hoc committee of equity holders in Chapter 11 proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
  • Represented commercial landlord in restaurant chain bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
  • Represented the largest unsecured creditor in Chapter 11 and adversary proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.
  • Represented Maltese investment funds in Chapter 15 proceedings of the insurance company in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
  • Advised pre-revenue biomedical company on out-of-court restructuring options, successfully avoiding Article 9 enforcement and assignment for the benefit of creditors.
  • Represented receiver in achieving dismissal of unauthorized Chapter 11 filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada, and prevailed on appeal.
  • Represented liquidating trustee in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, litigating multiple claims of fraudulent real estate transactions.
  • Represented corporate debtor in Chapter 11 proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and related appeals.
  • Represented governmental taxing authority in corporate Chapter 7 proceedings in the U.S.  Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
  • Represented commercial special servicers and lenders in various foreclosure, receivership, and bankruptcy proceedings related to defaulted and distressed loans
  • Represented bank in fraudulent transfer litigation, and prevailed on appeal before Washington, D.C. Court of Appeals.

Litigation*

  • Defended federal class action lawsuits alleging violations of Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Electronic Funds Transfer Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, RICO violations, product liability, and Constitutional discrimination claims.
  • Co-chaired and prevailed on restrictive covenant arbitration, enjoining competitor to close all of its retail stores and delivering a significant monetary victory to client.
  • Argued and defeated emergency motion for Status Quo Order in Delaware Court of Chancery, allowing client to close critical financing deal the following day; defended company in related Del. 225 and 220 corporate governance demands and fiduciary claims.
  • Co-chaired and prevailed on insurance coverage trial, (Pac. Employers Ins. Co. v. Clean Harbors Envtl. Servs., Inc.,2011 WL 813905 (N.D. Ill. Feb. 24, 2011)).
  • Co-chaired and prevailed on mineral lease dispute in JAMS arbitration.
  • First-chaired and prevailed on employment trial, rejecting executive compensation claim.
  • Briefed and prevailed on breach of commercial lease and guaranty dispute (LDS v. Southern Cross Food, 954 N.E.2d 696 (Ill. App. 1st 2011)).

* Les questions traitées avant de rejoindre Foley.

Prix et reconnaissance

  • Selected for inclusion in the 2020-2025 Super Lawyers® lists and 2014-2019 Super Lawyers® Rising Stars
  • Recognized as an “Emerging Lawyer in Illinois” in 2018 and 2021 in a survey of her peers by Leading Lawyers
  • Peer review rated as AV Preeminent®, the highest performance rating in the Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ system

Affiliations

  • Member of the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI)
  • Turnaround Management Association (TMA)
  • International Women’s Insolvency Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
  • Association du barreau de Chicago
  • Association du barreau de l'État de l'Illinois
  • Volunteer instructor with Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE)
  • Board of Directors for the Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts

Présentations et publications

  • Speaker, “Augmenting the Bankruptcy Estate: Fraudulent Transfers and Preferences in Bankruptcy,” Foley Academy: Legal Training Series (March 28, 2025)
  • Speaker, “Business Restructuring – Looking into a Crystal Ball or Down a Rabbit Hole,” The M&A Advisor 2025 Distressed Investing Summit (March 25, 2025)
  • Speaker, “Will AI Take Over the World?,” A “One of a Kind” Event (December 5, 2024)
  • Speaker, “Setting Your Case (and Yourself) Up For Success: Essential Steps,” New Associate Orientation (October 8, 2024)
  • Co-author, “Treatment of Environmental Obligations in Bankruptcy,” Environmental Law in Corporate and Real Estate Transactions (IICLE 2019 ed. & Supp. 2023)
  • Speaker, “Reconsidering Value Allocation: Tools for Junior Stakeholders,” American Bankruptcy Institute Annual Spring Meeting (April 30, 2022)
  • Co-author, “Supreme Court TCPA News: Government Debt Collectors Beware and Autodialers Under Review” Consumer Class Defense Counsel (July 23, 2020)
  • Speaker, “Bankruptcy 101 – The Basics,” National Association of Credit Management Webinar (November 19, 2019)
  • Speaker, “Partnering with Outside Counsel to Achieve Your Company’s Goals,” Loyola University Chicago Quinlan School of Business (August 10, 2019)
  • Co-author, “Crypto as Commodity, and the Bankruptcy Implications,” Law360 (October 17, 2018)
  • Speaker, “Leadership and the Legal Profession,” Loyola University Chicago School of Law (November 7, 2017)
  • Speaker, “Anatomy of Case II – Discovery,” Foley Institute for Professional Development (October 10, 2017)
  • Speaker, “The Many Faces of Fraud in Bankruptcy,” Foley Institute for Professional Development (August 22, 2017)
  • Speaker, “Women in Law,” Loyola University Chicago School of Law (October 18, 2016)
  • Speaker, “Evidence in Bankruptcy, including Social Media,” Walter Chandler American Inn of Court (October 28, 2015)
  • Co-author, “Employment Agreements Involving Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets,” Illinois Business Law: Miscellaneous Operating Issues (IICLE 2011 ed. & Supp. 2013)
  • Co-author, “Confidentiality and Non-disclosure Agreements in Mergers and Acquisitions,” Illinois Business Law: Mergers and Acquisitions (IICLE 2011 ed. & Supp. 2013)
  • Featured, “Non-Billable Hours,” Chicago Lawyer Magazine (October 2012)
  • Speaker, “Attorney Ethics: The Attorney-Client Privilege,” Illinois Law and Leadership Institute Seminar (August 2, 2012)
  • Speaker, “Conflicts of Interest: Identifying and Resolving Conflicts,” ARDC Professionalism Seminar: The Essentials of Ethical Practice (June 16, 2011)
  • Author, “The Role of Attorney Ethics and Witness Misidentification in the 26-Year Incarceration of an Innocent Man,” 14 Pub. Int. L. Rep. 25 (2008)
January 16, 2025 Honors and Awards

Foley Recognized at The M&A Advisor’s Turnaround Awards for Divestiture of the Year

Foley & Lardner LLP is proud to be named a winner at The M&A Advisor Turnaround Awards in the M&A Transaction Award category.
15 mars 2023 Dans l'actualité

Mark Hebbeln and Susan Poll Klaessy Author Chapter in 2023 Edition of Environmental Law in Corporate and Real Estate Transactions

Foley & Lardner LLP Partners Mark Hebbeln and Susan Poll Klaessy co-authored the chapter Treatment of Environmental Obligations in Bankruptcy in the 2023 edition of “Environmental Law in Corporate and Real Estate Transactions,” published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
24 janvier 2023 Distinctions et prix

Les avocats de Foley figurent sur la liste 2023 des Super Lawyers de l'Illinois

Foley & Lardner LLP est fier d'annoncer que 23 de ses avocats de Chicago ont été nommés sur les listes 2023 Illinois Super Lawyers et Rising Stars.
28 janvier 2022 Distinctions et récompenses

26 avocats de Foley nommés dans les listes 2022 des Super Lawyers et Rising Stars de l'Illinois

Foley & Lardner LLP a le plaisir d'annoncer que 26 de ses avocats ont été nommés dans les listes 2022 des Super Lawyers et Rising Stars de l'Illinois.
La vue de face du bâtiment de la Cour suprême des États-Unis, avec ses hautes colonnes, ses larges marches et ses statues des deux côtés, sous un ciel bleu limpide, inspire les cabinets d'avocats et les équipes d'assistance au contentieux dans tout le pays.
April 1, 2021 Blogs

La Cour suprême restreint l'interdiction des composeurs automatiques prévue par la TCPA

La Cour suprême a rendu jeudi sa décision tant attendue sur ce qui constitue un « système de numérotation téléphonique automatique » (ATDS) au sens de la loi sur la protection des consommateurs de services téléphoniques (TCPA), dans l'affaire Facebook Inc. c. Duguid, n° 19-511.
5 février 2021 Communiqués de presse

Les avocats du cabinet Foley nommés « Super Lawyers » et « Rising Stars » de l'Illinois

Les avocats de Foley remportent les honneurs des Illinois Super Lawyers & Rising Stars 2021. Découvrez qui figure dans la liste et leurs contributions au secteur juridique.