Shifting the economic paradigm in Western Massachusetts with worker owned cooperatives and other solidarity economy enterprises

For over two decades, Susan litigated in the bankruptcy and housing courts to save her clients’ homes and rebuild their financial lives.  Even though she was able to achieve good results for her clients, it did not alter the underlying economic dynamics wreaking havoc on their lives.  In late 2019 she left litigation to transition into a transactional practice to facilitate a new egalitarian economic paradigm.  

Susan hopes to facilitate the growth of solidarity economy enterprises in the Pioneer Valley by guiding the development of  new worker-owned cooperatives and conversion of existing businesses, and through the creation of community land trusts.   Susan is also involved in other community-building efforts including local COVID-19 mutual aid networking, organizing against natural gas pipeline expansion in her town, and supporting the creation of a Massachusetts public bank. 

Susan lives in Agawam with her dog, Lucy.  She is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and the University of Michigan.