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The Daily Journal
June 14, 2002
TOP 30 WOMEN LITIGATORS
Stand-Up First-Chair
Six years ago, Suzelle Smith won an automobile rollover
case against an undefeated attorney, paving her way to the national ranks of
litigators.
In 1985, Suzelle Smith and Don Howarth struck out on their own to form Howarth &
Smith, a litigation boutique. Even though Smith was only a second-year
associate, she was confident that she could handle her own practice.
"I had shown that I could stand up in the courtroom,"
Smith says.
At that point in her career, Smith worked on "bet the
company" defense litigation. Suzuki was having some problems, and it hired Smith
to change its strategy.
"What they needed was a woman first-chair trial lawyer,"
Smith said.
Smith, 48, also handles plaintiffs’ work. She’s working as
lead counsel on the first class action against terrorists and terrorist groups
for the Sept. 11 attacks. The case was filed May 9 on behalf of the victims and
the decedents’ families. Havlish v. Bin Laden, CV 0035 (D. D.C., filed May 9,
2002).
"It’s about war on terrorism and seeing that it never
happens again," Smith says.
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