Meet Attorney Susan Faunce
Since joining Berman & Simmons in 2006, attorney Susan Faunce has represented clients throughout Maine who have been harmed by personal injury and medical negligence. She currently leads the firm’s mass tort practice, which involves dangerous drug and medical device litigation, and works on medical malpractice and wrongful death cases. Susan is motivated by compassion for her clients and an interest in medicine.
From a young age, Susan knew she wanted to become a lawyer, in hopes of making a significant impact on people’s lives. Today she is one of Maine’s leading personal injury attorneys and has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers, Chambers, and Benchmark Litigation.
“I was raised by a single mother who spoke limited English and I lived in an underdeveloped country as a young adult,” Susan says. “These experiences have taught me to be courageous, resourceful, and persistent. I understand that every case carries both legal and emotional aspects, and I believe every client should have a strong advocate who will work tirelessly to successfully resolve their case.”
Susan is a graduate of Bowdoin College where she majored in Government Studies and Asian Studies. After college, she worked as a paralegal on high-profile intellectual property cases at a major Boston law firm. She joined the Peace Corps and served in Morocco, teaching English to local high school students and French to women in the community. Susan chose to return home to Maine and earned her law degree from the University of Maine School of Law.
Susan is broadly active in Maine’s legal advocacy, serving in leadership roles at the Maine State Bar Association and Maine Trial Lawyers Association. In addition, she serves on the Local Rules Advisory Committee of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Evidence, and The Maine Justice Foundation. Susan is also a member of the American Association for Justice, as well as the National Mass Tort Trial Lawyers Association. Outside of work, Susan enjoys serving on the board of the Robbie Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides funding for adaptive equipment and therapies for special needs children.
Memberships & Distinctions
- Maine State Supreme Judicial Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Evidence, 2023–present
- United States District Court of Maine Local Rules Advisory Committee, 2019–present
- Maine State Bar Association (MSBA), 2006–present
- President-Elect, 2024–2025
- Vice President, 2023–2024
- Androscoggin County Representative, 2021–2022
- Black, Indian, People of Color (BIPOC) Section Member, 2020–present
- Diversity Committee Member, 2020–present
- Women’s Law Section Board Representative, 2018–2020
- Women’s Law Section Co-chair, 2016–2018
- Maine Trial Lawyers Association (MTLA), 2006–present
- Past-President, 2022–2023
- Treasurer, 2020–2021
- Board of Governors, 2018–present
- American Association for Justice (AAJ), 2007–present
- Selected member of the Leadership Academy 2019–2020
- Maine Delegate, 2017–2019
- National Mass Tort Trial Lawyers Association, 2017–present
- Maine Justice Foundation, Board of Directors, 2020–present
- Robbie Foundation, 2013–present
- Board Member, 2016–present
- Volunteer, 2013–present
Highlights
- On the Record: New Maine Plaintiffs’ Bar Leader Aims to Help Courts Recover From Pandemic Backlog, MaineBiz, June 2022
- Internet and Social Media Searches of Jurors – Ethical and Advocacy Considerations, Maine State Bar Association Winter Conference, 2022
- Review of the Medical Legal Code: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going, Maine Trial Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, 2021
- 2020-2021 Review of the Medical Legal Code of Cooperation: A Report of the Medical-Legal Committee, Maine State Bar Association Winter Conference, 2021
- Lawyer Susan Faunce: Providing a Voice to People Who Need One, Maine Women Magazine, October 2020
- Maine Doctors, health officials seeing Devastating Effects of Vaping-related Illness, WGME-TV, (Portland, Me.), December 2019
- Veterans Sue 3M Claiming Earplugs Caused Hearing Loss, Maine Law Firm to Join Fight, WGME-TV, (Portland, Me.), May, 2019
- FDA Medical Device Approvals: How a Flawed Process Can Result in Patient Harm, November 2019
- Women in Litigation ― Successful Strategies, University of Maine School of Law, November 2018
- Mass What? An Overview of Mass Tort Cases, How They Are Litigated, Sample Cases, and Emerging Issues and Trends, Maine Trial Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, 2018
- Panelist, University of Maine School of Law PreLaw Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Program
- Medical Malpractice Cases in Maine: How It Works, University of Maine School of Law, November 2016
- Despite Serious Violations, Maine Dentists Often Keep Practicing, WGME-TV, (Portland, Me.), April 2016
- Prison Medical Malpractice Claims, IN BRIEF (Berman & Simmons, Lewiston, Me.), Winter 2016
- Medical Malpractice and Federally Funded Health Centers, IN BRIEF (Berman & Simmons, Lewiston, Me.), Summer 2013
- Protecting Clients in the Era of Social Media, IN BRIEF (Berman & Simmons, Lewiston, Me.), Spring 2012
- Bringing the Power of an Expert to your Case, IN BRIEF (Berman & Simmons, Lewiston, Me.), Spring 2011
- Recent Adoption of the Maine Rules of Professional Conduct, IN BRIEF (Berman & Simmons, Lewiston, Me.), Fall 2009