On the Record: New Maine plaintiffs’ bar leader aims to help courts recover from pandemic backlog

Susan Faunce, a companion with Berman & Simmons who heads the Lewiston-based legislation agency’s mass tort apply, was not too long ago named president of the Maine Trial Legal professionals Affiliation. Mainebiz caught up with the Bowdoin School and College of Maine College of Legislation alumna to seek out out extra about her multicultural background and legislation apply.

Mainebiz: What was it like rising up in Lewiston after spending the primary 5 years of your life in Seoul, South Korea?

Susan Faunce: At first it was very tough to regulate. I felt like an outsider and had many experiences with racism. As a result of my mother’s English was restricted, folks would typically dismiss her or deal with her poorly, and that was very tough for me to look at. Fortuitously, I used to be capable of make good pals in center and highschool. I nonetheless communicate with a few of them at present.

MB: What first sparked your ambition to change into a lawyer?

SF: My mother and father divorced after I was seven years previous. On the time, my mother barely spoke English and needed to navigate a overseas authorized system. She was represented by a feminine lawyer, Fredda Wolf. Watching Fredda advocate for my mother made me understand that legal professionals might present a voice to individuals who felt misplaced, unheard or overwhelmed in an advanced authorized system. I’m really honored to have the ability to assist folks at among the most tough occasions of their lives.

MB: Out of your time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco, what did you study?

SF: Regardless of how totally different folks could seem externally, all of us have commonalities. I spent many hours with my Moroccan ladies pals consuming mint tea, joking or dancing. In spending time with them, I realized that all of us worth our households, pals and communities. I additionally realized to by no means take my freedom as a girl on this nation as a right.

MB: What attracted you to the medical malpractice space?

SF: I initially was drawn to being a trial lawyer after I took a trial apply class in legislation faculty which led me to be on the trial workforce. In consequence, I used to be supplied a place at Berman & Simmons and began engaged on medical malpractice instances. I take pleasure in engaged on medical malpractice instances as a result of I discover them intellectually difficult and revel in studying the science of every case.

The instances we work on contain individuals who have suffered the dying of a beloved one, lack of limbs or caring for a beloved one who has vital bodily and cognitive deficits. Once we get hold of outcomes for shoppers, we are able to see the direct affect on their lives corresponding to shopping for a brand new home or automobile to accommodate their bodily wants or with the ability to entry therapies or medical care not coated by insurance coverage.

MB: What affect has the pandemic and depositions on Zoom had in your apply?

SF: Depositions and medical malpractice hearings now happen on Zoom. Initially, I needed to rapidly study expertise to have the ability to present and mark displays. Now that Zoom is built-in into our practices, we’ve got all adjusted and elevated effectivity; I now not must spend a complete day flying to and from New York Metropolis for a three-hour deposition.

MB: Do you see the civil case backlog easing anytime quickly?

SF: Sadly, no. Civil instances are second precedence to legal instances and there’s a super backlog of legal instances. The courtroom programs in Maine had been already fairly fragile earlier than the pandemic, as they had been underfunded and under-resourced. The pandemic solely heightened these points. One among my priorities as president of the Maine Trial Legal professionals Affiliation is to supply as a lot help as wanted to the courts to make sure that they’re able to perform at full capability each within the short- and long-term.

MB: What’s your recommendation to younger folks contemplating a profession in legislation at present?

SF: Be prepared for a demanding however rewarding profession. Most legislation careers contain work that by no means ends even on weekends, holidays, and so forth., so be sure that you’re enthusiastic about getting into this subject. Should you plan to have a legislation profession and household, having an understanding and supportive companion is essential.